Simplex-IT Helps Raise Over $200,000 For Charity Courtesy of Shave That Beard Event

Charity fund raiser doubled its original goal and participants will donate funds to additional charities

November 16, 2022; Stow, OH - Simplex-IT, a Managed Service Provider in IT support, has helped raise over $200,000 for charities courtesy of the Shave That Beard Event. 

The event took place on Thursday, November 10, and Friday, November 11, with all proceeds going to charities across the United States. Simplex-IT CEO Bob Coppedge and Security Director Adam Evans participated in the Shave That Beard fundraiser, as the two men had their facial hair cut off for a good cause. 

Both men were partial to their beards and had grown them for some time before the event. Evans, in particular, had a long, glorious beard but willingly parted with it to help a shortlist of non-profit organizations. Not only did backers and sponsors of the charity event want to help out, but they also wanted to see Coppedge and Evans shaved.

Shave that Beard raised money for five charities and had an initial goal of $100,000 in donations. The money raised was to be divided amongst Hackers for Vets, Women Who Code, Bits ‘N Bytes, Diversity Cyber Council, and Bike Walk Wichita; with each organization receiving $20,000. 

However, the charity event doubled its original financial goal by raising more than $200,000 in donations and pledges. The event exceeded expectations, and participants of Shave That Beard were able to select a charity of their own to donate the additional funds to. 

Coppedge selected Cleveland GiveCamp, as his additional charity. GiveCamp is a week-long IT event for software developers, database administrators, designers, project managers, and creative individuals to donate their time to build software and web-based applications for non-profit groups. GiveCamp provides cash-strapped non-profit organizations with the chance to receive vital software development, applications, and much more, free of charge from IT experts. 

Cleveland GiveCamp was delighted to learn it would receive a donation from the Shave That Beard event. The organization will now be able to hold further weekends and host professionals from the world of IT. 

Simplex-IT Recognized as a “Best in Tech” Award Finalist by Greater Cleveland Partnership

October 20, 2022, Stow OH - Simplex-IT has been recognized as a “Best in Tech Award” finalist in the Best Tech Services Company category. The award is part of the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s annual Tech Week held October 18–20 2022. The Best in Tech award recognizes outstanding achievement for firms providing IT related services and/or products.  

Serving as a celebration of the technology community in Greater Cleveland, awards honor companies and individuals who are excelling and helping grow the tech sector in our region. The Best of Tech Awards program recognizes the region’s technology companies, leaders, enterprise technology organizations, and educators. The awards ceremony was held on Thursday, October 20 at Gordon Green from 5 to 8 p.m. 

Bob Coppedge, Simplex-IT, CEO said the following about the award nomination: "For Simplex-IT, being recognized by the Greater Cleveland Partnership as a finalist in the Best of Tech Awards is a great honor. IT really drives home our commitment to not only provide great IT services to our clients, but to continue to Simplify the Complex for both clients and community." 

Simplex-IT shares the Best in Tech honor with fellow finalists: BlueBridge, Networks and Briteskies and the winner Genesis 10.

SIMPLEX-IT Set to Deliver Pies on PI Day

March 10, 2022; Stow, OH; Stow, OH – Simplex-IT, a leader in managed IT services in Northeast Ohio since 2007 is excited to celebrate Pi Day this coming Monday, March 14, 2022 in a classic and simple way – by delivering pies to their clients. The tech company will be ordering the pies from hometown favorite, Gardner Pies, once again this year. Simplex-IT has celebrated Pi Day in this way every year since 2017 and is excited to deliver the pies in person this year after having to get creative last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Bob Coppedge, Simplex-IT CEO and brains behind the company Pi Day celebration said, “For 6 years Simplex-IT has been treating our clients and friends to pies on Pi Day. It might sound irrational, but we’ve found it a simple way for us to say “thank you”. 

Seven team members from Simplex-IT will be delivering the pies to clients throughout northeast Ohio and the rest of the company will hold down the fort and continue daily operations, eating  pie all day of course. The Simplex-IT offices will be well stocked with pies for any visitors that might want to stop by. 

Sales and Marketing Director, Patti Smerk said "We look forward to this every year, it's just a fun way to celebrate a fun day. We like visiting with our clients and Gardner Pies makes the best pies around."  

Seven team members from Simplex-IT will be delivering the pies to clients throughout northeast Ohio and the rest of the company will hold down the fort and continue daily operations, eating pie throughout the day of course.

Simplex-IT Receives Prestigious Weatherhead 100 Award 2021 Showcasing Company’s Revenue Growth

Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management honors tech company with exclusive award

November 3, 2021; Stow, OH; Simplex-IT, a Managed Service Provider in IT support based in Stow, has been named as winner of the Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management Weatherhead 100 award for 2021. Weatherhead 100 recipients will be honored during a special interactive virtual recognition presentation on Thursday, December 9, 2021.

Simplex-IT has been recognized for its large growth in net revenue over the past five years. The tech company will be featured in a special issue of Crain’s Cleveland Business Magazine.

The Weatherhead 100 award is based on a company’s net revenue from 2016 to 2020. To qualify for the Weatherhead 100 award, companies must post a net revenue of at least $100,000 and at least $1 million.

“I’ve always regarded the Weatherhead awards as the best recognition for an organization in Northeast Ohio,” Bob Coppedge, CEO of Simplex-IT, said. “Three times Simplex-IT was recognized as an ‘Upstart’, reserved for smaller organizations.

“This year I’m proud that we’ve graduated to the ‘grownup table’ and are a part of the exclusive Weatherhead 100. Congrats to all the other great organizations and I look forward to celebrating together virtually – and hopefully in person next year.”

The Weatherhead 100 awards are the premier celebration of Northeast Ohio’s spirit of entrepreneurship. The exclusive awards are given out to companies leading the way in business in Northeast Ohio. Since 1988, the Weatherhead 100 has been awarded each year to an elite group of companies showcasing leadership, growth, and success in the region.

“It is a huge honor to be recognized by the Weatherhead awards,” Coppedge explained. “Winning such a prestigious award not only showcases how much Simplex-IT has grown over the last five years, but it exhibits the impact the company has on the local area of Northeast Ohio.”

The Weatherhead 100 award ceremony will took place on Thursday, December 9, 2021 in a special interactive virtual recognition presentation. To learn more about the Weatherhead 100 award, please visit https://weatherhead.case.edu/.

Simplex-IT Named Among the Top MSPs

March 6, 2021 - CloudTango: Each year, Cloudtango recognizes the most successful managed service providers (MSPs) around the world in what has become a global reference due to its independent approach, and in-depth analysis. In the seventh edition of the awards, the selection process continues to highlight technical excellence, innovation, and customer satisfaction within the MSP industry. It is for this reason that we are extremely honored to announce that Simplex-IT has been recognized by Cloudtango as one of the leading MSPs in 2021. “We work extremely hard to make sure our annual awards truly reflect excellence within the MSP industry,” said Jordi Vilanova, CEO at Cloudtango. “So, it is with great confidence that we selected Simplex-IT for its strong commitment to provide premium IT services, while accomplishing a high level of customer satisfaction.”

For the 2021 awards, the technical analysis has focused on cybersecurity, support, infrastructure and cloud services. Through the selection process, up to seven years of data have been analyzed, 223 different types of certifications have been reviewed, 95 vendor partnerships have been accounted, and 22 different IT services have been evaluated

Simplex-IT to Host Virtual Fundraiser in Honor of Non-profit Open M

Simplex-IT to host virtual fundraiser during August in honor of non-profit Open M

Community conscious company celebrating 13-year anniversary with goal of raising $10,000 for Christian non-profit organization

July 31, 2020; Stow, Ohio – Simplex-IT, a Managed Service Provider in IT support, will celebrate its 13th anniversary during the month of August. To celebrate the company’s birthday, Simplex-IT has joined forces with Open M, a Christian non-profit organization, to raise money to provide food for Akron’s disadvantaged population.

The fundraiser will be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic allowing individuals or groups to donate funds online. Simplex-IT has pledged to match all donations to the virtual fundraiser up to $5,000 (totaling $10,000). The funds will then be used to stock Open M’s food bank and medical clinic allowing the organization to serve those in need.

Simplex-IT was founded in 2007 by CEO Bob Coppedge and since its beginnings, has become a part of the local fabric of businesses in Stow. Simplex-IT has focused on providing customers with high-quality tech support and has worked with a variety of groups to help raise funds and give back to the local community.

Open M’s mission is to provide local individuals and families a pathway out of poverty. The organization does this by feeding the hungry, attending to the sick, and building strong community bonds. Open M provides free programs and services to the area that include a food bank, hot lunch program, medical clinic, and much more. Simplex-IT has seen the amazing work that Open M has done in the area and aims to raise money to help feed needy families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the fundraiser’s organizers, just $25 can buy 10 pounds of food for the Open M food bank. Simplex-IT aims to match donations up to $5,000 which would enable the company to donate the equivalent of 2 tons of food.

Open M has been working in the Akron area since 1968. It was created during a time of mass poverty, crime, and civil unrest. Since its founding, it has worked relentlessly to help people emerge from the depths of poverty.

To donate to the Simplex-IT virtual fundraiser, please visit the donation page at https://simplexit.givesmart.com.

To learn more about Open M, please visit https://openm.org

Simplex-IT Ranked Among World’s Most Elite 501Managed Service Providers

Annual MSP 501 Identifies Best-in-Class Global MSP Businesses & Leading Trends in Managed Services

July 28, 2020; Stow, Ohio; Simplex-IT has been named as one of the world’s premier managed service providers on the prestigious 2020 annual Channel Futures MSP 501 rankings.  

For the 13th year running, MSPs from around the globe completed an exhaustive survey and application this spring to self-report product offerings, annual total and recurring revenues, profits, revenue mix, growth opportunities and company and customer demographic information. Applicants are ranked on a unique methodology that weights revenue figures according to long-term health and viability; commitment to recurring revenue; and operational efficiency.  

Channel Futures is pleased to name Simplex-IT to the 2020 MSP 501. 

“The Channel Futures MSP 501 is the most prestigious award in the world for businesses in the Managed Services field.  2020 is the 6th year that Simplex-IT was included in their findings.  That’s a testament to the great work done by all the Simplex-IT employees, and the great relationships we enjoy with both our clients and vendor/partners.” Said Bob Coppedge, CEO, Simplex-IT. “Thanks to everybody who was a part of creating value for each other, and had some fun doing it.” 

In the 13 years since its inception, the MSP 501 has evolved from a competitive ranking list into a vibrant group of service providers, vendors, distributors, consultants and industry analysts working together to define the growing managed service opportunity.

“For the third year running, the applicant pool for the annual MSP 501 has grown year-over-year, making this year’s list the most competitive in the survey’s history,” says Kris Blackmon, Senior Content Director at Channel Partners and Channel Futures. “The MSP 501 leveraged judgement methodology brand-new in 2020 to drill down into not just what makes a big managed service provider, but what makes a great managed service provider. The 2020 winners are truly the best examples of innovation, business acumen and strategic savvy on the planet. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 2020 winners and gratitude to the thousands of MSPs that have contributed to the continuing growth and success of both the 501 and the thriving managed services sector.” 

Ten MSP 501 special award winners will be recognized at the MSP 501 Awards Gala at Channel Partners Virtual: Digital Events for the Modern Channel on September 8 – 10. Nominations for these special awards, including Digital Innovator of the Year, Executive of the Year and the Newcomer Award, were included in the MSP 501 application, and all candidates were encouraged to submit for them. 

The data collected by the annual MSP 501 program drives Channel Partners’s and Channel Futures’s market intelligence insights, creating robust data sets and data-based trend reports that support our editorial coverage, event programming, community and networking strategies and educational offerings. It serves as a lynchpin to dozens of programs and initiatives. 

Simplex-IT Recognized as Elite Company with Weatherhead 100 Award

Northeast Ohio tech company celebrates major regional award for 2019

December 12, 2019; Stow, OH – Simplex-IT, a Managed Service Provider in IT support based in Stow, has been recognized as one of northeast Ohio’s fastest growing companies by Weatherhead 100. The company received the prestigious Weatherhead 100 Upstart award which honors companies celebrating large growth in net sales over the last five years.

Each year, the Weatherhead 100 showcases an elite group of companies who set a high standard of leadership, growth, and success for the northeast Ohio region. Founded in 1988, the list of companies that have been recognized by the Weatherhead 100 is a who’s whose list of businesses in the area.

The Weatherhead 100 Upstart award is given to companies with $100,000 to $1 million of growth over a five-year period. Simplex-IT is proud to be winners of the Weatherhead 100 award as it re-enforces the incredible work the company’s employees have done since it opened in 2007.

“Over the years, Simplex-IT has received many awards and accolades, but the Weatherhead award holds a special place in our heart,” Bob Coppedge, CEO of Simplex-IT, said. “By far and away, it is the most prestigious award in the area for business excellence. We particularly enjoy being included in the same space as the other fantastic recipients.”

Simplex-IT is no stranger to Weatherhead awards. In 2016 and 2017, the Managed Service Provider won the Weatherhead 100 Upstart award as well. The Upstart award recognized Simplex-IT as a local business with no more than 15 employees or net sales of less than $15m during the year. Simplex-IT's Weatherhead 100 awards are important accolades in the company’s more than decade of work in the tech arena.

The Weatherhead 100 award ceremony took place on Thursday, December 12 in the Superior Ballroom at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown. To learn more about the Weatherhead 100 award, please visit https://weatherhead.case.edu/.

Simplex-IT CEO Bob Coppedge Addressed Cleveland Accounting Show About the Dangers of The Dark Web

Longtime supporter of CPA event shared information on notorious Internet platform

November 15, 2018; Stow, Ohio – Simplex-IT CEO Bob Coppedge recently spoke to the annual Ohio Accounting Show in Cleveland about the notorious Dark Web. Coppedge addressed the gathered audience during the two-day event in October about the complexities, dangers, and cybersecurity risks involved with the Internet platform.

Attendees of the Ohio Society of CPAs event were also given a free copy of Coppedge’s acclaimed book and Amazon best-seller “A CEO's Survival Guide to Information Technology". Coppedge spoke for over an hour to the assembled audience as he informed them of the issues involving IT and business.

Simplex-IT, a Managed Service Provider in IT support, has supported the Cleveland Accounting Show for many years. Simplex-IT hosted a booth at this year’s event and greeted attendees throughout the two days. Thanks to the ample space provided by the IX Center, Simplex-IT was able to demonstrate a solid IT framework to visitors by playing giant Jenga. The Simplex-IT booth showed attendees just how an IT system works through the fun and interactive game. Everyone who passed by the company’s booth went away knowing far more about IT than they ever did before.

The Simplex-IT booth not only taught guests about IT framework, but it raffled off a gift basket containing a regular sized Jenga game to one lucky winner.

For more information on Simplex-IT, please visit the company’s website at www.Simplex-IT.com. To purchase Bob Coppedge’s acclaimed book, “A CEO's Survival Guide to Information Technology”, please visit Amazon.com.

About Simplex-IT:

Simplex-IT is a Managed Service Provider in IT support located in Stow, Ohio. Founded in 2007, Simplex-IT works with small and medium sized companies in the northeast Ohio area. The company specializes in managing IT allowing companies to focus on what matters most to their business growth.

About OSCPA:

The Ohio Society of CPAs partners with the accounting profession to advance the state of business so Ohio can enjoy a healthy and sustainable economic environment. With more than 100 years of experience, The Ohio Society of CPAs represents 85,000 CPAs and accounting professionals who are the strategic financial advisors to Ohio's leading businesses. We work with public, private and not-for-profit organizations of every size and sector, leading healthy exchanges between business leaders and policy makers to drive initiatives such as a fair and predictable tax environment in Ohio.

Simplex-IT Announces 8th Annual Geek Raffle 2018 Event

Annual charity event to take place at Malted Meeple and raise money for Hattie Larlham

November 13, 2018; Stow, Ohio; Simplex-IT, a Managed Service Provider in IT support, has officially announced its 8th Annual Geek Raffle event will take place on Wednesday, December 12th from 11:30am - 1:30pm at The Malted Meeple. This annual charity event was started in 2011 by Simplex-IT to benefit Hattie Larlham.  It is free to attend and provides lunch to those in attendance. Individuals are encouraged to purchase raffle tickets for the “geeky” prizes selected by Simplex-IT employees. The IT company matches the amount raised during the Geek Raffle and donates it to Hattie Larlham.

Attendees can enter the Geek Raffle for a mere $1 per ticket or $5 for six tickets. The money raised goes to support Hattie Larlham’s programs and services to support people with developmental disabilities. Hattie Larlham’s employees work around the clock to provide care to children and adults. The nonprofit organization includes residential services, medical services, work training services, respite and in-home care and camp and play programs. Simplex-IT has long been a supporter of the local charity through its donations.

The 2017 Geek Raffle raised over $300 in raffle ticket sales. Simplex-IT matched the amount and more by donating $500. The Ohio tech company donated a total of $800 to the Hattie Larlham organization. The Malted Meeple has been the Geek Raffle’s hosts for the past two years and have donated time, service, and free soft drinks in the past. This year’s event is sure to be another fantastic raffle courtesy of the unique meeting place.

For the past 8 years, the Geek Raffle’s items have all been selected by Simplex-IT's tech team and each has a “geeky” theme. Guests can expect an assortment of prizes from Sci-Fi to computer technology. Last year’s favorites included a Dr. Who tree topper and a Star Trek throw blanket. Simplex-IT's techs are sure to outdo themselves this year.

The Geek Raffle will start at 11:30 a.m. It is free to attend, but guests should reserve a place as space is limited. Individuals planning to attend can keep up to date with the Geek Raffle news and prize announcements through Simplex-IT's Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.