Information Transport Solutions could operate anywhere, but it has chosen to keep its corporate headquarters in Wetumpka and open an office in downtown Montgomery. President and COO Quincy Minor explained why and shared his thoughts on our connection to technology, the importance of the MGMix and the growing need for IT services.
What does ITS do? The company was founded in 1993 by Tomi Selby. We are a solutions company that integrates voice, video and data to make organizations more profitable and productive. We provide internet access, managed hosting, connectivity, structured cabling, wireless networks, managed voice over IP, video conferencing, networking and a host of other IT services as well as comprehensive IT support.
Who are your primary clients? Our core competency is serving education clients in the K-12 environment. We manage and support roughly 70 percent of the schools systems in the state, including the Montgomery Public Schools system. For 2016, 69 percent of our business was K-12. We facilitate 21st century classroom learning, but we also work to set up filters that protect kids from accessing things they shouldn’t on the internet.
Municipalities are also a large part of our customer base, and we serve financial institutions and the healthcare sector as well. We just entered a new contract with the State of Alabama and are providing connectivity for all of its almost 200 sites, throughout the state. And we did the hardware installation for the Airbus facility in Mobile and continue to provide onsite support for that facility.
How did you get into this business? I got my undergrad degree from Alabama State University in computer information systems and then my master’s in technology management from Auburn University. I came to ITS in 2003 from the IT department at Alfa Insurance headquarters.
Do you see the need for IT services increasing? Yes. Everything is digital now. Everyone stays so connected, and we need to be on the internet for so much of what we do every day. Everything is going wireless, and the more things that go digital, the more bandwidth we need. It’s all growing, and so does the need for management and support for it.
What role does ITS play in the Montgomery Internet Exchange (MGMix)? We actually provide support for MGMix, and that’s one of the main reasons we opened a new office in downtown Montgomery last year. All the connectivity for MGMix goes through one piece of equipment; we provide back-end support for that equipment as a service to the City of Montgomery, one of our clients. Equally as impressive and important as the internet exchange, though, is the RSA Datacenter. It is the first of its kind in the state, and that is big deal for our area. Before it was running, we had most of our equipment in Atlanta, which was the closest. ITS was one of first to move into the new datacenter.
Why keep your headquarters in Wetumpka and the River Region? Our owner is from here, and we like to keep the family feel of our company intact, even as we continue to grow. Plus, it’s not where you are, it is what you do and the services you provide, that matter.
What challenges are facing ITS? We have a really positive business environment in Montgomery and the surrounding areas with good leadership, but we do struggle some to find qualified personnel.
What is your business philosophy? Customer service is our passion; technology with integrity is our mission. We want to make sure every client gets what they pay for. We work to go above and beyond to make them happy and to make their lives easier. We don’t want to just be a vendor but to be trusted advisors to them. And we treat every size customer the same. Everyone has my business card with my email and number, so they can come directly to me if needed.
What, outside of work, gets your time and attention? My family. I’m tying to be the best husband and dad I can be. I also love speaking to and encouraging students and being a positive role model to the next generation.
