ISG Tech Maintains Effective Security Controls According to Recent SOC 2 Report

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 31st, 2022

ISG Tech Maintains Efective Security Controls According to Recent SOC 2 Report

Today, ISG Tech announced that the company has undergone a System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 examination resulting in a CPA’s report stating that management of ISG Tech maintained effective controls over the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of its systems. The engagement was performed by BARR Advisory, P.A.

A SOC 2 report is designed to meet the needs of existing or potential customers who need assurance about the efectiveness of controls used by the service organization to process customers’ information.

“We are pleased that our SOC 2 report has shown we have the appropriate controls in place to mitigate risks related to security and privacy, along with HIPAA Security Rule requirements,” said Scott Strickler of ISG Tech.

The following principles and related criteria have been developed by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) for use by practitioners in the performance of trust services engagements:

  • Security: The system is protected against unauthorized access (both physical and logical).
  • Availability: The system is available for operation and use as committed or agreed.
  • Processing Integrity: System processing is complete, valid, accurate, timely, and authorized to meet the entity’s objectives.
  • Confdentiality: Information designated as confdential is protected as committed or agreed.
  • Privacy: Personal information is collected, used, retained, disclosed, and disposed of to meet the entity’s objectives.
  • HIPAA Security Rule Requirements: The system is compliant with the applicable HIPAA Security Rule requirements set forth in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Health Information Portability and Accountability Act.

A SOC 2 report is an internal control report on the services provided by a service organization to its customers and provides valuable information that existing and potential customers of the service organization need to assess and address the risks associated with an outsourced service.

Current and prospective customers interested in a copy of our SOC 2 report may contact ISG Tech here.

ABOUT BARR Advisory

BARR Advisory is a cloud-based security and compliance solutions provider, specializing in cybersecurity consulting and compliance for companies with high-value information in cloud environments like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. A trusted advisor to some of the fastest growing cloud-based organizations around the globe, BARR simplifies compliance across multiple regulatory and customer requirements in highly regulated industries including technology, financial services, healthcare, and government.

BARR Advisory services include:

  • Compliance Program Assistance
  • SOC 1 Examinations
  • SOC 2 and 3 Examinations
  • SOC for Cybersecurity
  • PCI DSS Assessment Services
  • ISO 27001 Assessments
  • FedRAMP Security Assessments
  • HIPAA and HITECH Services
  • Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessments
  • Virtual CISO Services
  • People and Culture Services

ISG Technology Announces Continuation of Project RecognITion on National IT Professionals Day

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September 21st: ISG Technology is proud to announce this year’s Project RecognITion: an initiative that honors the heroes of modern business. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many businesses to operate using a remote workforce, IT teams across the nation have been asked to step up their efforts. Project RecognITion seeks to celebrate the IT professionals who work tirelessly to keep businesses productive, connected, and secure.

Coworkers, end-users, and executives across the Midwest are being encouraged to visit Project RecognITion’s website to nominate the IT professionals that go above and beyond for their organizations.

Nominees will be honored during the month of October in a variety of ways, including a series of celebration events across four Midwest cities.

“Our team works alongside and supports some really talented IT professionals at the organizations we serve,” said ISG CEO Ben Foster. “Project RecognITion is our way of showcasing some of the unsung heroes who helped businesses continue operations through the pandemic.”

The initiative launches on National IT Professionals Day–a holiday that started six years ago to bring awareness to just how important our IT professionals are. The holiday is observed every third Tuesday in September and utilizes the hashtag #ITProDay on social media to drive awareness.

“IT Pro Day has been such an amazing way to appreciate technology professionals that we wanted to continue what we started in 2019,” continued Foster. “We’re looking forward to hearing the stories people will share about their IT superheroes.”

Project RecognITion is supported by many of ISG’s strategic partners including Veeam, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Aruba, Arctic Wolf, Fortinet and VMware. Online nominations will be open until Friday, October 15th.

About ISG Technology: 

ISG Technology allows clients to unlock possibilities for their business. By providing a unique combination of managed IT services, technology consulting, professional services, and cloud/data center solutions, businesses can accelerate innovation and protect their information.

Part of the Twin Valley Family of Companies and a fourth-generation family business, ISG Technology has grown and evolved into the recognized leader in the area by aligning its success with the long-term success of its clients.

The company is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, with seven additional locations across the Midwest, as well as a regional network of data centers. ISG services clients throughout the region, nation, and world.

To learn more about how ISG Technology can help your business, contact us today to receive a free consultation.

ISG CEO, Ben Foster, Named to Family Business CEOs to Watch 2020

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ISG Technology CEO, Ben Foster, was recently named to the Family Business CEOs to Watch 2020, a publication that recognizes family and non-family chief executives who are leading their businesses with a view toward long-term success.

According to Family Business Magazine, a family business chief executive must have the talent to steer the business to growth and profitability while maintaining family engagement and harmony, ideally promoting good governance to help smooth the way. Family business CEOs in 2020 have had to emphasize resilience in communicating with a stakeholder group that includes family members not employed in the family company.

Here’s what they wrote…

“The Twin Valley family of companies operates in two ultra-competitive spaces, telecommunications (voice/internet/video and business services) via the Twin Valley companies in north central Kansas, and IT technology/managed services via ISG Technology, operating in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma,” notes Scott Leitzel, chief operating officer at Twin Valley and human resources executive at ISG Technology.

“In order to remain competitive in these spaces, a CEO must be forward-thinking, bold and willing to push him/herself and team outside traditional comfort zones, time and time again,” says Leitzel, who has reported directly to Foster for 10 years. “Ben operates in this manner on a consistent basis, and in partnership with previous generations has led [the business] to growth that would not otherwise have occurred.”

Foster joined Twin Valley Telephone in 2004 as vice president of operations. He rose to chief operating officer and was named CEO in 2014. Prior to Twin Valley he was the director of consumer support centers and chief of staff at SBC, now AT&T.

At Twin Valley Telephone, he managed the integration and subsequent upgrade of 13 exchanges and 6,000 customers, which tripled the size of the company. He brought in the company’s first two non-family executives and led the acquisition of ISG Technology as a diversification strategy.

Five of the seven fourth-generation members work in the business, Leitzel notes. “This presents a unique responsibility in which Ben serves as CEO of the Twin Valley family of companies while representing the collective ownership and heritage of the company, which dates to 1947.

“Ben has done this while serving on multiple boards, including currently serving as chairman of KsFiberNet and ESPi.”

“I am passionate about being a positive steward of the business that we inherited from previous generations,” Foster says. “I do this by living by the values that we were taught and talking about those values with our team. I wish to leave the next generation a family asset that is more resilient and larger than what we received. Improving ownership cohesion, hiring professional board members and mentoring key executives with expertise that goes beyond my own are three ways of ensuring that my skillset improves and is never the limiting factor to my family achieving our goals for the company.

“Family businesses are important to the economy and broader society because we put the heart behind the capital, as well as a longer-term horizon that helps solve bigger problems. I find tremendous purpose in being a small part of the positive impact our companies make.”

Twin Valley Management, Inc. Acquires Southern Kansas Telephone Company

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Overland Park, Kan. (November 17, 2020) — Twin Valley Management, Inc., the holding company for Twin Valley Telephone, Twin Valley Communications, and ISG Technology, announced that it has signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Southern Kansas Telephone Company (SKT), bringing together the two largest family-owned telecommunications companies in Kansas.

The deal also includes SKT’s equity in Kansas Fiber Network (KFN). KFN, which is headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., provides internet and fiber transport services to carriers and enterprises in Kansas and the surrounding states and is owned by 27 other independent telecommunications
companies.

“As we set our strategic growth plans, we identified four main criteria of companies that would complement and advance our team goals: strong culture, quality employees, potential for customer growth, and high-quality facilities that could still be upgraded. SKT was at the top of the list in every category,” said Twin Valley Management President and CEO Ben Foster.

Through this acquisition, new business technologies including hosted voice, cloud and managed backup services, and managed I.T. will be available to SKT customers in Wichita and the surrounding service areas.

“For us, looking at the Foster family and their Twin Valley companies is like looking into a mirror,” said Kendall Mikesell, Southern Kansas Telephone Company President and CEO. “We can see that we have found a buyer that shares our values, culture, and commitment to service. We know that Ben and his team will continue to build on the same dedication to rural Kansas communities that has guided the Mikesell family and our SKT companies for the last 80 years.”

The companies expect the transaction to be concluded by March 2021, subject to state and federal regulatory approval.

About Twin Valley

Twin Valley is a fourth-generation family business that has over 70 years of experience providing cutting-edge communication technology to rural Kansans. Together with ISG Technology, Twin Valley helps organizations unlock possibilities to realize their full business potential by providing a unique combination of broadband, managed IT services, technology consulting, professional services, and cloud/data center solutions.

About Southern Kansas Telephone Company

Southern Kansas Telephone Company has been owned and operated by the Mikesell family through three generations, serving rural Kansans for the last 80 years. SKT is the corporate identity attached to two companies that provide a wide array of state-of-the-art voice, broadband, and security products and services to 23 communities in seven counties of south central and southeast Kansas. SKT serves over 10,000 customer service touchpoints from its corporate headquarters in Clearwater,
Kansas.

ISG Technology Awarded “Oklahoma’s Best IT Firm 2020”

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ISG Technology is proud to announce that it has been awarded Oklahoma’s Best IT Firm by The Oklahoma Journal Record newspaper, The Journal Record. The award was featured in the publication’s 2020 Reader Ranking Awards, which compiles the best organizations across 84 categories including technology, finance/accounting/insurance, health care, legal services, as well as many others. 

To obtain the results, readers were notified of the ballot through direct emails and print advertisements linking to the ballot and were encouraged to share the link with their colleagues. More than 1,400 businesses were nominated during the open nomination process from January 20th to February 28th. The ballot was open from March 2nd through April 20th and garnered more than 58,000 votes from business professionals across Oklahoma. The results were tallied to come up with the list of award-winning businesses. 

“We’re honored to be a part of such a great list of businesses here in the Oklahoma City area,” said Walter Hirsekorn, General Manager of ISG’s South Region. “Winning this award this year is especially meaningful as I know our team has worked tirelessly to help clients through the business and technology challenges created by the pandemic.”

ISG Technology manages the IT systems of business in Oklahoma City and throughout the United States. 2020 has been a challenging year for business across the globe, and managed services providers (MSPs) like ISG Technology have been essential in keeping businesses operational during stay at home orders, and a number business disruptions caused by the spread of COVID-19. 

For more information on The Journal Record’s 2020 Reader Ranking Awards, visit The Journal Records website. For more information on ISG Technology, please visit www.isgtech.com or contact them at (877) 334-4474.

ISG Technology and Twin Valley Communications Aligning Services to Help Businesses Adapt to Pandemic

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Twin Valley Management, an Overland Park, Kansas-based holding company for Twin Valley and ISG Technology, is announcing its plan to improve the technological capabilities of organizations in underserved areas of North Central Kansas. Twin Valley Communications is among the largest privately-held telecommunications companies in Kansas and ISG Technology is a leader in IT cloud & managed services in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.

This comes on the heels of Twin Valley being awarded $1.3 million of CARES Act and Connectivity Emergency Response grant dollars. Additional investment by Twin Valley of almost $900,000 has been committed to deploy a combination of fiber to the premise & fixed wireless broadband services. Twin Valley Communications will also utilize the CBRS spectrum that it won at auction.

President and CEO of ISG and Twin Valley, Ben Foster stated, “There are so many businesses, schools, hospitals and local governments in these areas that simply don’t have access to the broadband needed to enable things like remote work, virtual healthcare and distance learning. We’re trying to fix that.”

Foster continued to talk about their strategy to combine Twin Valley’s broadband services with ISG’s suite of managed IT services and its data center offering to provide a complete technology solution for organizations in rural areas. “Unfortunately, many businesses spend countless hours stuck in the middle of a blame game when issues arise. The ISP points the finger at the IT provider and vice versa. When we deliver bundled connectivity and IT, the client knows who to call. We see a massive opportunity to create new value in the fiber-optic broadband, managed IT & cloud services space.”

The companies are focused on helping businesses in these areas adapt to the changing work environment the pandemic has created. Bringing together broadband and managed IT services allows companies to stay connected and focus on their core business.

In addition to providing Gigabit service to businesses and households in cities that are covered by the 15-mile fiber optic cable build-out – hundreds of households will have fixed wireless broadband speeds up to 100 megabits/second. This infrastructure will pass through multiple cities and will provide the foundation for future investment and even faster connections.

ISG Technology Announces Growth in Kansas City

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Technology provider makes series of promotions and new hires to its KC branch

KANSAS CITY, Kan., Sep 13, 2020 –ISG Technology recently announced several hires and promotions within the Managed IT Services Provider’s Kansas City office. Among the new roles were:

  • Eric Tabor, Chief of Staff and Kansas City General Manager
  • Dave McCabe, Director of Cloud and Data Center Services
  • Chris Sheldon, Senior Network Engineer
  • Ramiro Carreon, Engineer

Tabor has served in various roles with the company over a 15-year span. In addition to Vice President of Strategy, he has assumed leadership of the sales and professional services team for the KC market. He said the company has proven its value to the market through its entire history.

“For over 70 years we have unlocked possibilities across our community of clients by focusing in them,” Tabor said. “This culture and vision allows us to focus on the long-term viability of both ISG and our clients. Our ability is an exciting opportunity in Kansas City and across our footprint.”

Tabor added that the company is “laser focused” on helping clients save time and money, cut operational expenses and grow their business.

“We have proven for over 70 years we align with our clients’ goals and help them achieve success however THEY define it,” he said.

Like most industries, IT has seen its entire landscape shaken by the health pandemic and its fallout. Tabor said ISG Technology has excelled in protecting its clients both from a security perspective, but also keep them on track to reaching their definition of success.

“Challenges can often create cost and/or lack of productivity. Ensuring the right IT partner is there to guide a business through those changes/challenges is mission critical,” he said.

The result is a customer service-focused organization constructed perfectly to meet the changing needs of clients both in today’s climate and whatever comes next.

“We are a family-owned, 70-year-old organization with a long-term investment horizon which allows us to do the right thing for clients and employees. That helps create a special culture where people can be themselves and experience tremendous pride in helping clients achieve success.”

McCabe joined ISG Technology in the fall of 2019 and has since taken over responsibility for the ISG Technology data center and cloud offerings. He said the state of the industry, given the challenges of 2020, puts an increased value on IT and on customer service. He said ISG Technology’s family-owned history and sense of loyalty throughout the organization helped solidify his decision to join the company. That’s a selling point to up-and-coming IT professionals.

“We hire very skilled engineers who are hungry to learn even more,” McCabe said. “You’ll always be challenged and never be bored working for ISG.”

Want to know more about how ISG can help you take your business to the next level?  Contact us today.

ISG Technology Announces Growth with In-house Promotion

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Local technology provider recognized for excellence in technical knowledge

WICHITA, Kan., Aug 13, 2020 – ISG Technology, the Wichita-based Managed IT Services Provider, announced the hiring of Andrew Kon as General Manager of its Wichita and Salina markets.

Kon joined the company in 2013 as a Project Manager and most recently served as the Technical Services Director.

“We are excited for Andrew to continue growing his career with the ISG family,” said Ben Foster, ISG Technology President and CEO. “Ours is a culture that celebrates the truly talented people throughout the organization. What makes ISG special is people like Andrew, who understand what we’re about: a commitment to service and an entrepreneurial spirit that’s unique in our industry.”

Throughout its 70-year history, Twin Valley (ISG Technology’s parent company) has established itself as a pillar of the Wichita Information Technology and Business communities. Now in the fourth generation as a family business, the companies are proud of their Midwest roots, from Wichita to Kansas City and now expanding throughout the region.

As a leading Managed Services Provider throughout the region, ISG Technology offers its clients strategic technology solutions with a local feel and a personal approach to IT. The announcement of Kon’s promotion further demonstrates ISG Technology’s commitment to customer service and community-based solutions.

“Customer service has always been part of my background,” Kon said. “I learned at an early age that customer service is one of the most important skills I could develop. I’m looking forward to continuing to find solutions for our clients.”

Part of what makes ISG Technology stand apart in the industry is its team-based approach to problem solving.

“When you’re an ISG customer, we bring a group of people to the conversation,” Kon added. “We know having different dynamics of an overall solution is critical. Rather than bringing in one IT specialist, we bring in a System Architect and a Network Architect to confirm we’re looking at the whole picture. That level of support makes all the difference for your company and your business.”

Kon said his vision is to work hard to build upon the brand’s well-established customer loyalty.

“If you stand behind what you’re putting out there like we do, it becomes a two-way partnership. We thrive on working together to truly support our customers.”

The company intends to grow outside its current footprint, scaling further into western Kansas and beyond.

“Many customers are paying more than they need to. It’s important for us to be more than just the best bang for the buck. We’re looking to build the best solution and help our customers support it.”

Kon is the latest ISG Technology team member to move through the ranks. The company’s focus on developing talent has resulted in many of its employees being promoted from internships and service positions to field engineer roles and more.

When asked what made this a special opportunity to continue his growth at ISG Technology, Kon focused on the customer:

“There is opportunity here, and our customers know they can get to us and we can get their issues resolved,” Kon said.

Want to know more about how ISG can help you take your business to the next level?  Contact us today.

ISG Named Veeam Accredited Service Partner

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Local technology provider recognized for excellence in technical knowledge

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Aug 7, 2020 – ISG Technology, a Managed IT Services Provider, announced its status as a Veeam® Accredited Service Partner (VASP) – a program that identifies, recognizes and promotes business partners for their excellence in technical knowledge and practical implementation skills. ISG is also among select partners with dual Platinum status as a Veeam Reseller and Veeam Cloud & Services Provider (VCSP) partner. The addition of participation in the VASP program makes ISG one of the deepest technical benches of any Veeam partner.

Veeam Software, the leader in Backup solutions that deliver Cloud Data Management™, uses the VASP program to identify IT consultants who possess the technical skills to deliver value-added and reliable professional services for Veeam product portfolio implementations. The program promotes the expertise and technical competency of these partners at full benefit of their customer base – offering the best of breed in terms of service delivery.

At its core, the program is designed to:

  • Ensure that Veeam customers experience the full value and return on investment of Veeam solutions by working with highly skilled technical partners and professionals.
  • Ensure that Veeam customers receive high-quality professional services in accordance with Veeam’s current technical best practices.
  • Create an exclusive business differentiator for service providers that acknowledges their expertise and technical capabilities related to Veeam solutions.

To qualify for the VASP program, ISG demonstrated significant experience in delivering  professional services around Veeam solutions with an existing professional services department, and dedicated staff and company resources.

“We are honored and excited to become a Veeam Accredited Service Provider,” said ISG President & CEO Ben Foster. “With more companies moving to a remote workforce, and security threats on the rise, data protection has never been more important. Strengthening this partnership allows us to better serve the data availability needs of the market.”

In addition to enhanced marketing and enablement support, ISG as a VASP program member provides numerous benefits to help serve its customers:

  • Dedicated training opportunities
  • Enablement, advisership and delivery support
  • Priority and dedicated access to Veeam subject matter experts
  • Access to exclusive technical tools for implementations
  • Access to senior pre-sales resources for technical advisory
  • Access to the Veeam Technical Library of best practices
  • Veeam Partner Professional Services learning plan
  • Access to an exclusive Veeam consultant hotline during customer implementations

“With their certification in the Veeam VASP program, ISG has one of the most complete portfolios of Veeam products and services in North America,” said Nikki Jennings, Vice President of Americas Channel Engineering at Veeam.  “As a Platinum VCSP, a Platinum Reseller, and now an accredited VASP professional services partner, ISG is fully equipped to deliver all Veeam Could Data Management solutions, with any service necessary, to enable and support unprecedented data management outcomes for our joint customers.”

As a leading Managed Services Provider throughout the region, ISG Technology offers its clients strategic technology solutions with a local feel and a personal approach to IT. Now in the fourth generation as a family business, the companies boast Midwest roots with locations in Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri – with clients from all over the nation.

Want to know more about how ISG and Veeam can help you take your business to the next level?  Contact us today.

Be sure to join our upcoming three-part webinar series, for technology visionaries who understand the importance of security and business continuity in the new world.

Business Continuity & Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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Like many companies across the country and around the world, ISG Technology is closely monitoring the Coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the people and communities we serve. We wanted to take this opportunity to help you understand how we are implementing our business continuity plan so we can continue to help you navigate this unique situation. Here are a few highlights.

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Staying Informed & Healthy

First and foremost, we are closely following and adhering to the World Health Organization (WHO), state agencies and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidance to ensure the safety of employees, clients and partners.

Business as Usual (as Possible)

We are still providing onsite professional services for our clients within the guidelines of our government agencies and with respect to our clients’ policies. If services can be provided remotely, we are making this suggestion and working with each client to ensure effectiveness. In the event there is a mandated community quarantine, we will remain operational via the cloud-based communication and productivity tools we use on a daily basis.

All ISG employees are cybersecurity trained and prepared to use best practices when working from home.

Keeping You Informed

Because this situation is changing rapidly, we have assembled a COVID-19 Taskforce that consists of subject matter experts across our company. This team will be meeting daily to discuss the business continuity issues our clients are experiencing in a variety of areas including remote workforce productivity, security & access, policies & procedures, networks & infrastructure, etc.

We will be disseminating helpful information to you via email and our website in the coming days and weeks.

Remote Workforce Implementation

We are already working with a number of our clients to get the tools and best practices in place so they can continue to make a smooth transition to a remote workforce. This includes reviews and updates to critical business policies, procedures and relevant security assessments as well as ISG Help Desk, Office 365, Citrix, Cisco Security products and more.

If you are seeking guidance on the right solution for your organization, we are here to help. If you have questions related to your business continuity needs, contact us at taskforce@isgtech.com. Our team will see to it that they get answered quickly.

If there is anything we can do to help you or your organization please let us know. The entire Twin Valley Family of Companies is committed to helping you continue unlocking possibilities for the communities you serve during these challenging times.