Part 1: Meet the Team Behind 20 Years of IT & Cybersecurity Excellence

A Milestone in Cybersecurity: Celebrating Two Decades

In the fall of 2024, we celebrated the 20^th anniversary of Appalachia Technologies.  Venturing out to start a business is a bold undertaking.  The reality is 20% of new businesses fail within the first two years and by the 10 year mark, 65% do not succeed.  So how did two individuals come together with a vision for a business that has beaten the odds?  Brian Stone and Mike Romano, founders and partners, sat down to be interviewed and shared some previously unheard stories from those early days.  Join us as we share the journey to the Appalachia Technologies we know today.

Founders’ Vision: Built on Vision, Grit, and Relationships

Brian Stone had been in IT for his entire adult career, making his entrance in programming school.  It was during this schooling that he was exposed to networking which he quickly realized was more his speed.  It wasn’t long before he was tasked with building and managing a data center for an e-learning startup. Coincidentally, he was working in our current business park – if only he knew then what the future held!

Mike Romano joined the Navy after high school and jumped right into his technical career, working on old tape systems and mainframe-type platforms on a ship stationed in northern Scotland.  Upon leaving the Navy, he taught electronics and basic networking before eventually finding himself working under the leadership of Brian at the startup.  The pair worked together for 2 years where trust was developed, and after a period of time, Mike eventually suggested to Brian that they “hang their own shingle.”  And the seed of Appalachia Technologies was planted.

Mike and Brian were introduced fairly early on to things like venture capital and the impact of outside people managing a company.  “We wanted to be in something that felt a little bit more like a family as opposed to just all business and all numbers.  We were really fortunate to have met a lot of people, built a lot of relationships,” says Brian.

When the startup they were in began to change, including a move to Boston, the changes became enough to serve as the nudge the pair needed.  Born and raised in central Pennsylvania, it was in this area they wanted to stay, growing and supporting the local area they called home.

Making Moves: Going All-In

While they began executing right away, they continued working other jobs and after several years, Mike was the first to step out full-time.  The partners had developed a network of connections and years of technical knowledge and experience.  Getting to the core of client issues and challenges came easily.  Through the network they had developed, they were able to get access to people who wanted to work with them to improve their positions.

The early days of Appalachia looked much different than what we now know.  It wasn’t until about 6 years in that they were able to hire a team that included a salesperson.  It was at this time that it felt like it was sink or swim.  And if you know anything about this pair, they truly only saw swim. Along with new hires came a brick and mortar office space, and in 2011, they left a rented space for a move into a purchased building. 

The time and care spent on building relationships over the years was paying off and business was growing.  At the core of Appalachia’s owners is a deep care and commitment to relationships, integrity, and providing best-in-class service to clients.  In Part 2, we will continue to paint the picture of Appalachia Technologies, sharing more about the importance of relationships with not just clients but those within the organization.

➤ Discover the values that have guided us since day one.  Contact us to become part of our story – info@appalachiatech.com or 888-277-8320.