GTIA acquires ASCII Group to expand channel community

GTIA has acquired The ASCII Group, bringing it into the organisation as a member community.

The deal links two organisations with long-standing ties in the IT channel. It combines GTIA's work in research, education, cybersecurity and industry strategy with ASCII's business tools and peer-led community model.

ASCII members will immediately become GTIA members, gaining access to the association's member portal and wider international network. GTIA members, in turn, will be able to join the ASCII community and use its library of business resources and tools.

The transaction expands GTIA's reach among IT service providers, managed service providers and other channel companies. It also adds a North American community founded in 1984 by Alan D. Weinberger, built around peer support, regional events and day-to-day business advice.

GTIA has developed from its roots in CompTIA into a non-profit trade association focused on the IT channel. It now represents professionals from nearly 3,000 IT service providers, vendors, distributors and related companies worldwide.

ASCII has operated for decades as a community for MSPs, MSSPs and solution providers across the US and Canada. Its services include purchasing programmes, training, marketing support and peer interaction for companies serving the small and medium-sized business market, as well as larger multi-location providers.

Member access

The combination is intended to widen access to each group's existing programmes rather than replace them. Features most valued by ASCII members, including peer connections, regional engagement and vendor relationships, will remain in place under the new structure.

That matters in a part of the technology market where trade groups and member networks often compete to offer practical support as providers face pressure from changing customer demand, cybersecurity risks and the growing use of artificial intelligence. By joining forces, the two organisations aim to deepen their role as conveners in a fragmented channel market.

Dan Wensley, chief executive officer of GTIA, described the acquisition as the formal next step in an established relationship between the two groups. The organisations have worked together at ASCII events and on research in recent years.

"We've been in the room at ASCII Edge events, collaborating on world-class, vendor-agnostic research and working side by side with this community because we believe in the same things," said Dan Wensley, chief executive officer of GTIA. "This is a relationship that's been building and strengthening for years. This acquisition lets us go further together, and we do it with deep respect for the legacy Alan Weinberger built and the community that legacy created."

Jerry Koutavas, chief executive officer of The ASCII Group, said the merger followed a period of closer collaboration between the organisations, including GTIA research shared at ASCII events.

"Stronger communities create stronger businesses. ASCII and GTIA have built a lasting relationship throughout our shared history in the industry, most recently strengthened through GTIA's groundbreaking AI research presented at every ASCII Edge event. Bringing our communities together is the natural next step, expanding collaboration, combining complementary strengths and delivering greater value to every member," said Jerry Koutavas, chief executive officer of The ASCII Group.

Channel focus

The deal underlines the importance of community-led support structures in the managed services market. Providers in the channel often rely on external groups for training, benchmarking, security guidance, vendor introductions and opportunities to share operating practices with peers.

For GTIA, the acquisition adds a more hands-on community model to its broader association work. For ASCII, it provides access to a larger international base and to GTIA's research and policy-related activity.

Both organisations highlighted the value of linking strategic industry analysis with practical support for operators. The approach is aimed at IT service providers navigating a market shaped by security concerns, demand for recurring services and the need to adapt business models as technologies change.

Industry partners also backed the move. Rob Rae, corporate vice president of community and ecosystems at Pax8, who also serves as a GTIA board director and chair of the GTIA Managed Intelligence Alliance, said the transaction reflected a belief that the strength of the channel rests on its member communities.

"We're excited to see this acquisition come together. In ASCII, we saw what GTIA has always believed: that the strength of the IT channel lies in its people and its communities. By bringing these two organizations together, we are creating a platform powerful enough to meet the ambitions of every MSP, MIP, solution provider and vendor in our ecosystem. We, as the GTIA Board, are confident that this long-term bet on the channel will pay off for the members we serve," said Rae.