MSP M&A: Heartland Technology Solutions Sold to WesTel
The New Year has quickly brought news of another influential managed service provider acquisition. This time Heartland Technology Solutions
January 2, 2013
Arlin-Sorensen
The New Year has quickly brought news of another influential managed service provider acquisition. This time Heartland Technology Solutions (HTS), the MSP and IT service company led by Arlin Sorensen (pictured) of HTG peer group fame, is the one on the sales block. HTS has been sold to WesTel Systems, a regional phone, cable, wireless and fiber company, effective today. But don ’t expect Sorensen to ride off into the retirement sunset. Here’s the scoop.While 57 of HTS’ 63 employees, including President Connie Arentson and VP of Sales Larry Hedin, will go with the deal to WesTel, Sorensen and his business partner and COO Jane Cage will remain on hand as consultants during a year-long transition period. (The other remaining employees will stay with SCCI, Sorensen’s Computer Connection Inc., formerly the parent company of HTS).
Sorensen says that while he’s sold HTS in a deal that came together very quickly, the new owners have a similar culture and “love of serving rural Midwestern people.”
So what’s on the agenda for Sorensen now that he can focus more on his non-HTS work? For one, you can expect this business leader to continue to share his years of experience and his wisdom with the rest of us. One way is through HTG Peer groups, an organization that he founded, plus several other projects. You can expect HTG Peer Groups to continue to serve its 300 online and face-to-face members as well as to become more open to the channel in general. Members can also expect more event attendance opportunities in the year ahead, Sorenson said.
Sorensen will also be going to market with Heartland Leadership Group (HLG) his year-old pilot organization which offers consulting, coaching and content. Speaking of content, Sorensen is also working on a series of books and will release the first in February, which will cover the HTG Four Plans.
Sorensen’s other companies are HTS Ag, a precision agriculture solutions company spun off from HTS, and Varvid, a webcasting and digital communications company.
Oh, and one more thing.
“My bride and I will find a little time to get away and relax,” he told MSPmentor. (Sorensen is obviously much better at time management than this humble MSPmentor editor. Perhaps he will write a book about time management for the likes of me.)
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