Tier One Technology Partners

News & Events

May 2008
Microsoft Announces Final Date for Windows XP!

June 18th will be the LAST day that you can order computers (workstations) with Windows XP Professional installed. All workstations after this date will have Windows Vista installed. While we have been testing Vista for over six months with acceptable results, there are still many older and more customized software applications that experience difficulty running under Windows Vista.

If you want to play it safe and are contemplating new laptops or workstations, you may want to order them now before you are forced to adopt Windows Vista.

We will be happy to work up a quote for you so you can beat the deadline. We are also happy to answer any questions you may have about this or the transition.

April 2008
Tier One Technology Partners Speaking at the Microsoft Dynamics GP User Conference at Microsoft Offices in Reston

As a leading technology Managed Services Provider for small and medium business Tier One was invited to to host a session on Disaster Recovery at the Empower Microsoft Dynamics Conference on May 15, 2008.

Led by David Shaffer and Jim Kehres the session content is as follows: As your business becomes more dependent on technology, it is important to manage your information systems in a responsible and risk-averse manner. These services are really information technology insurance-and just like liability or property insurance they can save your business if you are prepared for the unexpected.

Disaster recovery is much more than restoring data. It is about a process, policies and technology involved in a comprehensive plan. In this session you will learn the how-to's for the complete approach. We will answer: Who should be involved? What to consider? In-Source or Out-Source? How long should it take and what are the ongoing concerns?

For more information or registration follow click here.

February 2008
David Shaffer Named One of Baltimore's Smart CIO's

Smart CEO Magazine has selected David Shaffer as one of Baltimore, Maryland's top Chief Information Officers.

These top CIO's exhibit leadership and passion for the IT industry as well as professional experience and community service. As the magazine states, "Fixing problems with e-mail servers; establishing new software programs; and positively impacting the company’s bottom line are all handled and implemented through the CIO or CTO. SmartCEO recognizes these individuals for taking their companies to new levels and is proud to bring you 10 CIOs and CTOs from a variety of industries, including education, accounting, law and nonprofit organizations, who understand the true meaning of being a leader in technology.

December 2007
Tier One Technology Partners Promotes Kehres & Luksic

Congrats are in order for Jim Kehres who is promoted to Vice President/Projects Director and Joe Luksic who is promoted to Operations Manager.

Kehres, who has been with the company for almost thirteen years, will use his technical expertise to build the project side of our practice.

Luksic has been part of the team for three years and will handle the day-to-day customer incident service and support. As a company we are constantly examining our service process to improve our effectiveness and response. These key team leaders are an important part of this process.

September 2007
Petty Joins Tier One Team

Tier One Technology Partners announces the addition of Curt Petty to our team. Curt has logged years of experience in electronics and recently was a project leader in the cellular telecommunications industry. Curt has a great customer service attitude and as he puts it..."I live to fix things". Curt holds the position of Field Engineer and will be instrumental with assisting our clients with on-site issues and support.

October 2007
Shaffer to Speak at Information Technology Alliance Conference in Montreal

Tier One President, David Shaffer will speak in a session titled "Growing Your IT Consulting Practice" as part of the ITA Fall Conference in Montreal, Canada. The ITA is a professional organization consisting of consulting firms, advisors and vendors in the information technology industry. "It's a great group of firms and we are honored to be presenting stated David Shaffer, President. "We have been members for six years and consider the ITA to have had a significant influence on our success."

September 2007
Hubbell Joins Tier One Team

Tier One Technology Partners announces the addition of Nicky Hubbell to our team. Nicky moved into Tier One from the administrative team of our affiliated company, MKS&H. She is passionate about technology and has great customer service experience. Nicky will be instrumental in helping to build out our eCare Managed Services model. You can learn more about Nicky on our "About Us" pages. Welcome Aboard Nicky!

September 2007
Tier One Breaks Monthly Productivity Record

August became Tier One's new record month for products and services, "We bested our previous best month by more than 10 percent" stated David Shaffer, President. "August was our first month operating under our new professional service automation system. We intend to continue this path of great client service and increased productivity."

June 2007
Joe Luksic Attends AICPA Technology Conference in Las Vegas

Joe represented Tier One Technology Partners at the 2007 AICPA tech conference. Over 600 attendees were on hand for one of the largest national tech events. This conference brings together the most talented minds from CPA firms, outstanding consulting companies, high-level managers in industry and top vendors to strategize about "tech" for 4 comprehensive days. Sessions offer the latest information and education on new products, solutions, practice management and leadership.

May 2007
Tier One Presents at Villa Julie College

On May 3, 2007, Tier One Technology Partners were guest speakers at Villa Julie College graduate division to an advanced class in disaster planning and prevention.

Jim Kehres delivered a dynamic and informative presentation on the implementation of technology for the business community designed to mitigate data loss and insure continuity of operations. David Shaffer provided additional background and insights into this field which is mission critical to many computer dependant industries.

According to Professor Gross, "Tier One was chosen because of their technical prowess and proven ability to meeting the ever complex needs of clients in the business community. This advanced student group is not easy to satisfy since many are already accomplished professionals in the information technology field. Mr. Kehres provided not only a fact filled overview of technologies, trends and issues in the field but a perspective on integration with the client business interests as well. Many IT professionals focus exclusively on the technology and loose sight of business issues and priorities. Tier one maintains the balance between the two and delivers the technologies which support business success. "

Professor Gross continued, "The presentation was an overwhelming success as demonstrated by the interactive questions and discussions which followed. Tier One clearly demonstrated their expertise in the technology business operations arena at a level second to none."

April 2007
Tier One Closes Record Month

March 2007 set a company record for product and services. Director of Technical Services, Jim Kehres, comments that "The daylight savings time switch had more impact than many in the industry anticipated. As business users become more dependant on handheld devices like Windows Mobile, they cannot afford to have burps in their scheduling. Many of these devices required significant attention."

Tier One Technology Partners is a proactive Managed Services provider and engages in outsourced IT support for small and medium business.

March 2007
Kleiner Joins Tier One Team

Tier One Technology Partners announces the addition of Michael Kleiner to our team. Mike brings terrific customer management experience to the team and will be instrumental in building out our new help desk platform. Mike is a great example of the Tier One team being proactive and building towards a complete managed IT solution for our clients. You can learn more about Mike on our "About Us" pages. Welcome Aboard Mike!

January 2007
Tier One Completes 4th Consecutive Year of Double-Digit Growth

"It's all about working with great clients" states David Shaffer, President and Founder of Tier One Technology Partners. "It's a very exciting time for technology in small business. Our clients are leveraging affordable technology that allows them to compete in the marketplace like never before. Businesses are taking advantage of this competitive edge".

September 2006
Huston Joins Tier One Team

Tier One Technology Partners announces the addition of Matt Huston to our team. Matt is a systems and user support specialist and assists our clients with helpdesk, training and network/desktop support. Matt was selected from a large pool of candidates due to his positive attitude and alignment with Tier One's commitment to quick response and professional client service. You can learn more about Matt on our "About Us" pages. Welcome Aboard Matt!

August 30, 2006
Shaffer Tapped for Fall 2006 Information Technology Alliance Conference Chair

David Shaffer, Founder and President of Tier One is honored to be the first IT Consulting track chairperson at the Information Technology Alliance Conference in San Antonio, Texas on November 5 - 7, 2006. "The addition of this third conference track emphasizes the importance of infrastructure and managed services inside of traditional software VAR firms ", says Shaffer. "In addition, it opens up a new segment of possibilities for traditional support and networking companies to enrich the information share of the Information Technology Alliance".

For more information about the conference follow this link.

July 19, 2006
Tier One to Present at Microsoft Connections in Maryland on September 14th

Microsoft Connections events put you face-to-face with experts, resources and information that can help you stay competitive and maximize your technology. See live demonstrations of solutions that will help you grow your customer relationships, spend less time at your desk, stay competitive and still find time for life. PLUS, you’ll walk away knowing the best places to find answers to your questions after the event AND the special offers that are ideal for small businesses. There is a half-day event coming to a location near you – and best of all, it’s Free.

Click here to register

April 20, 2006
Tier One Attends PEAK Conference in Las Vegas

Jim Kehres, Director of Technical Resources, was invited to SonicWALL's Peak Conference in Las Vegas. The PEAK conference is established for SonicWALL's premier partners to enjoy networking and the latest info on business data security and risk management. This enables Tier One to bring to their clients and partners the latest developments in the data protection and security field.

March 1,, 2006
Dwayne Hall Achieves Microsoft Certified Professional Certification

Dwayne Hall, a Tier One Primary Relationship Engineer sat for his Small Business Server certification and passed with flying colors. Dwayne, who has been part of the Tier One team since November 2005, feels great about adding this certification to his list of accomplishments. This certification demonstrates his ability to design, configure and support business environments that use the Microsoft Small Business Server platform.

February 26, 2006
Tier One Invited to Present at SonicWALL Inc. Analyst Day

Tier One Technology Partners is one of four SonicWALL partners invited to present on the latest Continuous Data Protection technology at the SonicWALL Analyst Day in San Jose, California. Tier One Founder and President, David Shaffer presented to various industry analysts a case study featuring Tier One clients and how they are mange security and risk with SonicWALL products. "It's quite an honor", said Shaffer, "That Tier One is invited to one of the most important presentations in SonicWall's fiscal year. It speaks volumes about our credibility as both a SonicWALL partner and a great security resource for our clients".

February 23, 2006
Tier One Hosts Microsoft

The Chesapeake Small Biz IT Focus Group, founded and moderated by Tier One Technology Partners will be visited by Allison Gay, the Microsoft Partner Community Manager for the Mid-Atlantic Region at our February 23rd meeting. Also attending will be Chris Ertz who will be presenting on SharePoint services. You may register for attendance at http://www.clicktoattend.com/invitation.aspx?code=106854.

January 3, 2006
Tier One Selected for Microsoft Case Study

Tier One has been recognized as one of the Mid-Atlantic regional experts in Small and Medium Business Technology as evidenced by Microsoft selecting Tier One for a case study on Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 implementations. "Once again this recognition allows Tier One to effectively promote ourselves to customers as having proven expertise in delivering high-value, strategic solutions for small businesses" said David Shaffer, Founder and President.

The case study is published about Tier One's server upgrade project with one of their valuable clients and the positive financial impact it had on the client's business--helping them grow by 40%. Microsoft invested $6,000 in this case study to promote their Small Business Server products. The published case study can be downloaded from Microsoft's web site by clicking on this link,

To learn more about how Tier One can make your company more productive contact David Shaffer at 800.431.2282.

November 4, 2005
Tier One Earns New Small Business Specialist Designation

We are extremely pleased with our status as a new Small Business Specialist,” said David Shaffer, Founder and President of Tier One Technology Partners,. “This special designation allows Tier One to effectively promote ourselves to customers as having proven expertise in delivering high-value, strategic solutions for small businesses. For Baltimore/Washington area customers, Small Business Specialist status provides Tier One with early line of sight to new products, services and programs from Microsoft, which can extend the value we bring to our client relationships.” The Small Business Specialist Community, available as a competency-like designation as part of the Microsoft® Partner Program, was developed in response to input from customers and partners that expressed a need to build easier connections that enable small-business customers to quickly and easily identify technology partners best suited to support them.

“Small businesses are looking for partner companies that understand their unique business needs,” said Steve Guggenheimer, vice president of small business for the Small and Midmarket Solutions & Partner Group at Microsoft. “With resources like the Small Business Specialist Community and the partner locator tool on the Microsoft Small Business Center Web site, it will be much easier for Baltimore/Washington's small businesses to identify local partners that are best able to address their specific needs. We are confident this offering will help Tier One reach its full potential by creating more visibility, opportunity and demand in the local small-business segment.”

September 2005
Shaffer Appointed to Carroll County Economic Development Commission David A. Shaffer, MCSE, GSEC President and Founder of Tier One Technology Partners, has been appointed to the Carroll County Economic Development Commission. As a member of the commission, Mr. Shaffer will work closely with the staff of the Department of Economic Development in their efforts to attract new businesses to Carroll County and to assist existing companies wishing to expand. In addition, he and the other commission members serve as advisors to the Carroll County Board of Commissioners. Mr. Shaffer will server a two-year term.

August 2005
Tier One becomes Lasso Logic Partner - Tape backup is dead. Lasso Logic's Continuous Data Protection (CDP) model replaces the headache and lack of reliability associated with tapes. Your critical data is constantly backed up as it changes for unparalleled reliability and ease of use. Contact us now at 800.431.2282 to find out more about how this technology can give you piece of mind about your important data and intellectual property. Tier One and Lasso Logic bring enterprise backup technology to small and medium businesses.

July 2005
Shaffer and Kehres Go GSEC Gold - David Shaffer and Jim Kehres of Tier One have achieved Gold level certification for the GIAC Security Essential Certified designation. Less than 2,500 individuals globally hold this security certification. The SANS Institute founded GIAC (Global Information Assurance Certification) in 1999 in response to the need to validate the skills of security professionals. GIAC's purpose is to provide assurance that a certified individual holds the appropriate level of knowledge and skill necessary for a practitioner in key areas of information security.

June 2005
Tier One Technology Partners announces the addition of Joe Luksic to our team. Joe is a systems and user support specialist and assists our clients with helpdesk, training and network/desktop support. Joe was selected from a large pool of candidates due to his positive attitude and alignment with Tier One's commitment to quick response and professional client service. You can learn more about Joe on our "About Us" pages. Welcome Aboard Joe!!

April 2005
Name Change and Ranks Expanding - The Chesapeake Small Biz IT Focus Group, founded and moderated by David Shaffer of Tier One Technology Partners has increased membership to thirty. The group has also replaced the word "Users" in its name with "Focus" which better represents the membership base which includes engineers, business development specialists and end users who operate in the small/medium business technology market. The group meets monthly on the 4th Tuesday in Hunt Valley or Columbia. Email davids@tieroneIT.com for more information.

August 2004
Tier One Technology Partners are pleased to announce the formation of the Chesapeake Small Biz IT Users Group. The first meeting is Tuesday, September 21st at 6:00 p.m. at our offices in Hunt Valley. The Chesapeake Small Biz It Users Group enables information technology professionals and small business technology users to share strategies, tips and war stories. Any small business platform is subject for discussion however the CSBITG considers Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 as its keystone server product. RSVP to David Shaffer @ 800.431.2282 or davids@tieroneit.com. Follow this link to a detailed flyer with directions.

June 2004
McLean, Koehler, Sparks and Hammond has named Chris Romano of Tier One Technology Partners as their April and May 2004 Client Service Award Winner. The Client Service Award recognizes service efforts that are "above and beyond the call of duty". In summarizing Chris' capability, the client put it best...."I can always find Chris on-line when I need help & he gets the job done whether it’s during normal business hours or otherwise. Just recently, I had an issue with the Internet on a Saturday morning, sent Chris an email and left my office to take care of another matter. When I returned, the Tier One website was on my computer screen and Chris had sent me an email advising that the problem was fixed. It was almost as if an elf was taking care of the shop while I was away!"

May 2004
The Carroll County Technology Council has invited David Shaffer, of Tier One Technology Partners to be a member of the Council's Board of Directors. The Council has recently become an independent organization after being started by the county Chamber of Commerce in 2001. Mr. Shaffer is also the Chairperson of the Council's CompuKids program. CompuKids is a program that places refurbished computers in the homes of underprivileged children attending county schools. For more information please contact the Carroll Technology Council at http://www.carrolltechcouncil.org.

April 2004
Accountability Factor Seminar, May 25, 2004
Tandem Partners, a sister company of Tier One, is pleased to announce an upcoming seminar, The Accountability Factor, at the Oakland Mansion in Columbia on Tuesday, May 25 from 8:30 - 11 a.m. The seminar will be hosted by Alan M. Dobzinski, MCC, a senior consultant and executive coach with Tandem Partners. The Accountability Factor seminar will provide tools for building effective teams, understanding factors that compromise accountability, focusing on the highest level priorities, transforming negative energy into positive productivity, turning reasons into actions, and building accountability into all relationships. It will also help you answer questions like, “what could you achieve if everyone in your organization held themselves accountable?”

For more information or to register for the seminar, call 410.296.6200

January 2004
Tier One announces the addition of computer forensic services to our capability portfolio. Our forensics expert, Mr. Jeffrey Gross, has over fifteen years of experience in data recovery and electronic evidence.

How can our forensic expertise help your company?

We can recover lost or deleted data and passwords.
We can verify assets or discover hidden assets.
We can perform integrity audits for pornography.
Expert testimony.

Our expert team can assist you with any electronic data discovery, recovery or audit.

For more information contact David Shaffer at 800.431.2282

September 2003
Tier One Technology Partners has joined Latis Networks System Integrator and Consultant Program.

Tier One has become a channel partner for the StillSecure VAM network security product.

The VAM family of Vulnerability Assessment and Management products identify, track, and manage the repair of vulnerabilities on your network that could leave you exposed to attack. The vulnerabilities found during network scans are tracked through VAM's exclusive Vulnerability Repair Workflow™, which manages the remediation process through repair verification. VAM produces a range of detailed reports customizable for auditors, managers, and IT staff.

"This product provides another critical layer of defense for security-minded companies", stated David Shaffer, President of Tier One. "Vulnerability assessment and management (VAM) is a big ticket item in large enterprises. With StillSecure, we can enable VAM in mid-tier companies at a realistic price point."

For more information contact David Shaffer at 800.431.2282

August 2003
Tier One Technology Partners presents and evening workshop on Wireless Security for the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants.

Jim Kehres, Director of Technical Services is presenting a 90 minute workshop designed to familiarize area businesses with security concepts for the wireless or wireless enabled network. With the popularity of wireless booming, it is important for owners and managers to understand that intruder prevention is completely different with wireless technology.

If you are interested in having Tier One present a technology topic for your group or organization, please contact David Shaffer at 800.431.2282

March 2003
Jim Kehres, Director of Technical Services at Tier One Technology Partners, has earned the SANS GIAC Gold Standard Certificate. As stated by GIAC, this program provides a way for security professionals to demonstrate that they fully understand, can apply to systems and can measure systems against the Gold Standards developed by The Center for Internet Security and adopted by the community as best practice. Candidates who earn the GGSC recognize that completing the certificate program allows them to prove their ability to apply these standards effectively .

What this means for your business is that Tier One Technology Partners are qualified to secure your Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP systems based on proven and stable standards, designed by one of the premier security organizations, www.sans.org and its subsidiaries. We insure that your systems are locked down properly in an effort to minimize the threat of malicious users and/or programs.

January 2003
The Information Technology Alliance (ITA, www.italliance.com) has invited Tier One Technology Partners to become a member of the ITA's Group T. This distinguished invitation is extended to those firms who exhibit the highest levels of service and support and who are committed to being leaders in the industry.

"Tier One's membership in the ITA has been a great resource for both the firm and our clients alike" stated David A. Shaffer, President of Tier One Technology Partners. "This just takes it to the next level. We will be afforded the opportunity to network with the biggest and most successful IT firms in the United States."

ITA is an association of the leading firms and companies engaged in the development, delivery, and/or support of technology solutions for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). ITA's purpose is to provide the forums and tools that allow our members to share information and build relationships that will improve the way our clients and our member firms do business. By attending to our stated purpose, ITA will continue to be an authoritative voice and leadership force in, and for, the IT profession.

January 2003
The Carroll Technology Council has selected David A. Shaffer of Tier One Technology Partners as the Information Technology advisor for their new Technology Advisors Initiative. Mr. Shaffer was selected from a pool of nominees from IT companies throughout Carroll County.

The Technology Advisors represent different industries in Carroll County and as part of the program, area businesses can use the advisors free of charge to answer questions pertinent to technology in their particular industry. Learn more about the program at www.carrollcountychamber.org/ctc.