GTIA buys 40-year-old ASCII Group to unite two MSP communities
What's the deal? The Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired The ASCII GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, combining GTIADealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s research, education, cybersecurity, and advocacy work with ASCII's regional events and peer-led community of managed service providers (MSPs). Terms were not disclosed.
What each side brings: ASCII, founded by the late Alan D. Weinberger in 1984, has spent four decades building a community where MSPs grow by sharing experiences and connecting with peers and vendors. The deal adds about 1,000 ASCII members to GTIA's ecosystem, which spans about 3,000 MSPs, vendors, and distributors.
What changes for members? All ASCII members automatically become GTIA members at no extra cost, gaining broader research, content, and educational tools. Existing ASCII dues will drop around 25%, according to GTIA chief executive officer Dan Wensley.
What stays the same? The ASCII brand, its regional events, and peer and vendor connections remain, and three ASCII employees are joining GTIA. "Bigger and better. We certainly don't plan to do any less. We plan to expand it," Wensley said.
Why now? Wensley said GTIA's board approved the purchase partly to honour ASCII's legacy. "We stepped up and our board passionately approved the funds to be able to make this a purchase that set Alan's legacy in the proper trajectory," he said.
What's the endgame? Wensley framed the combination as additive rather than a cost cut. "We see that one and one equals three here, the opportunity to strengthen the membership of both GTIA and the ASCII community simultaneously," he said. Expansion could mean more investment in existing events and taking the ASCII model into international markets.
The signal: The deal reflects consolidation among channel and MSP trade groups as AI reshapes the industry, with larger associations absorbing established peer communities to build scale while preserving the local relationships members value.
Read more: crn.com
Image credit: Official GDC
