GTIA has acquired the ASCII Group, bringing roughly 1,000 ASCII members into the Global Technology Industry Association’s network. But what does the acquisition actually mean for ASCII members, GTIA members and the broader MSP community?
In this episode of Channel Insider: Partner POV, Katie Bavoso speaks with GTIA Chief Channel Officer Nancy Hammervik, longtime ASCII member Chad Kempt, president of Fast Computers, and two members of both organizations, Third Element Consulting CEO Dawn Sizer, and Phantom Technology Solutions CEO Henry Timm, about what’s changing—and what isn’t—following the acquisition.
The conversations explore ASCII’s continued independence as a peer-driven community within GTIA, changes member benefits and dues, GTIA’s global resources, the role of ASCII’s advisory committee, concerns about maintaining community culture, and what the acquisition could mean for MSPs navigating AI and rapid change across the channel.
Topics & Timestamps:
00:00 — GTIA acquires ASCII Group: What does it mean?
01:29 — What are GTIA and ASCII, and why do they fit together?
04:09 — How the GTIA-ASCII acquisition happened
05:44 — How will ASCII remain an independent brand?
08:16 — ASCII member dues, benefits and GTIA access
10:26 — ASCII’s vendor sponsorship model
11:17 — Who leads ASCII after the acquisition?
13:01 — Will ASCII’s community culture be preserved?
16:01 — What GTIA members gain from ASCII
18:48 — GTIA’s growth strategy and potential future acquisitions
21:27 — ASCII member Chad Kempt on the acquisition
23:14 — How ASCII helped transform Kempt’s MSP business
27:39 — Chad’s first reaction to the GTIA acquisition
29:34 — Will ASCII maintain its intimate community?
31:29 — Why MSP community matters in the age of AI
34:25 — The value of trusted relationships in the channel
36:08 — Why GTIA was the “best case scenario” for ASCII
38:29 — Dual member Dawn Sizer weighs in
41:34 — What could change over the next 6–12 months?
45:06 — How members were informed about the acquisition
50:10 — What GTIA and ASCII should prioritize going forward
51:22 — Dual member Henry Timm on consolidation in the IT channel
55:18 — Who benefits more from the acquisition?
57:12 — New resources, research and cybersecurity benefits
59:30 — What members don’t want to see change
1:00:15 — What should GTIA and ASCII do next?