TELXAR clientele acquired by Sierra Computer Group

Darren McBride remains on the acquisition trail, even after his Sierra Computer Group acquired a portion of the business clientele of TELXAR, an information services company in Sparks.

The deal is the sixth for Sierra Computer Group which was known until a few days ago as Sierra Computers.

Along with TELXAR, Sierra Computer Group has acquired some or all of the clients of MicroAge Reno, Cimarron Computers, Technology Associates, NetMergence and Integrated Business Solutions in northern Nevada.

McBride says his pitch to small providers of information technology services is this:

Working in a small office that's on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, leads to burnout among IT professionals. Why not become part of a bigger organization, where you can focus on the IT work you love while providing good service to your clients?

The management team of Sierra Computer Group demonstrates the strength of that pitch.

Jeff Bowling, president of TELXAR, joined Sierra Computer Group as vice president of sales and marketing. Rod Coleman, the former general manager of MicroAge Reno, has worked as general manager of Sierra Computer Group since MicroAge was acquired in 2001.

And Tom Hoops, former president of Technology Associates, is chief technology officer of Highly Reliable Systems, a sister company to Sierra Computer Group that develops hard-drive backup and storage systems.

Along with technology companies, a provider of telephone services might be among the next acquisitions for the company, McBride says. That would strengthen the company's position as a one-stop provider for small-business technology.

One challenge with the acquisitions, Coleman says, has been blending a company-wide standard from the skills and preferences of individual IT professionals who have opinions about everything from the best make of router to the best anti-virus technology.

Founded in 1987, Sierra Computer Group has been located at 1900 Vassar St. since 1996.

Although most of its business involves IT consulting services for business and government agencies, some with as few as five users on a network, Sierra Computer Group also sells computer and networking hardware.