History

1971

With $200 in capital and a telephone on a dining room table as an office, founder Rick Forsythe and partner Jim McArthur start brokering used IBM mainframes in late 1970. They begin 1971 with four customers, and incorporate as Forsythe McArthur Associates, Inc. The partners buy an IBM 360 Model 30 from Comdisco and sell it to a subsidiary of Champion International. Later, they buy an IBM 360 Model 50 and lease it to National Can. The Chicago-based company closes 1971 with a profit. Forsythe has continued to be profitable every year since.

By late 1971, Forsythe has moved from the dining room to Michigan Avenue and has four employees:  Rick, Jim, an administrative assistant, and an accountant/logistics manager. They use carbon paper and IBM Selectric typewriters.

1976

A director of operations and a director of finance are hired, beginning an expansion to 20 employees. Forsythe launches a joint venture with Comdisco, Terminal Leasing Company, to purchase and lease computer terminals.

1977

Forsythe moves to the 34th floor of the former Playboy Building, using nearly an entire floor.

1980

Jim McArthur sells his half of the company to Rick Forsythe.

1982

Forsythe opens its first two offices outside of Illinois—in Georgia and Wisconsin.

1984

Forsythe embarks upon an ambitious five-year growth plan to triple earnings by 1990, and expands its management team to accomplish this goal. The company moves to its headquarters in Skokie, Illinois; opens four more offices—in Colorado, Connecticut, Michigan, and Missouri; and establishes a Northeast region.

1985

Forsythe nearly doubles its workforce to 50; Forsythe employees now have personal computers.

1987

Forsythe enters into a joint venture with four regional competitors to form The Principal Group, a buying club designed to secure lower equipment costs and better operating efficiencies. Forsythe also launches Forsythe Micro, a PC wholesale supplier and lessor in which it owns an 80% share. Forsythe Micro incorporates trained personnel and technical facilities to configure, test, and install new IBM, Apple, and Compaq personal computers.

1988

Forsythe’s Employees’ Stock Ownership Plan is established, making all Forsythe employees shareholders in the company. In December, Forsythe makes its first acquisition: Great Lakes Communications Company, a remarketer of used AT&T, Rolm, and Northern Telecom telecommunications equipment. The company is renamed Forsythe Telecommunications. Forsythe remains profitable through a difficult year in which many of its competitors face bankruptcy.

1989

Forsythe earns the #1 overall rating out of 46 leasing companies mentioned in Gartner Group's IBM Large Computer Market service survey. In response to a changing marketplace, Forsythe increases its focus on remarketing, in addition to technology leasing.

1990

Forsythe is once again rated #1 in Gartner Group's service survey. The company also wins the "Spirit of Excellence" Award from the Computer Dealers and Lessors Association (CDLA). The workforce grows to 120 employees, and the San Francisco office opens.

1991

Forsythe celebrates its 20th anniversary and redefines itself as a value-added reseller, establishing partnerships with leading network, server, and storage manufacturers.

1992

Forsythe’s networking and telecom business, handled by separate subsidiary Forsythe Telecommunications since 1988, is absorbed into the company as a whole.

1994

Forsythe’s Western region is formally established, headquartered in Northern California.

1995

Forsythe adds technology consulting services to its offerings. The sales, distribution, and consulting organization is incorporated as "The Solutions Group."

1996

The Solutions Group is renamed "Forsythe Solutions Group." Forsythe Technology is established as the parent company to Forsythe Solutions Group and Forsythe McArthur Associates. Forsythe McArthur continues to be one of the nation’s leading independent technology lessors. The company now employs 230 people. Forsythe launches its independent, multi-vendor Benchmark Lab, which provides an array of testing and migration services.

1997

Forsythe Solutions Group expands its offerings to include remote enterprise management services (EMS), enabling customers to outsource their network, systems, and desktop management. Employment at Forsythe surpasses 300 and a Southeast region is formally established, headquartered in Atlanta.

2000

In April, after several years of research and development, Forsythe Technology launches its enterprise management services provider as a wholly-owned subsidiary, Nuclio Corporation. In December, Forsythe launches the first release of its award-winning e-procurement system, Go!Forsythe, which helps customers manage the IT acquisition process.

2001

Forsythe celebrates its 30th anniversary with more than 500 employees. Forbes Magazine names Forsythe one of the top 500 private companies in the U.S. In July, Forsythe acquires Denver-based Enterprise Computing, Inc. and establishes its Mountain, Ohio Valley, and Southwest regions.

2002

Forsythe’s Nuclio subsidiary is merged with leading enterprise management service provider SevenSpace. Also in January, Forsythe acquires Telenisus Corp.’s security integration and consulting business, which results in the launch of Forsythe’s IT risk management practice in July. In December, Forsythe acquires the operating assets of Charlotte, N.C.-based Piedmont Technology Group.

2003

Forsythe moves into its new headquarters. Despite a challenging economic landscape and significant internal investments, Forsythe achieves its 33rd consecutive profitable year.

2004

In February, Forsythe acquires Atlanta-based National Business Group, Inc. (NBG), an established security solutions company. In June, the Computerworld newspaper names Forsythe to its annual "100 Best Places to Work in IT" list for the third time.

2005

Sun Microsystems acquires SevenSpace, Inc. William P. Brennan is named president of Forsythe Technology and Forsythe Solutions Group, coinciding with Richard Forsythe's announcement to retire and sell his ownership stake in the company. Forsythe is ranked among the top 100 of the VARBusiness 500 for the 11th consecutive year.

2006

Forsythe Technology becomes one of the largest privately-held, 100-percent ESOP-owned companies in the United States. Founder Richard A. Forsythe retires, but remains on its board of directors as non-executive chairman. Forsythe achieves a 17 percent  increase in revenues and a 37 percent increase in profits.

2007

Forsythe coins the phrase "IT infrastructure integrator" to describe its unique position in the marketplace. In September, Forsythe enters the Canadian market with its third security services company acquisition in five years, Information Security Technology, Inc. (IST). Forsythe completes its first full year of 100-percent ESOP ownership with 808 employee-owners.

2008

Forsythe caps off its first quarter with its sixth acquisition in eight years, that of Middleboro, Massachusetts-based storage integrator More Group Inc. In June, Forsythe Technology Canada is launched, building in part upon the prior year's IST acquisition. Despite a challenging economic landscape, Forsythe achieves its 38th consecutive profitable year and grows to 890 employee-owners. In addition to its usual appearances on the VARBusiness 500 and Monitor 100 lists, Forsythe is also named one of the Best Small Firms to Work for by Consulting magazine.

2009

In July, Forsythe acquires Paragon Solutions Group, Inc., a provider of server and storage solutions, headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Despite a challenging economic climate, the company celebrates its 39th consecutive profitable year.

2010

Forsythe breaks the billion dollar mark in gross revenues, and is recognized once again with multiple industry and partner awards. The company's Canadian subsidiary, Forsythe Technology Canada, founded in 2008, is named one of the Top 5 (Canadian) Solution Providers to Watch by Computer Dealer News.

2011

Forsythe completes its 41st consecutive profitable year and is recognized once again with multiple industry and partner awards including the CRN Tech Elite 250.