Network contract landed

Published 1:00 pm Saturday, February 1, 2003

In 2001, several Oak Harbor men started a networking business. Since then, they have moved twice, each time expanding into larger offices, expanded their services and meeting their financial goals.

They just got a big boost when a networking company based out of Tampa, Fla., hired ICBN Technologies (International Computer and Business Network) to provide on-call technical support to its clients in Western Washington.

“It takes us from a hometown company and stretches us out to Western Washington,” said Pete Caldwell, president of ICBN Technologies.

ICBN workers will be providing around-the-clock technical support for wireless networks to more than 200 businesses stretching from Olympia to the Canadian border.

To accommodate growth, Caldwell said ICBN will have to branch out into other parts of the Puget Sound area to maintain service while remaining headquartered in Oak Harbor.

The locally-owned business started two years ago as a home based business.

“We just started with a bunch of guys and an idea in someone’s basement,” said Larry Tennant, general manager of ICBN.

The idea was to combine the skills of friends who were doing work on the side.

ICBN is currently made up of five divisions including network administration, a retail store, Web site development and maintenance, cabling and computer repair.

Tennant said that the company is still developing its store; however, people from off the streets can walk in and buy components or a complete computer.

Caldwell also reaches out into the community by providing a small discount to non-profit organizations. ICBN recently sold computers to the Island County Historical Museum at a 10 percent discount.

While the service contract provides ICBN a foothold in Western Washington, Caldwell addd that he would like the business to have a more state-wide presence.

ICBN is at 390 NE Midway Blvd. in Oak Harbor.