TechMD, located in Fountain Valley, is one of the 10 U.S. finalists for the Fifth Annual Small Business Excellence Award from Dell Computer 
and the National Federation of Independent Business, the largest U.S. small-business association.
The contest seeks to honor the company with fewer than 101 employees that is most innovative, has made the best changes or developed a competitive advantage in delivering superior customer value and experience with the use of technology.
All finalists will receive a Dell business-class laptop and one-year NFIB membership. They will also compete for the national award to be announced on June 9 during the NFIB National Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C. The U.S. winner will receive:
- $25,000 in Dell products and services
- Day of best-practice sharing with Dell executives, including Chairman and CEO Michael Dell
- Lifetime membership to NFIB
- entry in the global Small Business Excellence Award with a $50,000 prize.
TechMD serves as a full-service, virtual IT department for nonprofit organizations and small to medium-sized businesses. The nonprofit sector makes up 90% of its client base.
Mark Perez and Sebastian Igreti, both 31, were high school friends with technology careers who decided to strike out on their own in 2003.
“We didn’t invent anything new; we just took the best of what is out there. Our value is greater than the sum of the parts,” Perez said. “We charge a flat rate (rather than charge for time and materials), a lot of proactive work to spot problems before they happen and leverage nonprofits’ status to get them free software.”
The company’s Web site says, “By providing nonprofits the technological foundation they desperately require, we are rewarded each day, knowing we are helping reach and serve our community.”
The other finalists are:
- Escape Technology, Roseville, Calif., builds finance, HR and payroll applications for public school systems in California.
- Glance Networks, Arlington, Mass., provides a simple, Web-based, desktop sharing service designed to make online meetings, remote presentations and Web conferences easy enough for anyone to host or view, from any computer, anywhere in the world.
- MedApps, Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz., produces a mobile wireless health monitoring system that helps monitor patients with diabetes, asthma, congestive heart failure and other chronic diseases.
- RNs On-Call, LLC, Greensboro, N.C., provides cost effective telehealth services and contact call center solutions that improve patient’s access to quality healthcare.
- Rugroden Drafting & Design, Onalaska, Wis., is a residential drafting and design service that creates construction drawings and incorporates the latest 3-D technology allowing customers to digitally walk through their virtual home.
- ServusXchange, LLC, Pompano Beach, Fla., runs MyOnlineToolbox.com, an Internet-based community platform that allows
residential property contractors to manage front- and back-office processes. - TecAccess, Rockville, Va., employs individuals with physical, emotional and intellectual disabilities, including veterans with disabilities, to work in leading IT roles that help federal government agencies and large corporations design and use technology that is more accessible and user-friendly for all.
- Transport Designs, Inc., Montoursville, Pa., manufactures highly customized enclosed trailers and truck conversion motor homes, adapting to customers’ needs on a detailed design level.
- Your Beauty Network, Carlsbad, Calif., is a membership-based business support service for salon and spa professionals in the U.S. and Canada.
“These finalists are the cream of the crop, representing the top 5 percent of entries. We are proud to showcase the finalists and emphasize how technology can help our members thrive and grow their businesses,” said NFIB President and CEO Todd Stottlemyer.
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[...] O.C. company a finalist for $25,000 prize [...]
[...] O.C. company a finalist for $25,000 prize [...]