Why Parallel?

Overview

Parallel Technologies, Inc. is a group of technology professionals that believe our most important work is to provide value in our relationships – with employees, vendor partners, and customers.

Our belief in the value of relationships drives our success. Our average employee tenure is over 20 years, and we’ve been named a Best Place to Work since 2007. We consistently rank among the top partners with our vendors, from CBTS Partner of the Year, to Mitel Platinum Partner status. And for over 35 years, we’ve helped thousands of customers navigate the ever-changing technology landscape to provide value to their business.

Executive Team

Joseph Redman

Co-Founder (Retired)

Mr. Redman co-founded Parallel Technologies in 1983. He has over 40 years of experience in telecommunications, starting his career in 1970 with the Ohio Bell Telephone Company where he held various sales and sales management positions. He joined the United Telecommunication division of Sprint in 1978 as the Director of Marketing for United Telephone of Ohio, and was named the General Manager of the Northeastern Region of their Utelcom subsidiary in 1980. He left there in 1983 to start Parallel Technologies. Mr. Redman is a graduate of Ashland College and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.  He served as Parallel’s President until his retirement in December of 2019.

Don Poling

President

Mr. Poling has over 36 years of telecom experience and joined Parallel Technologies in 1987, holding various operations management and sales management positions. He was named Director of Operations in 1996 and became an officer of the company in 1999. Mr. Poling has a B.A. in Business and Marketing from Franklin University, and an EMBA from The Ohio State Fisher Business College.

Stephen Sava

Founder PTNE/Perigee Business Technologies

Mr. Sava founded PTNE in 1993 in Northeast Ohio.  He began his telecom career in 1980 with United Telephone of Ohio, moving to the new Utelcom subsidiary in 1982.   In 1985, he was involved with the introduction of competitive long distance telephone services in NE Ohio (LiTEL). He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Youngstown State University.

In 2022, Perigee merged with Parallel Technologies.  All Perigee personnel became Employee Owners of Parallel Technologies.  A previous principal of both companies, after the merger Mr. Sava serves as Consultant/Sales Engineer.

Martin B. Jacobs

Executive Vice President

Mr. Jacobs co-founded Parallel Technologies with Mr. Redman in 1983. He was employed by American Greetings as a Systems Analyst from 1976 to 1979. He then joined United Telecommunications as Regional Operations Manager and later became Fiber Network Project Manager for Sprint’s national network. He left there to start Parallel Technologies. Mr. Jacobs is a graduate of University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and a Masters Degree in Industrial Relations.

Rob Schmittauer

Vice President

Mr. Schmittauer joined the Parallel Team as Vice President of the Cincinnati Branch in July 2011. He brings over two decades of telecom sales leadership experience. Mr. Schmittauer is a graduate of the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing.

Brad Lotz

Vice President of Operations

Mr. Lotz joined Parallel in 1997 as a Field Technician, moving through various leadership roles in project management and operations throughout his tenure, most recently being named Vice President of Operations in 2018.  Mr. Lotz is a graduate of Franklin University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Management.​

Gary Dyer

Executive Sales Director

Mr. Dyer joined Parallel in 2019, bringing over 23 years of IT experience holding various technical and business management roles.  Mr. Dyer’s vast technical expertise make him uniquely qualified to support both our sales and support teams.

Sales Team

Ashley Baker

Senior Account Manager

Ashley has been with Parallel for 11 years, joining the company in 2009 as a Sales Manager.  Ashley is currently a Senior Account Manager managing over 500 customers’ current communications and serving as their advisor for future telecom needs.  When she’s not helping customers, Ashley enjoys spending time traveling and exploring with her husband and teenage step daughter.

Julie Carnes

Infrastructure Specialist

Julie has been with Parallel for 2.5 years. She is a proud graduate of The Ohio State University and has a Bachelor of Science Degree. As an Infrastructure Specialist, she helps design custom solutions in copper/fiber installation as well as paging systems and device installation. In her spare time, Julie enjoys spending time with family & friends and her yellow lab- Chloe.

Marlene Eymann

Senior Account Representative

Marlene has worked in a sales capacity since starting with Parallel in 1992.  In her current role as Senior Account Representative, Marlene collaborates with technical staff from companies across various industries, providing support and identifying technology solutions that address their business needs. Marlene is an expert at demonstrating, in non-technical terms, how the benefits and features of Parallel’s offerings apply in real-life environments.  She holds a Bachelor of Science from Otterbein University with a dual major in Marketing and Fashion Merchandising.  Outside of Parallel, Marlene enjoys playing tennis, working out at Orange Theory, and volunteering for Youth for Christ.

Dave Hammond

Senior Account Representative

Dave has spent his entire professional career in telecom, beginning with Cincinnati Bell in Columbus before joining the Parallel sales team nearly 10 years ago. Dave has held a sales position in both Parallel’s Dublin and Cincinnati locations, and is currently a Senior Account Representative focusing on developing technology solutions for new customers and nurturing a small base of key Parallel accounts. In his (limited) spare time, Dave enjoys family time with his wife and daughter, as well as his extended family. When he does get some time to himself, you can find him golfing or spending time on the water.

Ed Kenney

Senior Account Representative

Ed has been with Parallel for over 20 years, beginning with the company as a sales representative in 2000.  Ed has maintained sales responsibility throughout his time with Parallel, currently serving as a Senior Account Representative responsible for maintaining strategic accounts and gaining new customers.  Ed has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati.  An avid sports enthusiast, Ed likes to spend his free time coaching soccer for the Olympic Development Program and Warren County Soccer Academy, as well as weightlifting and fly fishing.

Tori Lewis

Account Manager

Tori joined the company in 2015 as a Sales Representative. Tori is currently an Account Manager, managing over 100 customers’ current communications and serving as their advisor for future IT planning.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in Marketing from the University of Dayton.  When she’s not helping customers, Tori enjoys spending time outside running and walking her dog

Gail Parsons

Senior Account Manager

Gail has been with Parallel for a total of 18 years, beginning in 1996 as a receptionist.  After a hiatus, she re-joined the company in 2010 as an Account Manager and moved through various project manager and account manager roles.  Gail is currently a Senior Account Manager, managing the communications and serving as an advisor to over 400 of Parallel’s SMB customers.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Telecommunications from The Ohio State University.  When Gail’s not using her degree and experience to help customers, she can be found enjoying her favorite activities, including swimming, skiing, and spending time with her husband and children.

Ashleigh Walsh

Senior Account Manager

Ashleigh’s first day at Parallel was 9/10/01 – one day before the September 11th attacks, three days after moving from Manhattan to Columbus.  She spent three years coordinating carrier services installations as the Network Services Coordinator. Ashleigh is currently a Senior Account Manager, using her 23 years of technology experience to problem-solve and craft solutions for new and existing customers alike.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing from Capital University, including a National Championship in women’s basketball and an induction into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.  When not researching and building solutions for customers, Ashleigh’s spare time is spent building legos, reading, taking road tips and watching Court TV.​

Our Partners

Our Customers

Miller-Valentine Group

Miller Valentine Group

“Miller-Valentine Group has been overjoyed with Parallel Technologies as the support provider for our ShoreTel system. We especially appreciate their lightning fast response time to our support requests and feel as if we are their number one priority. The technical knowledge of their engineers and professionalism of their project managers is second to  none. I expect that our relationship will last as long as our ShoreTel system does…and perhaps beyond.”

Mark Flannery, Vice President of Information Technology
Miller-Valentine Group

Bricker & Eckler

Bricker & Eckler

“I have worked with Parallel Technologies for 20 years.   When Bricker & Eckler needed to replace its aged phone system, Parallel Technologies provided the expertise and advice we needed to implement a much better solution, greatly improving the efficiency of our attorneys and staff in responding to client needs over the telephone.   Their service, support and training are second to none.  Most recently, Parallel assisted with a complex office move involving relocating one office  and opening an additional location both within a thirty day window.  The project was well planned, well supported and implementation was seamless.  I know I can always count on Parallel to provide state-of-the-art insights into telephony and great service.  They are a wonderful partner for our business.”

Kit G. Murphy, Chief Operating Officer
Bricker & Eckler LLP

Columbus Zoo

Columbus Zoo

“Parallel Technologies, Inc. has been a great partner of the Columbus Zoo for many years. We had some significant known challenges going into our most recent phone system migration, and they were able to work miracles to get us the results we were looking for with no impact to our business functions. Parallel never fails to deliver great service!”

Gregg Oosterbaan, Vice President, Technology Services
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Columbus-ob

Columbus Obstetricians

“We’re proud to call Parallel Technologies a trusted partner for the last 15 years. I don’t have the time or expertise to resolve issues when they arise, and we are lucky to have Parallel just a phone call away. From sales to techs, they have a wonderful team that is always willing to go the extra mile.”

Mark VanMeter, Chief Operating Officer
Columbus Obstetricians-Gynecologists, Inc.

Rea

Rea & Associates

“Parallel Technologies has been invaluable to us in planning and installing our Shoretel system in 11 regional offices. They visited each site to understand how we were currently set up, and offered suggestions to increase our efficiency. They even installed a loaner phone system when one of the offices went down beyond repair. I trust Parallel’s expertise without hesitation, and look forward to our continued business relationship for years to come.”

Steve Roth, Director of IT
Rea & Associates

OTP

“Success in distribution requires a strong communications platform that is both highly adaptable and simple to use, and our partnership with Parallel Technologies for our communications needs has helped contribute to our overall success. Over the past eight years we have experienced rapid growth, and Parallel has been instrumental in successfully deploying ShoreTel phone systems that meet our needs and exceed our expectations every time.”

Jeff Pinney, Vice President of IT
Ohio Transmission Corporation

Sligan

“Parallel Technologies is one of our strongest service providers, and we are pleased to have developed such a valued partnership. Their superior customer support – from quickly gathering and providing information we need for new business, to carefully planning and preparing in advance for projects – is very important to our company. Parallel’s professionalism and quality of service make us look forward to additional opportunities to work together in the future as we continue to grow.”

Howard J Gripp,  IT Infrastructure Manager
Silgan Containers

Schodinger

“Our company made a significant investment to not only upgrade our phone system, but redesign our internal operations. Parallel Technologies did not just “sell” us a piece of equipment, they became a trusted partner that was instrumental in designing an excellent communications system. Most importantly, Parallel continued to provide superior service once installation was complete. Every time we reach out for assistance, they are there with sound advice or support when needed.”

Randy Schoedinger, CEO
Schoedinger Funeral and Cremation Service

Keim

Keim

“Our partnership with Parallel Technologies has allowed us to continue to explore new technology that we can use way beyond talking on the telephone. When we implemented our new ShoreTel system, everything about the planning, training, and implementation was excellent. We are excited to continue our partnership with Parallel as we expand the uses of our new phone system to benefit our operations and service.”

Lavern Schlabach,  Technology Directory
Kiem Lumber

Palmer Donavin

Palmer Donavin

“It’s not often a company needs to change phone systems, but when Palmer-Donavin is in the market, we rely on Parallel Technologies to help us make the right decision. Our partnership is based on a solid relationship that provides solid systems and services, and Parallel’s intimate knowledge of our phone systems allows them to optimize the solution to our business needs. We have certainly challenged them with our requests, and we can attest to the flexibility and commitment they have toward their customers.”

Teri Hass, Director of IT
Palmer Donavin

Fahlgren

“With multiple office locations throughout the United States, one of the most significant challenges we face is effective and efficient communications between our associates.  With Parallel’s assistance, we were able to move to a unified VOIP system across all of our locations, creating consistency for our associates and cost savings for Fahlgren Mortine.  Since day one, we’ve been extremely pleased with Parallel’s approach to doing business, and their follow-through in delivering on their promises.”

Brent Holbert, Chief Financial Officer
Fahlgren Mortine

FCX

“FCX Performance needed to replace an aging phone system and update a myriad of scattered data and telecommunications services.  After working with several potential providers, it was clear that Parallel Technologies was far more thorough and detailed than other vendors.  They had the right resources to manage the project, and their no-nonsense approach to presenting the strengths and limitations of technical solutions made it clear they were the right choice.  With Parallel’s help, we’ve begun to implement solutions that will drive enhanced technological capabilities for the organization while delivering very significant cost savings.”

Jon Zygmunt, Director of IT 
FCX Performanc

School Outfitters

“After several significant Telecom and Internet outages, and as our business continued to grow, we were confident we needed a partner on our side.  Parallel accepted this challenge and delivered a solution that reduced our expenses, increased capacity and bandwidth, and dramatically increased our uptime.  We are also very pleased with Parallel’s customer support after the sale.  Parallel has proven to be a valuable vendor partner that understands our unique business needs.”

Jeff Gentile, IT Infrastructure Manager
School Outfitters

Mills James

“Having worked with many vendors over the last several decades, I can say that the solutions and support Parallel Technologies delivers are exceptional. They are a true partner and have consistently come through with innovative and cost-effective solutions for many of our telecom and data challenges.”

Joe Armstrong, Director, Information Technology
Mills James Productions

Awards