The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
IT company expanding at Matchworks site
TechDynamix offers comprehensive computer solutions, e-newsletter with tips, tricks
Jay Baruffa stepped into the lead role at his company in July.
Needless to say, taking ownership of a business during a pandemic wasn’t ideal — even in the internet technology field.
But he didn’t get to where he is at age 33 without being resourceful. The 2006 Perry High School grad was asked to help form Tech Dynamix right out of high school.
The former owner then asked Baruffa to take over the company after his retirement, and he and a business partner run it out of the Matchworks building in Mentor.
They serve all manner of IT needs for clients who have as few as three people in their home office up to companies with networks with more than 100 users and hundreds of computers, printers and network devices.
“We are a solutions- and resultsdriven business,” Baruffa said. “Many of our clients have been around for over 10 years because of the quality of work and the attention to detail we have. We like to become like an ‘employee’ of our clients, and, because of that, we really get to know the business and what they need, and that level of integration is priceless.”
However, with a largely remote clientele now, that personal connection he prides himself in has proven more difficult to maintain.
“Tech Dynamix has been in business since 2006, so we have seen a lot,” he said. “We recently moved into the Matchworks building, but with the pandemic, a lot of our communications have gone virtual.
“With so many people working remotely from home, we have started writing some newsletters with tech tips and tricks that we distribute to clients that would be beneficial to anybody who uses computers daily — in the office or working from home.”
Some tips include recommendations to use a password manager, enabling multi-factor authentication, and using Windows 10 features like BitLocker and Windows Hello to improve computer security.
New trends
Tech Dynamix provides services such as wired and wireless networking, computer security, data backup and disaster recovery, IT project management, desktop support, hardware monitoring, web development and management, and telecommunications services.
“Gone are the days of just (putting) antivirus on a PC and a firewall in the office for security,” he said. “With more users working remotely, we need multifaceted security to really lockdown and protect our clients’ networks and their data. This was always a primary focus of ours, and it really was invaluable this past year.”
The business currently has two full-time and two part-time employees, and he hopes to have an intern or two later this summer. He is working with one of his former Perry tech teachers on a potential internship program.
“2020 has been tough for everyone,” he said. “With the uncertainty came a slowdown in project work and overall business. However, I feel that will soon be behind us as I have seen an encouraging trend over the past few months with our business, as well as the atmosphere at our clients’.”
Time to upgrade
The Concord Township resident also is expanding in a new space on the second floor of the Matchworks, at 8500 Station St.
He initially moved into a smaller space on the third floor in November of 2019 and then grew into the current location, in Suite 280.
“It is a unique and very cool building,” he said. “Being centrally located in Mentor, we have great access to Route 2, Route 20 and (Interstate) 90. This allows us to access our Lake County clients in under 25 minutes, and nearly any client in the Greater Cleveland area in under an hour.”
The 50,000-square-foot structure originated as a factory in 1868. It was purchased out of foreclosure in 2015 by Marc Wertenberger.
It is now at about 85 percent occupancy, as tenants have come and gone.
While a restaurant remains elusive, work is underway to add office space, Wertenberger said.