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Headquartered at 6730 Roosevelt Ave, Middletown, Ohio 45005 [near Dayton and Cincinnati], Rentacomputer.com celebrates over 30 years in the Technology Rental Industry. Rentacomputer.com works in over 1500 cities worldwide with hundreds of LOCAL installers and computer/av rental companies.
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The president of the company is John Beagle. He along with Rose and David Morgan started the company on April 27, 1987. Rentacomputer's first order was delivered to a defense contractor during the first week of May 1987.
In 1983, Gary Eiserman started a computer training company which ultimately became a computer rental company named, Rent-A-Computer, Inc. The computer industry was just getting started and Gary was operating in the Washington DC market. The company was originally a franchisee of Rent-A-Computer, Inc operating in Middletown, Ohio and servicing the Dayton-Wright-Patt Market. By 1989, CFR, Inc. dba Rent-A-Computer became an independent company with no franchise ties to the original company located in Bethesda, Maryland near Washington DC.
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1987 Incorporation in Ohio
The company legal name at the time was, CFR, Inc. DBA Rent-A-Computer. It was incorporated in Ohio by Rose Morgan its President and John Beagle its Vice President. First hired was Matthew Rye, formerly a Computer Salesman from Abacus Computers.
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Marketing 1987 to 1998
Rent-AComputer's first rental target was government contractors working with and around Wright Pat Air Force Base. Also the company targeted major accounting firms around Dayton, Ohio.
"Marketing at in the beginning was centered on outbound phone sales calls, yellow page advertising and direct mail. The Rolodex mailer, pictured to the right, was a successful mailer. Rent-A-Computer also had billboards in various locations in Cincinnati, Dayton, Cleveland and Columbus. We tried radio including 700 WLW during the early and mid 1990s.Mike McConnell, who now works for WGN Radio, did the radio spot for us." - John Beagle, President
During it's first year in business, Rentacomputer was able to attract a customer base that included a major utility, a consumer products conglomerate, a candy company, business publications, defense contractors and more.
"Business grew 100 percent from year one to year two." Beagle said. "From year two to year three, we doubled again, then another double from year three to year four." There was one point in 1995 that Rentacomputer had done business with every major company in Ohio and Indiana.
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Business in the 1990s
Rentacomputer expanded to Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland and Indianapolis markets during the 1990s. Rentacomputer was a regional computer rental and av equipment company. Rentacomputer had 52 employees, 22 vehicles in 4 locations in Ohio and Indiana. Primary markets are in green, with secondary markets in red, tertiary in blue.
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Rent-A-Computer Evolves into Rentacomputer.com
Then in 1996, Rent-A-Computer registered what would become it's trade name. Rentacomputer.com. By 1999, Rent-A-Computer officially and legally changed its name to Rentacomputer.com. Rentacomputer.com began to work with highly qualified local vendors thoughout the United States, Canada and other cities worldwide. Rentacomputer.com partners with hundreds of local SMB Computer and AV Rental Companies. Each company is Ranked and Rated by the Tech Army Organization. Rentacomputer.com obtains wholesale due to high volume. Today many local companies depend on the Rentacomputer.com Tech Travel Agent network for a significant portion of their annual business. The advantage of this model was that equipment is maintained in the local markets, reducing shipping and handling costs. Also when large quantities or av and computer equipment are needed at an event, more than one partner company can be deployed.
In 1997, Rentacomputer.com started the Tech Travel Agent program to attract larger multiple event, multiple city corporate clients who needed equipment in the United States and Canada.
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National Computer Rental Association
In March of 1998, the company president met with 12 other company executives to form an industry organization called the National Computer Rental Association or NCRA for short. Rentacomputer.com is a founding member company. Two company employees of Rentacomputer.com have sat on the NCRA board.
In 2005, the NCRA changed its name to ITRA, the International Technology Rental Association to more accurately reflect its expanding membership base in the copier and av rental industries. Today the ITRA has about one hundred member companies in 7 countries on 4 continents. Rentacomputer.com has business relationships with nearly all member companies.
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Rentacomputer Awards
2003 Award of Innovative Excellence - National Computer Rental Association
2005 & 2006 Platinum Award for Outstanding Service - International Technology Rental Association
2005 & 2006 Award for Innovative Excellence - International Technology Rental Association
2010 MVP - ITRA
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Memberships
United States Chamber of Commerce
NFIB National Federation of Independent Businesses
International Technology Rental Association
Tech Army Organization
National Computer Rental Association (name changed in 2005)
Today, with the help with hundreds of partner companies, your Tech Travel Agent from Rentacomputer.com has access to the largest inventory of AV, Staging, Lighting and Computer equipment in the world. Your Tech Travel Agent from Rentacomputer.com is able to handle all your computer technology requirements, anywhere - for any length of time!
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3711 Convention Rental Techs available in the US, Canada, the UK and Europe
Rentals - Audio Visual: 529
Rentals - Copiers: 178
Rentals - Desktop Computer: 536
Rentals - Laptops: 306
Rentals - Microphones / PA: 171
Rentals - Plasma Flat Screens: 241
Rentals - Printers: 264
Rentals - Projectors: 262
Rentals - Servers: 186
Rentals - Sound Systems: 195
Staging - Stage Construction: 58
Staging - Audio / PA: 165
Staging & Events - Catering: 12
Staging & Events - Event Planning: 35
Staging - Image Magnification: 76
Staging - Lighting: 105
Staging - Pipe & Drape: 87
Staging & Events - Production Services: 45
Staging & Events - Rigging: 30
Staging & Events - Tables, Chairs, Linen: 6
Staging - Video: 141
Staging - Web Casting: 83
