What began as a teenage computer repair gig in a rural Georgia garage has evolved into Benchmark Technologies Corporation, a multi-division IT powerhouse that recently relocated to Tampa.
The company’s roots trace back to 2004. Now a comprehensive business-to-business managed IT, cybersecurity and cloud services provider, Benchmark officially opened its new corporate headquarters on Oct. 10.
Founder and CEO Ken Anderson moved the firm from Atlanta to Tampa to capture a rapidly expanding market and capitalize on Florida’s business-friendly environment. While concerns regarding the region and state’s economic trajectory remain, Benchmark has “thrived pretty well by being here,” he said.
“We looked at it, and we were like, hey, Tampa is a growing city,” Anderson said. “Tampa did have the environment that we were looking for as far as talent at the time … it was very advantageous for taxes to move here and all of the other stuff that the State of Florida offered.”
The corporate relocation is a long way from Benchmark’s origins in Hawkinsville, Georgia, where Anderson began diagnosing and fixing computers in his mother’s garage. His high school hobby soon morphed into a profitable local business.
“I kind of stuck out in the community because people trusted what I do, and they trusted the quality of work that I provided,” Anderson said. Clients also appreciated his conversational, “down-home” approach to demystifying technological issues.
That community confidence translated into financial success. Anderson said the operation generated $40,000 annually by his senior year.
The burgeoning entrepreneur “began building from there.” Anderson started writing software and building custom computers for clients.
Federal and state contracts followed. Still in college, Anderson believed he could create a tech company like Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.
In 2017, “everything really took off,” he said. By Anderson’s 21st birthday, Benchmark was generating nearly $1 million annually.
Benchmark subsequently expanded into website development and comprehensive software design. “Lo and behold, we now have seven divisions,” Anderson said.
The firm’s portfolio also includes traditional IT services, procurement, telecommunications and an in-home technology business. Benchmark, essentially a parent company, focuses primarily on hardware and software delivery, Anderson said.
A holistic service model is the cornerstone of Benchmark’s evolution. Rather than providing isolated products, the firm engineers an ecosystem where hardware, software and networking are fully integrated.
Anderson recognized early on that managing disjointed technology vendors frustrated corporate clients. He positioned Benchmark as a single-source solution that anticipates needs.
“Your customer may not have the idea of what they may need, but you know that you may have the solution for them,” Anderson said. “They just don’t know it yet.”
By integrating entire systems under one roof, companies can scale their technology infrastructure naturally without seeking outside contractors, he added.
“If we sell you the computer, we’re probably going to sell you the maintenance contract. If we sell you the maintenance contract, then you’re looking for network solutions,” Anderson explained. “We may have the internet connection for you… our software development team may have the program that you need in order to connect everything.”
That seamless approach has supported customer retention and rapid expansion. Anderson said clients are “happy that Benchmark is there to service them because they don’t have to go to 16 different companies to get 16 different things.”
“There are so many different things that Benchmark does that a lot of other companies just can’t do because they don’t know how to scale.”
Benchmark has adapted its integrated model for the AI era, Anderson said. The company incorporates the technology into its cloud software offerings and internal administrative processes to streamline operations.
Anderson said Benchmark is also developing new professional-grade desktop computers optimized to run AI applications more smoothly. However, he maintains a strict philosophy regarding human oversight.
Automation will not replace Benchmark’s workforce or oversee foundational decisions, Anderson said. “You can’t replace the human element with a computer.”
“We’ve been wrong on so many different things, we should know this by now,” he continued. “I don’t care how smart a system may seem … don’t allow your AI to make all of the decisions because you may end up with some very, very wrong information.”
Anderson’s focus on the human element has caused some concerns. He noted that the region’s rapidly rising cost of living has eroded affordability, and state incentives do not compensate for paying nationally competitive wages.
“I don’t know what’s changed recently, but a lot of the talent we were able to attract seems to be leaving Tampa and going to places like Atlanta,” Anderson said. “The State of Florida is just dropping the ball on industries that could really make it a lot of money.”
