CM IT Solutions Company Profile

resident and CEO of CM IT Solutions in Petaluma CA, Jim Hood, has a lifelong understanding of computers and communications systems. His childhood fascination with resistors, capacitors and ham radio led to a BS in Electrical Engineering, and then to a Master's in Electrical Engineering from Stanford. For over 30 years, Jim has designed and developed computer and communications systems and networks as an R&D specialist at IBM/Rolm and Hewlett Packard, and he's been actively involved in numerous high tech communications and software development firms.

A few years ago, Jim trained his expert eye on the small to mid-sized business market and saw a real opportunity to share his expertise in Information Technology (IT) with companies that could not usually afford their own IT departments. In 2005, Jim founded the Sonoma County / Marin County branch of CM IT Solutions, and has already established his company as the IT partner and trusted technical advisor to dozens of small to mid-sized companies.

Scaled to Fit Small Companies
Large companies often spend millions on their IT systems, and have entire departments to maintain them. Small companies may not have that kind of money to spend, but all companies need reliable, fast and efficient technology. As we all know, a computer crash, a phone system problem or a software glitch can stop a business dead in its tracks, or at the very least, frustrate employees and interfere with their workflow. As Jim Hood puts it, "Bad systems take time and money away from businesses . . . but we can give all of that back. We can act as their IT department, as a one-stop shop for a company's computers, hardware, networks, phones, wiring, software, virus protection, security, data back-up and recovery . . . so that small companies can do their real work. We even handle manufacturer's warranty issues, because what business owner has time to sit on the phone waiting to talk to a technician who's probably working from a script? We can help companies be more successful, more streamlined and more productive. And we can save them money, because all of our services are tailored to their exact needs."

Your Own Affordable IT Department
Jim Hood's expertise in engineering, IT, and R&D help him make quick, smart decisions about your IT system. He knows what works and what doesn't (ask him about Vista before you install it at your business!), what size your IT system should be, which software packages would work best for you and how best to protect your data, your system and your network. He can also help you organize secure and reliable business networks in different locations, and even in different countries, as he does for a local specialty wine cork company that has offices in Sonoma and Portugal. CM IT Solutions qualifies for volume discounts with suppliers and help desks (savings Jim passes on to his clients) and as a certified Microsoft Partner and Small Business Specialist, Jim has direct access to Microsoft's TechNet support and information system. In short, CM IT Solutions delivers expertise and tech support that you might not even be able to find in a large company's dedicated IT department.

CM IT Solutions offers many different packages, including the Marathon Preventative Service program and the Guardian Backup and Disaster Recovery program. Each offers options for the level of service your business needs, and, of course, CM IT can custom design a program for your unique needs. Jim says, "Our focus is all about honesty, integrity and creating a long-term relationship based on our expertise and capabilities. We take pride in our ingenuity, our reliability and the trust we generate by doing our absolute best for each one of our clients. I take our position as a technical advisor and IT professional very seriously, because I know how vital phone, computer and network systems are. We are proud to say that we offer a complete set of solutions to support small businesses in becoming as successful as possible."


---Karla Rutherford
Staff Writer
The Prime Buyer's Report