ESCANABA — DS Tech, a provider of managed IT and VoIP services in Escanaba, has recently received an international award as being ranked on the MSP 501 list by Channel Futures. Now in its 15th year, the MSP 501 is the IT industry’s first, largest, and most comprehensive survey and ranking of managed service providers (MSPs) worldwide. Each year, the MSP 501 recognizes some of the biggest and most successful managed service providers in the world. This marks the fifth year running that the local company has made the list.

“The 2021 Channel Futures MSP 501 winners are the highest-performing and most innovative IT providers in the industry today. They stand head and shoulders above the competition,” said Robert DeMarzo, vice president of content for Channel Futures.

Companies that qualify for the list must pass a rigorous review conducted by the research team and editors of Channel Futures that rank applicants using a unique methodology that weighs financial performance according to long-term health and viability, commitment to recurring revenue and operational efficiency.

Of the companies awarded, DS Tech was recognized as the #1 provider of managed IT services in the Upper Peninsula, and #7 in all of Michigan. “It’s very rewarding to see how well we stack up against companies from much larger cities such as Detroit and Grand Rapids,” said Eric Wakkuri, president of DS Tech.

DS Tech was also the only company in the Upper Peninsula represented on the list, something that Wakkuri attributes to longevity, “Having been in business for 45 years and an average employee tenure of 10 years has really afforded us an opportunity to develop deep relationships with our customers, as well as the ability to understand their needs.”