Paul Whalley is the vice president of Southwick, Mass.-based Whalley Computer Associates Inc., which recently opened a new office in Providence to extend its reach throughout New England and New York.
Whalley spoke to Providence Business News about his company’s history and how its services and clientele have changed since its founding.
PBN: What was the spark that led to the founding of Whalley Computer Associates?
WHALLEY: WCA was founded in 1979 when John Whalley, a local school teacher, saw an opportunity. As the head of the math department, he was doing innovative things in the classroom to better prepare his students for the digital future. He began writing programs to use PCs in the classroom. Other school systems heard about his efforts and were interested. John realized he could fill this gap by bundling the hardware and software he used in classroom and providing an easy-to-use turnkey solution.
PBN: What sets WCA apart from other technology service providers in New England?
WHALLEY: WCA is the perfect size for a wide variety of customers. We’re large enough to handle your needs, but small enough to care.
- Large enough to have more resources in your region.
- Large enough to have a large number of engineers with a wide variety of expertise.
- Large enough to provide as good or better pricing than any other value-added reseller.
- Small enough to be a family-owned, flexible company that listens, observes and delivers on-site, local resources for specific business needs.
- Small enough to resolve issues at a speed large companies only dream of.
- Small enough that every customer has access to executive management.
Finally, as a privately owned company, we do not require as much profit as public companies who need to increase profitably to satisfy shareholders.
PBN: As a company founded by a former teacher, is your approach to technology solutions for schools and classrooms different than your approach for corporate clients?
WHALLEY: The approach is very different but we have several solutions unique to each. Schools traditionally have fewer resources per client and need more services than the corporate world. Additionally, they are faced with managing thousands of devices, numerous user groups and remaining secure with today’s technology.
A number of the solutions we developed are now applicable for our corporate clients who are now faced with a transition from one device for every other employee to now three to four devices per employee without any increase in staffing. Corporations are also faced with managing remote commuting, customer or contract security expectations and expanding network footprint. Our goal is to utilize our expertise to help our customers meet their needs and goals.
PBN: How has WCA’s presence and client base in Rhode Island changed since its founding in 1979?
WHALLEY: The R.I. Department of Education project that provided wireless access to all schools also provided WCA with a great opportunity to expand into Rhode Island. While we had not been servicing the market, our expertise in wireless allowed us to be awarded approximately 20 percent of the project. As we discovered the opportunity, we hired the right person who had worked for leading providers for 12 years. We now have a dedicated professional engaging the market, as well as two others.
PBN: What does the new office in Providence mean for the company’s direction moving forward? How many employees will staff the Providence office?
WHALLEY: Our new office provides the opportunity for our sales and service employees to be closer to their clients, spend more time in the area and expand our footprint. Our growth within Rhode Island, southeastern Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut will drive our staffing.
Kaylen Auer is a PBN contributing writer.
