Central Service Association (CSA), a member-owned technology cooperative based in Tupelo, Miss., has reached an agreement to purchase the assets of Professional Computer Systems, Co. (PCS), based in Denison, Iowa. This agreement will expand both the product offerings and service area for each company.
The two companies serve a combined 160+ utilities in 29 states, plus the island of Bermuda, with very little territory overlap. While both companies primarily provide billing, financial and related software to public utilities, specific products and technologies from each may now be made available to the other’s customers to help fill specific needs. Each company will continue to operate from their respective headquarters and each will maintain current or increased staffing and service levels as they build for the future.
The collaboration will allow PCS to offer an “enterprise solution” to its customers as it initially adds CSA’s OrbitTM Meter Data Management and UtiliSuiteTM, a complete multi-service GIS/Engineering package, to its product set. The companies already have some key integration in place, and their dedication to Microsoft platforms and MultiSpeakTM standards points toward a smooth transition. Additionally, PCS clients will also be able to take part in CSA sponsored employee benefit plans. These benefits include defined contribution (401k & 457) and defined benefit (traditional pension) retirement plans, life insurance, retiree health, dental and pharmacy plans from nationally known companies like Voya and Mass Mutual.
Kim Ingerslev, President and CEO of PCS, states, “The CSA and PCS union is a natural for the two companies. Both companies have a long history of serving the utility industry by providing leading-edge software and solution development, and exceptional customer support. Clients and the industry will benefit from the combined investment into people and products.”
“We are excited to add PCS’s assets - human, physical and intellectual - to the CSA family,” Tom Underwood, CEO and General Manager at Central Service Association said. “This opens markets and technologies for both companies and will provide some economies of scale that will make each company stronger and better able to serve its customers.”
Upon closing on January 1, 2019 Professional Computer Systems will become Professional Computer Solutions, LLC and will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Central Service Association.
The existing management, technical and support personnel at PCS will remain in place after the purchase.
Underwood explained, “We want this transition to be as smooth as possible. PCS is already a successful company with loyal customers, and we want to assure them that we are not going to do anything to risk changing that. We are, where appropriate and fundamentally sound, planning to share products, technology, human intelligence and other resources to ensure that both companies are serving their respective utilities in the best possible way, but there are no significant personnel or technology platform changes planned or expected in the foreseeable future.”
The two companies serve a combined 160+ utilities in 29 states, plus the island of Bermuda, with very little territory overlap. While both companies primarily provide billing, financial and related software to public utilities, specific products and technologies from each may now be made available to the other’s customers to help fill specific needs. Each company will continue to operate from their respective headquarters and each will maintain current or increased staffing and service levels as they build for the future.
The collaboration will allow PCS to offer an “enterprise solution” to its customers as it initially adds CSA’s OrbitTM Meter Data Management and UtiliSuiteTM, a complete multi-service GIS/Engineering package, to its product set. The companies already have some key integration in place, and their dedication to Microsoft platforms and MultiSpeakTM standards points toward a smooth transition. Additionally, PCS clients will also be able to take part in CSA sponsored employee benefit plans. These benefits include defined contribution (401k & 457) and defined benefit (traditional pension) retirement plans, life insurance, retiree health, dental and pharmacy plans from nationally known companies like Voya and Mass Mutual.
Kim Ingerslev, President and CEO of PCS, states, “The CSA and PCS union is a natural for the two companies. Both companies have a long history of serving the utility industry by providing leading-edge software and solution development, and exceptional customer support. Clients and the industry will benefit from the combined investment into people and products.”
“We are excited to add PCS’s assets - human, physical and intellectual - to the CSA family,” Tom Underwood, CEO and General Manager at Central Service Association said. “This opens markets and technologies for both companies and will provide some economies of scale that will make each company stronger and better able to serve its customers.”
Upon closing on January 1, 2019 Professional Computer Systems will become Professional Computer Solutions, LLC and will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Central Service Association.
The existing management, technical and support personnel at PCS will remain in place after the purchase.
Underwood explained, “We want this transition to be as smooth as possible. PCS is already a successful company with loyal customers, and we want to assure them that we are not going to do anything to risk changing that. We are, where appropriate and fundamentally sound, planning to share products, technology, human intelligence and other resources to ensure that both companies are serving their respective utilities in the best possible way, but there are no significant personnel or technology platform changes planned or expected in the foreseeable future.”
About Central Service Association (CSA)
On January 3, 1938, Central Service Association was incorporated as a member-owned association to create a method of using centralized expertise to perform utility customer billing and other joint services that were determined as useful to the efficient operation of public utilities. Today, CSA is still operated without profit and for the benefit of its members.
In its 80-plus year history, CSA has grown to serve the entire seven-state Tennessee Valley area and has recently begun marketing efforts outside its previous boundaries. What began as a manual billing service has grown into an association offering a very comprehensive range of modern, computerized information systems to assist in all areas of utility operations and management to more than 100 utilities.
Today, CSA’s OrbitTM customer, financial and work management systems represent the latest technology and the greatest value in the IT arena. In addition, the Association offers UtiliSuiteTM GIS/mapping software, meter data management, professional and consulting services, networking, Internet services, hardware and software sales, related supplies and printed forms, employee benefit plans, and other assistance incident to the provision of support to public utilities. For more information about CSA visit www.csa1.com.
On January 3, 1938, Central Service Association was incorporated as a member-owned association to create a method of using centralized expertise to perform utility customer billing and other joint services that were determined as useful to the efficient operation of public utilities. Today, CSA is still operated without profit and for the benefit of its members.
In its 80-plus year history, CSA has grown to serve the entire seven-state Tennessee Valley area and has recently begun marketing efforts outside its previous boundaries. What began as a manual billing service has grown into an association offering a very comprehensive range of modern, computerized information systems to assist in all areas of utility operations and management to more than 100 utilities.
Today, CSA’s OrbitTM customer, financial and work management systems represent the latest technology and the greatest value in the IT arena. In addition, the Association offers UtiliSuiteTM GIS/mapping software, meter data management, professional and consulting services, networking, Internet services, hardware and software sales, related supplies and printed forms, employee benefit plans, and other assistance incident to the provision of support to public utilities. For more information about CSA visit www.csa1.com.
About Professional Computer Systems, Co. (PCS)
PCS has been serving the utility industry with billing and accounting software solutions since 1981. PCS offers Utilit-e Solutions, an integrated suite of premier software applications for the utility industry. The suite includes: Utilit-e Connect, a customer information system and utility billing application; Utilit-e Insight, a comprehensive financial accounting solution; Utilit-e Online, an e-Commerce solution; and Utilit-e Central, an application software hosting service. PCS provides many Smart Grid interfaces to open third party applications such as AMI, MDM, GIS, OMS, IVR allowing choices of solutions. PCS’ customer support personnel know and understand the utility environment and how that encompasses your support needs. For more information about PCS, visit www.pcsco.com.
PCS has been serving the utility industry with billing and accounting software solutions since 1981. PCS offers Utilit-e Solutions, an integrated suite of premier software applications for the utility industry. The suite includes: Utilit-e Connect, a customer information system and utility billing application; Utilit-e Insight, a comprehensive financial accounting solution; Utilit-e Online, an e-Commerce solution; and Utilit-e Central, an application software hosting service. PCS provides many Smart Grid interfaces to open third party applications such as AMI, MDM, GIS, OMS, IVR allowing choices of solutions. PCS’ customer support personnel know and understand the utility environment and how that encompasses your support needs. For more information about PCS, visit www.pcsco.com.
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