Charlotte-based T2B Tech Solutions and Wilmington-run franchise CMIT Solutions are merging, absorbing T2B under the CMIT umbrella, but co-led by the owners of the two businesses.
David Usher, former owner of CMIT Wilmington and T2B’s founders David Hughes and Chris Mallery will lead the new version of CMIT, with the addition of T2B’s clients and employees. Hughes is now the majority owner of CMIT, and Usher remains a part owner.
Both T2B and CMIT offer IT services to small and mid-sized businesses in the region. CMIT services over 100 Wilmington businesses, Usher said. The businesses service online servers, manage online security and troubleshoot with their clientele of business owners.
CMIT started in April 2014, Usher moved to Wilmington from Alabama to run the franchise, he said. The business environment in Wilmington was preferable to start the franchise location, Usher said.
Usher is a franchisee of the nationwide CMIT network, he said. The ability to be locally owned with the support and resources of a national company helps him run the business, Usher said.
T2B is a managed service provider started by a former CMIT customer, Mallery, who has been friends with Usher since 2015. The two were leaders of the Business Network International (BNI) networking group together, Usher said.
Mallery and Hughes moved to Charlotte to start the business but are pleased to be coming back to Wilmington for the partnership, Hughes said.
Hughes moved to the Carolinas from the U.K., he said.
“(I) fell in love with the Wilmington area, it’s a close-knit community, but growing,” he said. “Being able to be a part of that small business community is really exciting.”
The merger of T2B with CMIT will provide a larger workforce, Hughes said. The two companies have different strengths, he said, and customers can benefit from the partnership.
Due to the connection between Usher and Mallery, CMIT has been a business partner for T2B since its origin, helping grow the company, Usher said.
“It was a perfect opportunity to marry management style and skills,” Usher said.
Hughes will take over as operations manager, and Usher will move to a business development role, Usher said. The shift plays to each of their strengths and will better the company, he said.