A Muhlenberg County-based IT company is working to bring a more personal, hands-on approach to technology support for small businesses across western Kentucky, including the Owensboro area.
ServStak was launched about three years ago by Derek Dukes, who said the company focuses on managed IT services, cybersecurity, network management, and day-to-day technology support for businesses without an in-house IT department.
Dukes, who grew up in Muhlenberg County and graduated from Muhlenberg North High School in 2007, said his background includes years of working in automation and IT.
“I was working as an automation or controls engineer at Daicel in Beaver Dam when they started moving everything to Arizona, and we shut the factory down,” Dukes said. “So, I decided to go out on my own and get into IT work.”
Dukes said ServStak primarily serves smaller operations, including law offices, insurance agencies, and other professional businesses.
“We’re still pretty small, honestly,” Dukes said. “I’m still just trying to find my feet.”
Dukes said ServStak offers managed IT services, cybersecurity support, cloud solutions, network management, employee onboarding and offboarding assistance, and troubleshooting for businesses needing ongoing technical support.
He added that one of the company’s primary focuses is offering direct, local customer service rather than routing clients through large help desks or call centers.
“I’m trying to bring back hands-on and in-person IT service,” Dukes said. “I get tired of calling people and having to sit there and go through all these help desks and five different people to get a problem solved.”
Instead, Dukes said he wants customers to have a single point of contact when issues arise.
“I just want my customers to be able to call one person and get it accomplished without having to wait for phone calls back and all the bouncing back and forth,” he said.
ServStak’s services can vary depending on the type of business and the sensitivity of the information they handle.
“It’s different for a tire shop than it is for an attorney or a dentist,” Dukes said. “Someone who’s securing sensitive data is definitely more vulnerable to an attack.”
He said the company can assist businesses with everything from fixing individual technical issues to managing an entire IT network, including cybersecurity vulnerabilities and employee onboarding or offboarding.
Dukes said he is currently working to expand more into the Owensboro market, noting that Muhlenberg County offers a smaller pool of potential business clients.
“I’m trying to tap the Owensboro entrepreneur market,” he said. “Muhlenberg County is a pretty small market for businesses.”
Though the company remains small, Dukes said the personalized approach is what separates ServStak from larger providers.
“If you’re tired of going through phone help desks and you want someone to come in and work with you to solve a problem, that’s what we do,” Dukes said.
The Chamber Member of the Week program is a Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce membership benefit. Founded in 1913, the Chamber has worked to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals for over a century.
Today, with nearly 1,000 members, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives and serves as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region.
To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Kitty Jones, director of membership, at 270-926-1860 or kjones@owensboro.com.
By John Kirkpatrick The Owensboro Times