Meet Innovative
A Little(ish) Company with Big Personality
A strategic service provider committed to providing the best experience, strategy, and technology in an environment where our employees can maximize their potential.
2001
The year it all began.
Technology was growing in the business world, becoming just as important as accounting and operations.
Founder and President Jason Rappaport, alongside his then business partner, launched Innovative with the mission to help people and businesses maximize the power of technology.
2005 - 2008
First Employees
Technology now touches nearly every part of our lives. The first video was uploaded to YouTube in April 2005, and Innovative's scope was growing beyond its two owners.
In 2005, we welcomed our first employees to the team, including a young Tyler Snyder, our current CIO. Tyler joined the team as a technician, and a few short years later, in 2008, we welcomed Alex Samuel, our current VP of Operations, as an intern.
2007
First Office
Our growing team needed a dedicated place to call their own. Innovative graduated from Jason's basement into our very first dedicated office space on Oak Ridge Drive in Hagerstown.
We'd spend the next 10 years growing into a few different spaces in South Point Center.
2011
One Chief Innovator + The Team You Know & Love
By 2011, Innovative is looking more like the team you know today. Jason Rappaport bought out his partner and began plotting the company's future as its sole shareholder.
In addition to Jason, Tyler, and Alex, our team also included a few more familiar faces you still recognize on the team today. Marcie Baumbach, Richard Hinsley, Nicole Rappaport, and Adam Warner were key members of the Innovative family then and now!
Early 2016
An Innovative Home
Innovative moves into its brand new, 10,000 square-foot, two-story headquarters at 13332 Pennsylvania Ave.
The building features an open floor plan, flexible workstations, and collaborative meeting spaces with the latest video conference room technologies. There's also plenty of space for Innovative fun, including a fitness room, pool table, video games, music equipment, and more.
Late 2016
Welcome Commlink Systems
Commlink Systems' clients and employees joined the Innovative family in December 2016. Innovative added voice to its service offerings back in 2007 and in 2012 became an Avaya partner. The acquisition of Commlink Systems completed our voice offering, giving Innovative the ability to service nearly any phone system.
Founded in 1962 as Executone of Maryland, Commlink Systems provided telephone and paging systems, structured wiring, and other telecommunications solutions to thousands of clients in the tri-state area.
2017
Computers, Phones, and Copiers, oh my!
As a long-time HP/HPE partner, Innovative sold and serviced HP printers for years. In 2017, we expanded our print/copy capacity and became a licensed Konica Minolta dealer. Innovative now offers complete managed print/copy services, including a full range of printers, copiers, and multi-function devices.
These partnerships with both Konica Minolta and HP/HPE allow us to help clients maximize their investments and leverage everything that modern copier technology can offer.
2020 - 2021
When We All Worked From Home
The COVID-19 pandemic completely changed the way the world does business. As technology zealots, Innovative was well-equipped to shift from the office to remote workspaces.
Most of our clients already had the tools they needed for a smooth transition to work from home, and we were able to quickly and efficiently guide them through the transition.
With the health and safety of our employees and clients a top priority, the entire team rallied from all corners of the region to help keep our clients' businesses running.
The success of our work from home experiment resulted in a permanent flexible schedule for the entire team. The Innovative team even includes several full-time remote employees working everywhere from Florida to Vermont.
2022 and Beyond
Bright Future Ahead
2022 brought several new members to the team and the addition of a second location on K Street in Washington, DC.
We expanded our account management team and aligned them under technical leadership. As a result, each client gets dedicated, strategic attention with the capacity to take on more high-level co-managed partnerships with clients' internal technical leaders.
Thank you to the many clients and team members who have been on this journey with us, many for the past 20+ years. We're excited for what the future has in store.
Core Values
Our core values guide every decision we make and the service we provide. When we were stuck relying on other vendors to solve phone system or copier problems, we added those services because the ball is always in our court. When your internet service provider suggests an increase in service, we work directly with them to ensure you're getting the speeds you're currently paying for because we are your advocate.
