By Andrienne Clark

C-Computer Systems Integrator Inc., an Internet service provider and technology solutions company based in Palmer, is introducing its residential Internet access service to north central Massachusetts this spring.

The company has wanted to expand into the region for a year, said Kandarp “Ken” H. Vaishnav, chief operating officer and chief financial officer.

CCSInet was founded in 1995 by its president, Jitu C. Changela, to provide Internet services to small and medium-sized businesses. It grew from a $25,000-a-year operation to a $400,000-a-year concern in 2001, Vaishnav said. It will soon have 1,000 customers in the Sturbridge area and in Hampden County, Vaishnav said.

The company’s comprehensive business services include Internet access, systems support designed to prevent problems, technology solutions and web services like domain-name registration, web design and e-commerce solutions.

Before founding the company, Changela was purchasing agent for Synaxis Corp. in Needham. From 1992 to 1994, he was an engineer at Siemens Nicksdorf in London. He has a certificate in network engineering from Microtec, Southgate, London, and a higher national diploma in electrical and electronic engineering from Willesden College of Technology in London.

Vaishnav earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Bombay, India, and a master’s degree in business administration and finance from Mississippi State University in Mississippi.

He founded VentureXcelerator Inc., a full-service management consulting company in Boston. In 2000, his friend, Changela, called him for advice on liquidating the business.

After analyzing CCSInet’s problems, Vaishnav said, he discovered it was a “diamond in the rough. It was just business operations that needed to be fixed.” He acquired a significant ownership stake and applied his knowledge of business management to correcting the problems.

By restructuring the company's debt to reduce interest costs and forming strategic alliances with other companies, Vaishnav said, he was able to turn the company around.

Within nine months CCSInet was operating profitably and net profit margins rose from minus 5 percent to 9.5 percent.

However, Vaishnav said, the company turn around is “more about the team in Palmer than me.”

"Changela has done a phenomenal job of providing service to the local institutions and creating a customer base.” Vaishnav said. “He has put his blood, sweat and tears into this business. He has put the real effort into the business. He just didn’t know where to go next.”

Changela handles the technology, while Vaishnav handles “everything else.”

“If we disagree, we agree to dis­agree. At the end of the day we are on the same page,” Vaishnav said.

The monthly access fee of $14.95, payable by credit card only, includes:

• Unlimited Internet access.

• An e-mail address with two addi­tional e-mail addresses or screen names and filtered for unwanted advertising.

• Web e-mail with access to the customer’s mail from anywhere.

• Personal website on the company’s web server.

• Secure instant messaging and credit card transaction processing.

Choice One, a partner of CCSInet, is providing digital line for this region, Vaishnav said.

Persons who are interested in signing up for the company’s Internet access service can do so on line at www.ccsinet.net or they can call (413) 284-1720.  

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