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Tero Technologies: A Perfect Fit for a Long-term Partnership with FSG

A journey that started out as an ambition to develop a strong team of like-minded individuals has resulted in more than Tero could have imagined.

Since 1999, Tero has served San Antonio as the city’s most talented and qualified low voltage/structured cabling contractor. High schools, colleges, grocery stores, churches, hotels, military bases, zoos, and even the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio have all seen the consummate professionalism and quality that Tero brings to the table. 

In fact, so many clients have come to Tero, they recognized there was a need to find a partner to be able to continue their growth.

The Story of Tero

Tero Technologies is a San Antonio-based company. “Duke started Tero in 1999 with the desire to have a workplace that was rewarding to the employees and have the ability to service clientele on a higher level,” says Robin Portenier, Tero’s Director of Sales & Design, referring to Duke Portenier, Tero’s founder.

He had been working in the industry for a long time, and wanted to create a place to work where individuals could use their God-given talents as a team to service clients well.

Robin Portenier, Tero Technologies

For the past twenty years, Tero has been living up to those ideals of fairness and promoting quality of life. They’ve also been making a name for themselves as capable low voltage installation experts. 

Training & Licensing a high priority

And while structured cabling is Tero’s ‘bread & butter’, there are actually no licensing requirements for structured cabling installation.

Though this makes the barrier to entry lower for low voltage companies, it makes it harder for low voltage clients to get the kind of design and install service that they can trust.

For that reason, Tero has placed a high priority on training and certifications, from the leadership to the technicians. It requires the entire team to produce a good product.  If one fails, the whole team fails.

Tero Technologies features the following designations among their people:

  • Registered Communications Distribution Designers (RCDD) – The flagship certification from BICSI, RCDDs are recognized around the world as premier designers and integrators of telecommunications and data communications technology.
  • Registered Telecommunications Project Managers (RTPM) – Also certified by BICSI, RTPMs are the gold standard for project managers in the telecommunications space.
  • More than a dozen Installer 21 and Installer 32 certified technicians – With the most certified installation experts working in San Antonio, Tero has the technical muscle to match their dedication to customer care.

Taken together, these certifications demonstrate that Tero can take a low voltage/structured cabling project from its first conceptualization, through an expert installation, all the way to final sign-off. 

Grow or Maintain?

As the years have passed, Tero’s reputation has only grown stronger. Business keeps expanding, and the number of clients keeps increasing.

And that’s how we got to be talking about them today.

“We were in a great place,” Robin says. “But we were running up against a wall. Our time was being consumed by administrative tasks, and it was starting to take away from working directly with customers.”

Many business owners would cap their companies right there, be happy with the results, and coast. But Tero is different because Duke is different.

“He really believes in making this the best place to work and part of that means making sure our team is taken care of, and that means we can’t cap growth and start turning customers away,” says Robin.

Robin also said they wanted to continue to have opportunities for their people.

That was the jam faced by Tero: how to keep their commitment to always provide an amazing working environment while balancing the limitations of their size and internal resources.

Growing through partnership

Tero Technologies first came into contact with FSG back in 2010. Through the years, the relationship between the two has only grown, even up to today. Duke and Tero have always been impressed with the instant, easy rapport between his team and the people of FSG.

Last year, as Tero was encountering the outer edge of the envelope, talks had begun between the two companies to explore a potential merger. Right away, the benefits of such a move were apparent to all sides. 

  • Tero would have access to the resources of FSG, giving them the ability to handle the administrative and logistical work that was stretching their resources thin.
  • FSG would add Tero’s skills and attitude to our already-extensive offerings, and join them with our own low voltage/structured cabling teams.
  • Tero would be able to keep supplying their teams with rewarding work, as well as a welcoming, friendly environment.
  • FSG would further enhance our standing as a national name in low voltage/structured cabling by adding such a qualified partner.

So, in November 2019, the companies made the decision to join forces. The transition began in January of this year, and things could hardly have gone better.

“‘Will our company be treated like family?’ That’s what Duke wanted to know going into the merger,” said Robin. “He was concerned about any potential partner’s culture and how the Tero team would fit in.”

But FSG answered the call for Duke and Tero Technologies.

“If anything, we discovered FSG was even a better fit than we thought they would be. They’ve just continued to show that rapport and fairness that we loved.”

Robin Portenier, Tero Technologies

Building More, Together

Now, Tero and FSG are both reaping the rewards from this partnership. Bolstered and supported by FSG’s resources and reach, Tero can better provide a working environment that employees love.

Reinforced and strengthened by Tero’s know-how and top-notch reputation, FSG can serve our clients even more fully.

Learn more about the Tero team here. If you have questions about FSG’s technology solutions, call (888) 337-8251.

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