By Larry Gentry, Chief Executive Officer
The tech industry is an ever-changing landscape that requires swift adaptation to change and continuous updates. If you’ve spent any significant stretch of your career in technology, you’ve probably seen decades’ worth of companies come and go. Some changed names, some were acquired by larger companies, and others simply didn’t make the cut. The reality is that very few technology hardware or channel companies have survived past 50 years. Given this, technology companies that have achieved this milestone are worth pausing to appreciate and explore what their hard work represents.
With notable technology leaders like Apple, IBM, HP Inc., Acer, Fujitsu, and NEC all surpassing the 50-year mark, MicroAge is proud to stand among them as we celebrate our own half-century milestone. These shared experiences reflect how deeply rooted we are in the channel and how we’ve consistently supported organizations through every major technological shift, making our 2026 anniversary a milestone achieved by only a handful in the tech industry.
Legacy Built on Innovation and Relationships
Founded in 1976 by Jeff McKeever and Alan Hald in Arizona, MicroAge’s story began as one of the nation’s earliest computer stores, establishing the roots of a company built on relationships and trust. From these beginnings, MicroAge grew by staying aligned with each major wave of technology progression — evolving from early computer systems to server virtualization and ultimately to modern cloud solutions.
MicroAge’s culture is defined by its BOLD value: Build and respect relationships, Own your actions, Lead with innovation, Deliver excellence. These principles guide MicroAge’s approach to innovation and service, allowing our experts to deliver secure technology migrations, assessments, and installations while also supporting organizations through cloud services, managed IT, and digital transformation.
Today, MicroAge remains focused on enabling organizations to secure, accelerate, and transform their businesses, continuing its long tradition of leveraging trusted relationships and expert guidance to navigate constant technological evolution.
The MicroAge Story Through the Years
For many, MicroAge has been part of their technology story since the early days of personal computing, like walking into our stores in the late 1970s or partnering with us throughout the 1980s and 1990s as we helped power evolving corporate IT environments. Here’s how our story evolves with modern computing and technology:
- 1970s: The hobbyist computing movement and the rise of microcomputers
- 1980s: Rapid retail expansion and the mainstream PC revolution
- 1990s: Our emergence as a national distributor, corporate IT supplier, and Fortune 500 company
- 2000s: Strategic restructuring and renewed focus on services.
- 2010s–2020s: Instead of focusing solely on hardware or standalone offerings, we transformed into a full-service solutions integrator offering:
- Virtualization: reshaped how organizations deploy and manage infrastructure, enabling greater efficiency and scalability.
- Cloud computing: fundamentally changed consumption models, pushing businesses toward hybrid and multi‑cloud architectures.
- Cybersecurity: rise in cyber threats drove demand for more advanced, holistic security strategies.
- 2026: Celebrating 50 years with industry-leading cloud, cybersecurity, data intelligence, collaboration, and managed services
We’ve evolved in step with the industry, helping our clients navigate change at every turn.
Why Our 50 Years Matter
This 50 year milestone represents far more than the passage of time; it reflects the adaptability, channel commitment, and values that have sustained us from our earliest days to today. We’ve embraced reinvention as a way of operating, strengthened enduring partnerships that continue to guide organizations through a fast moving digital world, and upheld the BOLD values that have shaped our culture since our beginnings.
Reaching half a century in technology is an achievement few companies can claim, and MicroAge’s journey embodies our unwavering dedication to innovation, resilience, and the success of our clients. We appreciate our associates, partners, clients, and everyone who has been a part of our story for fueling 50 years of progress and purpose.
“Larry Gentry is the CEO of MicroAge. With a long-standing career in technology leadership, Larry is passionate about helping organizations harness innovation to solve real business challenges. He leads MicroAge with a focus on growth, client success, and delivering impactful solutions across cloud, cybersecurity, and infrastructure.”
Larry GentryChief Executive Officer
