“I can tell you with certainty that almost no company stands out like Spinen does in serving their customers.”

Scott Ferguson | Senior Vice President, Gresco Utility Supply

The Need: More Depth Than One IT Team Could Cover

When Scott Ferguson came on as Gresco Utility Supply’s first IT hire nearly 23 years ago, the company was small and its technology needs were basic, but real. Gresco needed someone to supplement its own team where the expertise wasn’t there yet, particularly around infrastructure. Handing IT off entirely was never the goal. Gresco wanted to keep strong ownership internally and bring in outside depth where it counted. More than a vendor, they were looking for a long-term relationship they could actually build on.

The Response: Two Decades of Infrastructure, Strategy, and Straight Talk

That’s the role Spinen has played for more than two decades. They helped Gresco stand up its first virtualization and VMware infrastructure, guided the migration to the cloud, and have since expanded into data management, integration, help desk support, and cybersecurity.

But the real value shows up in the calls Spinen made before Gresco even knew to ask. They pushed Gresco to think seriously about AI before it was mainstream conversation. They made the case for virtualization over physical servers, recommended REST API standards, and knew when the time was right to move to the cloud.

Spinen has also been just as willing to step back. When Gresco considered an intranet and SharePoint project, Spinen advised against leading it themselves. Same with a large e-commerce build: not their strength, and they said so. That kind of honesty is what separates an advisor from a vendor chasing the next project.

The Experience: A Partner Who Pushes Back When It Matters

Ask Scott what makes the relationship work, and he doesn’t point to response times or tickets. He points to how Spinen shows up.

“They’re not just kind of a yes man.”

If something isn’t the right fit, Spinen says so, and brings a better option to the table. When systems have gone down, that same directness turns into urgency: Spinen has had people on-site fast, with leadership personally involved, going well past what Gresco expected from a partner.

That same rigor shows up in everyday conversations, too. When Gresco brings Spinen a specific solution they’re considering, the team doesn’t just sign off. They ask the harder “why” questions, focus on the goal instead of the tool, and pressure-test the thinking before agreeing to anything. It’s not friction for its own sake. It’s how Gresco ends up with the right answer instead of just a fast one.

The Payoff: A Partnership Built on Shared Values

Twenty-plus years is a long run for any partnership, and Scott is clear about what’s kept it strong: shared values. Both organizations put people and relationships ahead of transactions.

“The value alignment is a big part of why this has worked for 20-plus years at Gresco. We really value people and we value relationships. That’s what I’ve always seen embodied at Spinen.”

For Scott, it comes down to a simple distinction: Spinen doesn’t just service Gresco’s technology. They come alongside the business, and they do their best to live up to their word.