Rentacomputer.com's History

  • Headquartered at 6730 Roosevelt Ave, Middletown, Ohio 45005 [near Dayton and Cincinnati], Rentacomputer.com celebrates over 30 years in the Technology Rental Industry. Rentacomputer.com works in over 1500 cities worldwide with hundreds of LOCAL installers and computer/av rental companies.

  • The president of the company is John Beagle. He along with Rose and David Morgan started the company on April 27, 1987. Rentacomputer's first order was delivered to a defense contractor during the first week of May 1987.

    In 1983, Gary Eiserman started a computer training company which ultimately became a computer rental company named, Rent-A-Computer, Inc. The computer industry was just getting started and Gary was operating in the Washington DC market. The company was originally a franchisee of Rent-A-Computer, Inc operating in Middletown, Ohio and servicing the Dayton-Wright-Patt Market. By 1989, CFR, Inc. dba Rent-A-Computer became an independent company with no franchise ties to the original company located in Bethesda, Maryland near Washington DC.

    Rentacomputer.com's old logo

  • 1987 Incorporation in Ohio

    The company legal name at the time was, CFR, Inc. DBA Rent-A-Computer. It was incorporated in Ohio by Rose Morgan its President and John Beagle its Vice President. First hired was Matthew Rye, formerly a Computer Salesman from Abacus Computers.

    Rentacomputer in the local news

  • Marketing 1987 to 1998

    Rent-AComputer's first rental target was government contractors working with and around Wright Pat Air Force Base. Also the company targeted major accounting firms around Dayton, Ohio.

    "Marketing at in the beginning was centered on outbound phone sales calls, yellow page advertising and direct mail. The Rolodex mailer, pictured to the right, was a successful mailer. Rent-A-Computer also had billboards in various locations in Cincinnati, Dayton, Cleveland and Columbus. We tried radio including 700 WLW during the early and mid 1990s.Mike McConnell, who now works for WGN Radio, did the radio spot for us." - John Beagle, President

    During it's first year in business, Rentacomputer was able to attract a customer base that included a major utility, a consumer products conglomerate, a candy company, business publications, defense contractors and more.

    "Business grew 100 percent from year one to year two." Beagle said. "From year two to year three, we doubled again, then another double from year three to year four." There was one point in 1995 that Rentacomputer had done business with every major company in Ohio and Indiana.

    Rentacomputer rolodex advertisement

  • Business in the 1990s

    Rentacomputer expanded to Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland and Indianapolis markets during the 1990s. Rentacomputer was a regional computer rental and av equipment company. Rentacomputer had 52 employees, 22 vehicles in 4 locations in Ohio and Indiana. Primary markets are in green, with secondary markets in red, tertiary in blue.

    Map of Rentacomputer's service areas during the  1990's

  • Rent-A-Computer Evolves into Rentacomputer.com

    Then in 1996, Rent-A-Computer registered what would become it's trade name. Rentacomputer.com. By 1999, Rent-A-Computer officially and legally changed its name to Rentacomputer.com. Rentacomputer.com began to work with highly qualified local vendors thoughout the United States, Canada and other cities worldwide. Rentacomputer.com partners with hundreds of local SMB Computer and AV Rental Companies. Each company is Ranked and Rated by the Tech Army Organization. Rentacomputer.com obtains wholesale due to high volume. Today many local companies depend on the Rentacomputer.com Tech Travel Agent network for a significant portion of their annual business. The advantage of this model was that equipment is maintained in the local markets, reducing shipping and handling costs. Also when large quantities or av and computer equipment are needed at an event, more than one partner company can be deployed.

    In 1997, Rentacomputer.com started the Tech Travel Agent program to attract larger multiple event, multiple city corporate clients who needed equipment in the United States and Canada.

    Rentacomputer.com's new and current logo

  • National Computer Rental Association

    In March of 1998, the company president met with 12 other company executives to form an industry organization called the National Computer Rental Association or NCRA for short. Rentacomputer.com is a founding member company. Two company employees of Rentacomputer.com have sat on the NCRA board.

    In 2005, the NCRA changed its name to ITRA, the International Technology Rental Association to more accurately reflect its expanding membership base in the copier and av rental industries. Today the ITRA has about one hundred member companies in 7 countries on 4 continents. Rentacomputer.com has business relationships with nearly all member companies.

    The founding of the National Computer Rental Association

  • Rentacomputer Awards

    2003 Award of Innovative Excellence - National Computer Rental Association
    2005 & 2006 Platinum Award for Outstanding Service - International Technology Rental Association
    2005 & 2006 Award for Innovative Excellence - International Technology Rental Association
    2010 MVP - ITRA

  • Memberships

    United States Chamber of Commerce
    NFIB National Federation of Independent Businesses
    International Technology Rental Association
    Tech Army Organization
    National Computer Rental Association (name changed in 2005)

    Today, with the help with hundreds of partner companies, your Tech Travel Agent from Rentacomputer.com has access to the largest inventory of AV, Staging, Lighting and Computer equipment in the world. Your Tech Travel Agent from Rentacomputer.com is able to handle all your computer technology requirements, anywhere - for any length of time!

  • 3711 Convention Rental Techs available in the US, Canada, the UK and Europe

    Rentals - Audio Visual: 529
    Rentals - Copiers: 178
    Rentals - Desktop Computer: 536
    Rentals - Laptops: 306
    Rentals - Microphones / PA: 171
    Rentals - Plasma Flat Screens: 241
    Rentals - Printers: 264
    Rentals - Projectors: 262
    Rentals - Servers: 186
    Rentals - Sound Systems: 195
    Staging - Stage Construction: 58
    Staging - Audio / PA: 165
    Staging & Events - Catering: 12
    Staging & Events - Event Planning: 35
    Staging - Image Magnification: 76
    Staging - Lighting: 105
    Staging - Pipe & Drape: 87
    Staging & Events - Production Services: 45
    Staging & Events - Rigging: 30
    Staging & Events - Tables, Chairs, Linen: 6
    Staging - Video: 141
    Staging - Web Casting: 83