Cloud Sherpas Brings Google Apps To 'Microsoft Country' With Beloit Acquisition

Cloud solution provider and Google heavyweight Cloud Sherpas Monday acquired Beloit Solutions Group, an Overland Park, Kan.-based cloud solution provider that boosts Cloud Sherpas' Google presence in the Microsoft-heavy Midwest.

The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

According to Atlanta-based Cloud Sherpas, moving into the Midwest gives the company a foothold in a region that is home to large enterprises and has long been considered "Microsoft country."

"This is a great move for Cloud Sherpas that fits perfectly into our strategy to grow the business organically and through acquisition," Jon Hallett, CEO of Cloud Sherpas, said in a statement. "Beloit gives us top sales and IT management talent, more Google Apps Certified Deployment Specialists, fantastic customers, and thousands of additional managed Google Apps seats."

Since its inception in 2006, Beloit has brought aboard tens of thousands of Google Apps users throughout the Midwest and across the country. The company was founded by Mike Thiessen, former president of staffing and recruiting consulting firm VistaConnections, and Tom Lockyear, formerly a senior manager at Sprint. Beloit's customer roster boasts high-profile players like Cosentino's Food Stores and the Midwest Air Traffic Control Systems.

"Mike and Tim have built a tremendous business," Hallett added. "They've sold large accounts, which will be key for us as we target Microsoft enterprise customers in the Midwest. They also have deep technical skills and impressive business acumen, making them important long-term assets for Cloud Sherpas. We're excited to bring the entire Beloit team into the Cloud Sherpas fold, as we aim to work more closely with Google sales reps throughout the Midwest region."

The addition of Beloit to the Cloud Sherpas fold brings the number of business seats Cloud Sherpas has migrated to the Google Apps cloud platform to over one million, the company said.

Beloit marks the second acquisition for Cloud Sherpas this month. On June 2, Cloud Sherpas acquired Omnetic, a San Francisco-based Google Apps solution provider. And, at the time, Hallett said Cloud Sherpas has at least one more acquisition in the works.