ASCII + GTIA: Frequently Asked Questions for ASCII Members
Who is GTIA?
The Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) is the only vendor-neutral, non-profit membership community connecting and representing the worldwide IT channel. GTIA launched under its current name in January 2025, but its roots go back decades further to its evolution of the non-profit industry association, CompTIA, founded in 1982.
GTIA's mission is to advance the people and businesses of the IT channel with trusted, unbiased resources as an inclusive community that drives growth. Together with its members, GTIA gives back through impactful charitable initiatives that shape the future. Today, GTIA supports nearly 4,000 MSPs, solution providers, vendors, distributors and channel partners globally.
GTIA and ASCII share a common origin story - both organizations were founded in the early 1980s, during the channel's earliest days, and each brings more than 40 years of continuous service to the industry.
GTIA and ASCII have been partners for years - collaborating on research, sharing keynote stages and investing in the same channel ecosystem. This acquisition deepens a relationship that was already built on shared values and outcomes.
What is GTIA's acquisition of ASCII, and what does it mean for members?
GTIA acquired the assets of The ASCII Group. ASCII now operates as a community within GTIA - maintaining its own identity, its own events and its own member experience fully intact.
The ASCII community, ASCII Edge events, ASCII Link peer forum and the sponsor-supported model that has always powered ASCII will continue and is now backed by a larger organization with greater resources and reach. Here’s the best news...ASCII member dues will be decreasing, benefitting from GTIA’s strong financial position, and your member benefits, programs and value are increasing exponentially.
How does this specifically impact my membership?
Dues: ASCII membership annual dues are being lowered by $350 from $1,189 to $839 and that includes a $450 GTIA membership, resulting in a total savings of $800 for every MSP member.
Everything you have today continues: ASCII Edge events (including your complimentary hotel night), ASCII Link peer forum, vendor discounts, monthly marketing and social media services and practical tools like state tax guides all remain in place.
New access, included at no additional cost: GTIA membership is now part of your ASCII membership (a $450 value). That means access to GTIA's industry research, training and education for you and your entire team, cybersecurity resources through the ISAO, free registration to ChannelCon and all GTIA community events, and more.
What are the upcoming welcome webinars for ASCII members to learn about the acquisition and new GTIA benefits?
You only need to attend one webinar. Choose what works best for you:
Webinar 1: Wednesday, September 16 at 11:00 AM ET
Webinar 2: Thursday, September 17 at 3:00 PM ET
Webinar 3: Friday, September 18 at 10:00 AM ET
What about the upcoming ASCII Edge Events in Chicago & San Antonio?
GTIA executives and staff will be onsite in Chicago and San Antonio to answer questions and show you the GTIA member portal. There will also be an "Ask Me Anything" session as part of the agenda.
When does this take effect?
ASCII is now part of GTIA. Moving forward you will see the logo and name as ASCII, a GTIA Community.
Will ASCII events continue, and where will they be held?
Yes, and exactly where they always have been. ASCII Edge events continue as regional, peer-driven gatherings in the same format you know.
How does this affect the ASCII Link platform?
ASCII Link remains your go-to forum for peer-to-peer, tactical and technical support. Nothing is moving to a new platform or changing its format.
What drove this acquisition?
Alan Weinberger, founder of ASCII, built something rare - a community where trust is foundational and peer connection is real. That community deserves investment and infrastructure that a standalone organization couldn't sustain on its own.
GTIA made this acquisition because ASCII's mission and community are worth protecting and growing. The mission of both organizations are completely aligned. This is a growth story. GTIA is investing in the people, resources and connections that make the IT channel work.
Will ASCII lose its identity inside a larger organization?
This is the question that mattered most in how this acquisition was structured - and it shaped every decision. ASCII operates as its own community within GTIA, with its own brand, its own events and its own peer culture.
GTIA brings infrastructure, resources and global reach. The trust, intimacy and ground-level practitioner focus that makes ASCII valuable are exactly what GTIA is investing in: ASCII | a GTIA Community.
What about my relationships with vendors and sponsors?
ASCII's sponsor-supported model remains structurally separate and unchanged. The vendors and sponsors you engage with through ASCII continue on the same terms. GTIA's involvement gives those organizations greater infrastructure and wider reach which means the events and programs they support are in an even stronger position going forward.
How do I access my GTIA membership and how do I create a login for the GTIA member portal?
If your organization is an ASCII member, you'll be automatically added to GTIA's member roster. Once that happens, you'll be able to create a login for the GTIA Member Portal. To log in, go to my.gtia.org, use your company email address and select "Reset Password" to create your password. That's it - you're in.
For a full step-by-step walkthrough, check out our "Welcome to GTIA" sign-in guide at http://app.gtia.org/ascii-how-to
As part of this transition, will any ASCII team members be joining GTIA?
Yes. As part of this transition, three members of ASCII's team: Jerry Koutavas (now VP, Community ASCII), Jessie Devine (now Director, Industry Partnerships) and Jessica Turner (now Manager, Digital Engagement) will be joining GTIA staff, bringing continuity and deep knowledge of the ASCII community with them. Alysia Vetter, who previously served as Chief Marketing Officer at ASCII, now serves as GTIA's Director, PR & Communications.
Who do I contact with questions?
Reach out to GTIA’s Member Experience team at [email protected].