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 June 2000
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Profile of the Month: Implex Systems, Inc. "What You Want -Where You Want - When You Want It!" By Charles Anthony That is the philosophy behind the services offered by Implex.net, Inc., Stuart Devaan has been using that phrase for ages and he means it. Something of a Renaissance man (another article sometime soon), Stuart is involved in a wide variety of interests and projects, ranging from his enthusiasm for motorcycles to his involvement as a founding member of the avant-garde jungle/techno/percussion art band "Savage Aural Hotbed", to his pioneering efforts to bring video streaming technologies to the Twin-Cities marketplace, having founded Implex Systems, Inc., a unique Internet Service provider based in Minneapolis, in 1995, with the ultimate goal of serving up "What you want, 
where you want, when you want it.", with full tilt multi-media servings of audio/video and data for Twin-Cities businesses. He chants it almost like a mantra many times as we chat over lunch at Keyes Restaurant on the Nicollet mall down town, just around the corner from their first set of offices at 1004 Marquette Ave.
Stuart comes from a television broadcast background, having worked 8 years for CBS Television at their Minneapolis satellite center, "Teleport Minnesota", in the IDS Center downtown. So coming into the Internet access business he brought that experience along with him and sought ways in which he could apply that experience to the newer medium. Video streaming was in its neo- natal stages, meaning there wasn't any such thing at the time Implex got started, but it was the proverbial gleam in Stuart's eye; and there he was right on the cusp of it all, when I first starting bumping into him around town at the clubs and art shows. One of the first times we crossed paths, he was streaming the "Erotic Art Fair", held annually for 2 or 3 years at the artist's lofts and galleries in the old S&M Tire Warehouse in SE Minneapolis. Stuart was something of a one-man production crew, camera man, Internet techie all rolled into one that night. But he was actively involved working out the kinks, learning as he went along what streaming video out over the Internet from the Implex Systems site was all about. Given Stuarts background in television its easy to see why he chose the direction that he did. Many of the early clients were artists, musicians, videographers, etc. who needed a provider that understood their unique needs for multi-media Internet hosting and networking. Starting as a two man shop in 1996 Stuart, CEO of Implex, along with Eric Spotke has grown the company over the years to the 12 employee shop it is today . "Random Works" was a company started in 1995 by Larry Preston and in 1999 Implex bought Larry and Random Works into the company, where Larry acts as Marketing Director/Sales. Most recently, Implex Systems and Digital Edison (formerly MonsterX) have merged the two companies; blending Digital Edison into the Implex Systems mix. Michael Tienken and Steven Pampuch bring their considerable Web and Network design experience as well as some solid bread and butter contracts with them as they all move their main base of operations to spacious new digs, with 3,000 square feet of space to expand into at, 109 South 7th Street, Suite 255, Minneapolis 55402. With the recent acquisitions, the move to a new location, and the substantial commitment the company has made to streaming media and wireless Internet services, all involved felt it was time to change the company 's name as well going from Implex Systems Inc., to Implex.net, Inc. I spoke with Michael Tienken, (a principal from Digital Edison) by phone and he discussed the merger, "We think this is a good fit for us and a good move for our clients…we actually have clients that pay us now (laugh)… including our contract with the city of Golden Valley which has been good steady work for us for awhile now." The Internet has grown some since the days of the art fair, affordable high-bandwidth, DSL, cable etc., has taken multi-media streaming from a gleam in the eyes of pioneers, through the shaky quakey early baby steps, to a full fledged service, available to your business, right now, through Implex.net. "We have teamed with ibeam, www.ibeam.com/, as a value added reseller of their multi-media streaming services.", Stuart told me, "We can offer a company their own channel for streaming media over the net, 24 hours, 7 days a week Broadcasting Live, for just $750.00 a month plus band-width charges. What you want, where you want, when you want it!" For an example of the kind of streaming work they can do for you; "Right now you can log on to http://www.seiu2000.org/ , an interactive website for the Service Employees International Union, hit the 'video central link' and scroll down the list of archived streams for speeches given by Minnesota Senator, Paul Wellstone; the Reverend Jesse Jackson and First Lady, Hilary Clinton.", Stuart suggested Stuart went on to say, "We also do the State of Minnesota, streaming the goings on, on the floor of the House and Senate, sort of an Internet C-SPAN for Minnesota." "They (clients) use their existing website or whatever they are using (whether their own domain or another's) but the media streams through the broadcast channel we provide. They don't have to change anything, or move their web-site. They merely link to the broadcast channel and we can stream whatever they want, a conference, training sessions, archival footage whatever they want, to wherever they want around the globe, and its there 24/7 anytime they want.", he explained. It's been a long time in Net years since Stuart was a one man production crew learning as he went streaming the art shows and live music events around town but he started then with a dream of media streaming for businesses here in Minnesota that was strong enough, reliable to suit any purpose, with a reach into anywhere, and available at any and all times. "What you want, where you want, when you want it!" To all appearances, it looks like the streaming, dreaming and hard work has paid off and the preliminary mission accomplished! Implex.net is in position to be a leader in the Twin-Cities IT community, providing strong service and support for any companies multi-media streaming, and/or wireless Internet needs. If you are interested in finding out more about the multi-media streaming packages available now or the new Wireless Internet Services they can provide call Implex.net, Inc. at 612 630 1121. Or visit them on the web at http://www.implexsystems.net/ |
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