Rising Westchester Professionals to Watch in 2013: Robert Cioffi

The Microsoft Man

Photo by Cathy Pinsky

Robert Cioffi, managing partner and account manager at Progressive Computing Inc., is Microsoft’s go-to guy in Westchester. Progressive Computing, with offices in Yonkers and New York City, is a Microsoft Small Business Specialist, and Cioffi is a fourth-year member of the Microsoft Worldwide SMB Partner Area Lead team, an invitation-only board made up of 15 partners from around the world. He is also an executive board member of the New York Small Business Server User Group.

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Cioffi insists he’s not just a PC guy. “I am all about business technology solutions. One should shop for software first, which will then determine the hardware requirements. But since most business applications run almost exclusively on the PC platform, that’s what we support.”

Progressive is equally well versed on the Apple side of the computing coin—the firm is a member of the Apple Consultants Network and uses its Apple expertise to integrate iOS devices (like the iPad and iPhone) into corporate PC networks. Becoming a member of the Apple Consultants Network and being recognized by Apple as having “Mobility Competency” required special training and certification with Microsoft products, as well as demonstrating a history of and dedication to serving small and mid-sized businesses. 

“This status is not granted to just anyone,” Cioffi says. “Apple purposefully sought traditional Microsoft-based technology solution providers and chose us because of our business focus and our experience with complex business networks.”

With projected revenue of $2.5 million for 2012, Progressive will have a lot to celebrate during its 20th anniversary in 2013. In addition to the figures, the purchase of competitor Network Crazy in February 2012 resulted in several new clients, quality personnel, and expertise in Avaya phone systems. Now one of the largest IT companies in the area, Progressive has 15 employees who support the needs of 75 contract clients (Cioffi calls them “partners”) and more than 200 non-contract clients.

“I don’t think it’s hard to be successful in my business,” says Cioffi. “There is a ton of need and few people who truly know how to do it right.”

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