About The Author

Cal Net Technology Group began as a company called PC Literate in December of 1995. Its founder, Zack Schuler, worked in the computer department at Circuit City in Woodland Hills, California, while attending Cal State Northridge. This was during the boom of the first PC in the home, shortly after Windows 95 was released. After spending considerable time with each client on the sales floor, many of Zack’s clients asked “can you come to my house, set up my PC, and show me how to use it?” Circuit City didn’t offer these services at the time, so seeing an opportunity, Zack started “PC Literate” an in-home computer setup, training, and support company, and he was the sole employee.

After the store management of Circuit City saw the positive results (lower PC returns and more satisfied customers), they informally endorsed PC Literate’s services. In a period of about 3 years, PC Literate had gone into over 500 homes to set up its clients’ PCs.

Zack pitched this service to the regional management at Circuit City, however, they didn’t think that an “in-home” computer service offering would take off, so PC Literate’s business would be limited to a single store.

After graduating from Cal State Northridge in 1997, Zack went to a local trade school to earn his certification as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. He wanted to branch out into the business market, and enjoyed the complexity of networking and administering larger systems. It was during this time in school that Zack envisioned Cal Net Technology Group, and transitioned his business from PC Literate to Cal Net Technology Group.

In the summer of 1998, Zack set up his first Windows NT Network. He shortly thereafter started obtaining an increasing number of clients in the business arena, and hired an employee to assist with the home user business.

As Cal Net increased its client base, they hired their third employee in 1999 and then a fourth employee in 2000.

In the year 2000 Cal Net reached a significant milestone and acquired Mann Theatres, its first medium business client, and was tasked with administering the entire network, and in 2001, transitioning them from Windows NT 4.0 to Windows 2000.

In 2000, Cal Net transitioned completely out of the home user market. Over the next few years, Cal Net grew at an average rate of 50%, all while hiring key people to assist in crafting its service offerings to provide the perfect solution for quality I.T. Support and Consulting for the small and middle market. Also in 2000, Luca Jacobellis joined our firm, and is now our Vice President of Professional Services.

By September 2002, Cal Net provided ongoing I.T. consulting and support services to 50 managed clients.

In 2003, Cal Net’s founder purchased its 8000 sq ft headquarters in Northridge, where it currently resides today. In August of 2003, Zack Schuler was awarded the “40 under 40” award by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.

By October 2004, Cal Net provided ongoing I.T. consulting and support services to 100 managed clients.

In 2004, Cal Net won the first annual “Fastest 50 Growing Companies” in the San Fernando Valley, by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal. Cal Net has won this same prestigious award every year since. In the same year, Luca Jacobellis was awarded the “40 under 40” award by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.

Cal Net hires it’s 25th employee in 2005.

By July 2006, Cal Net provided ongoing I.T. consulting and support services to 150 managed clients.

Cal Net currently has 50 full time employees, and with the exception of its Network Cabling practice, Cal Net uses only their full time employees to deliver services to over 200 managed clients.

Historic Milestones