CHICAGO – Stratosphere Networks and Converged Communication Systems (CCS) mark their 15th anniversary this year. Since CCS was founded in 2003, the sister companies – which are based in Evanston and provide best-in-class IP telephony/unified communications (UC) solutions and IT managed services – have grown significantly and earned recognition as leaders in their industries.

"We're very proud of how far we've come in the past 15 years," said Steve Melchiorre, CEO of Stratosphere Networks and Converged Communication Systems. "Over the years, we've assembled a team of hungry, humble, and smart people who have cemented our reputation as reliable providers of high-quality, comprehensive IT services and UC solutions. I'd like to thank all of our hard-working team members as well as our clients for making us what we are today."

Melchiorre co-founded CCS in 2003 with Kevin Rubin, the current president and COO of CCS and Stratosphere Networks. CCS delivers cutting edge IP telephony and UC solutions as well as proactive support services for businesses of all sizes across the nation. During its first year, CCS brought in $116,000 of revenue. Since then, the company has increased its revenue by an average of 40 percent year-over-year, hitting $8.7 million by 2015.

CCS has earned numerous accolades during the past 15 years, including the CRN MSP Elite 150, Inc. 5000, and the Channel Partners 360° award. Additionally, in 2009, Melchiorre was appointed to represent CCS on the Avaya SMB Business Partner Council.

In 2010, Melchiorre and Rubin launched Stratosphere Networks, a multifaceted IT managed service provider with a state-of-the-art network operations center (NOC) based in Evanston that leverages the latest technologies and solutions to deliver proactive support. The Stratosphere team provides comprehensive technology services and solutions, including managed cybersecurity, cloud consulting, disaster recovery, remote and on-site support, and more.

The company's mission is to empower clients through exceptional service, and its vision is to be the technology partner that everyone – including existing and future staff members, clients, and partners – wants to work with.

Since its launch, Stratosphere has also received recognition as a top performer in the realm of IT managed services, earning awards such as inclusion in the CRN MSP 500, MSPmentor's Top 501 MSPs, and Crain's Best Places to Work every year from 2015 through 2018.

"As one of the co-founders of CCS and Stratosphere, I'm thrilled with what we've accomplished so far," Rubin said. "I'm proud of our team members for working hard to provide the best possible solutions and services, and I'm grateful to our clients for supporting us. I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds for us as we continue to grow, learn and evolve."

In addition to providing high-quality IT services and UC solutions, Stratosphere and CCS have committed to giving back to their community and contributing to the greater good. In recent years, the companies have established a corporate policy that provides staff members with two additional paid days off for the purpose of performing volunteer work. The companies also support charitable and nonprofit organizations such as Lawrence Hall, the Alliance for the Great Lakes, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, and more.

To learn more about CCS and Stratosphere Networks, please visit www.stratospherenetworks.com and www.convergedsystems.com.

About Converged Communication Systems

Converged Communication Systems (CCS) is a nationwide provider of best-in-class IP telephony solutions and support services for businesses of all sizes. Focusing on industry leading solutions, Converged Communication Systems provides complete telecommunication solutions to meet your simple or complex business needs. They specialize in a full range of solutions including on premise, hosted / cloud (public or private), and hybrid cloud solutions. Their portfolio includes several brands which enable them to approach their client engagements in an unbiased manner, allowing CCS to be true consultants. In addition, their expertise allows multi-location and remote/home workers to operate more efficiently via VoIP/SIP. For more information, visit www.convergedsystems.com.