IT Zone adds board members

The Ann Arbor IT Zone has added four members to its board of directors and formed an executive committee to foster growth of the technology organization.

The new board members are Richard Sheridan, president of Menlo Innovations; Farnam Jahanian, founder and chairman of the board of Arbor Networks; Bhushan Kulkani, president and CEO of GDI Infotech; and Sabrina Keeley, president and CEO of the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce. The five-member executive committee is made up of Ken Nisbet, executive director of the University of Michigan's Office of Technology; Chuck Salley, president of the Ann Arbor IT Zone; Larry Freed, president and CEO of ForeSee Results; Kurt Riegger, venture partner of North Coast Technology Investors L.P.; and Larry Eiler, chairman of Eiler Communications.

Microsoft's Great Lakes District hires Fikany

Microsoft said John Fikany has joined the company as general manager of both the Great Lakes District and the Automotive and Industrial Equipment (AIE) market. Based in Southfield, Fikany will be responsible for four sectors of the Microsoft business.

Ann Arbor hotel to offer high-speed Internet access

Weber's Inn and Restaurant in Ann Arbor began offering high-speed Internet access Feb. 1. With the new service, each guestroom will be equipped with plug-and-play high-speed Internet connections built into the business desks. There is no additional charge for the access.

Incat buys out Fasotec

Three years after Novi-based Incat Systems Inc. formed a joint venture with Japan-based Fasotec Co. Ltd., Incat has bought out its partner in the deal.

The joint venture had been called Incat-Fasotec Kabushiki Kaisha. The company now is known as Incat KK. Incat Systems, the North American operation of Hemel Hempstead, England-based Incat International Ltd., distributes computer-aided design hardware and software.

Hostcentris opens its doors

Hostcentris is a new Michigan IT company specializing in Web hosting and security solutions. Farmington Hills-based Hostcentris also offers file server hosting and is currently developing a proprietary VPN (Virtual Private Networking) solution to let corporate users use their data securely on the road on any platforms using128-bit encryption.

Sheraton adds wireless service

The Sheraton Detroit Novi joins the growing list of local hotels offering wireless service. The company has made wireless high-speed Internet access available in its 238 hotel guest rooms as well as common areas and meeting facilities.

Sensicore plans expansion

The Michigan Economic Development Corp. and Ann Arbor-based startup Sensicore Inc. said Sensicore plans to begin a $4.7 million expansion and upgrade of its existing space that will create 156 jobs. The MEDC granted Sensicore a single-business-tax credit worth $1.5 million over eight years to keep the company from move to New Jersey, the other state being considered for the expansion, according to a news release from the MEDC. Sensicore is on the Ann Arbor campus of the small-technology venture-capital company Ardesta LLC and will expand from its current leased 4,000-square-foot facility to 10,000 square feet and build production facilities in order to sell the product.

Lenoco opens area office

Indianapolis-based Lenoco Technologies has opened its first metro Detroit office, in Grosse Pointe Woods. Lenoco is a distributor of the Avaya line of products and services that includes wireless network deployment and telecommunications systems design and deployment. Lenoco says it is the eighth-largest Avaya distributor in the Midwest. Lenoco's Grosse Pointe Woods office is at 20817 Mack Ave.

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