We need connectivity everyday, whether it be at home, work or other parts of our lives. For decades, tech updates have been made by a local company, to navigate trends, and protect our use.

Joel Deuterman, the founder of VNET, is humble, yet proud. "Thanks to VNET, you're able to use the technology and you're able to grow your company, your organization successfully, efficiently, profitably, because VNET exists", said Deuterman.

The South Carolina native came to Erie from Georgia, and in 1990 started Softek, a company to provide more computing services, after seeing a need. He worked out of his East Erie home, later moved to the W. 8th Street, then two spots in the Yorktown Plaza.

In 2010, he acquired what is now the fiber assets for VNET and in 2018 operations moved to the VNET building in downtown Erie along 10th Street. It's a building that is staffed 24/7 and Joel just approved his 100th employee.

Among the different floors, are employees that trouble shoot and work to maintain services in our technology-dependent world.

That's why Joel takes pride in the place they call work, providing a specious gathering space, and even a lower level gym, along with meeting rooms for clients.

In the field, VNET crews work to make way for at home options, like lines are being installed in local neighborhoods for fiber optic internet.

Currently our fiber assets go from the west to Girard, from the east to North East, and the south down to Edinboro. Everything in between is a potential construction site for us", said Deutereman.

Plans are to have a footprint all over the region.

VNET will host the 6th annual Tech Summit in Erie, bringing in a former Director of the S.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency among others to talk about the latest advancements.