One Shot

The latest news from GraVoc Associates and their staff:

-On Wednesday, GraVoc was the "Champagne Sponsor" of an untraditional Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce event. The event was a scotch tasting hosted by Scottish comedian Sir Jeremy Bell, who provided an entertaining presentation on three whiskys, featuring toasts and frequent PG-13-rated humor. President/CEO David Gravel, in return for the champagne sponsorship, was subjected to wearing a kilt and plaid hat, and had the opportunity to open a bottle of champagne with a saber. He was given ten attempts, but successfully sabered the champagne bottle in one shot. Photos of the event will be available on GraVoc's Facebook page shortly.

-If Matt Wilkins looks especially tired on his next service call, he has a good reason. On October 5th, Matt and his wife Danielle's first daughter Molly Catherine was born. Both mother and daughter are doing well back at home in Peabody.

-On Friday October 8th, GraVoc was represented with a booth at the Massachusetts Association for Behavioral Health's Annual Provider Celebration.  GraVoc showcased its GHR product - a comprehensive software solution that enables inpatient behavioral health and substance abuse rehabilitation centers to manage their bed capacity, client history, and insurance provider billing in one centralized application.

GraVoc Associates, Inc. is a Peabody, MA-based consulting firm helping business solve problems through a wide variety of technological solutions. GraVoc, in business since 1994, performs services in the practices of information systems, technology & professional services, media production, and information security. For more information about GraVoc, please visit http://www.gravoc.com/.

Dave Gravel, pictured in kilt, sabers a

bottle of champagne on his first try.

GraVoc in the Community

GraVoc and its staff have historically devoted a lot of their time to making a difference in the community. Within the last month, GraVoc has lent a helping hand in several different projects in Peabody, MA and beyond. A few highlights:

-Peabody Education Council: A few GraVoc employees donated some of their time and effort toward the PEC's late summer/fall activities. Projects included assisting in the design of the 2010-2011 calendar and volunteering at the Welcome Back Extravaganza at the Higgins Middle School. This upcoming Saturday, President/CEO David Gravel will be pulling the winning raffle ticket for the Red Sox Dream Day raffle. Tickets are still available, and you can indicate your interest in purchasing raffle tickets by clicking here.

-Race for Research: GraVoc sent an informal team of five to the 9th Annual Race for Research in Peabody, presented by the Progeria Research Foundation. Information security associate Dan Vassallo took first in the 5K race, narrowly defeating co-workers Connie Leaver, David Gravel, and Michael Roma. Vice President Cathy Gravel took second in her age group. It has not yet been determined whether the company will participate in the 2011 JP Morgan Corporate Challenge in Boston, but there is interest in forming a championship-caliber team if it is aligned with business goals.

-Torigian Golf Classic: Monday, GraVoc put together a foursome at the Torigian Golf Classic presented by the Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce, Peabody Rotary Club, and Peabody City Council. By all accounts, the team was carried by Jason Vlacich of the Information Systems practice. Unfortunately, the team struggled slightly and only birdied one hole. However, the hole they did birdie was the one the firm sponsored.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, an active business in the North Shore community since 1994, is a full-service consulting firm dedicated to helping small businesses leverage technology to improve their profitability. Divided into the four practices of professional services, information systems, information technology, and media production, the firm operates out of an office in Peabody, MA and employs 18 full-time staff, many of which have earned MCSE and/or MCP certifications. For more information regarding the company and the services offered, please consult the archives of the GraVoc News Blog or visit http://www.gravoc.com/.

August Happenings

As summer comes to a close and people return from vacation, GraVoc Associates has been up to many projects and activities worth noting:

-From the certifications category, three of GraVoc's staff members received good news in the mail from ISACA, as all three passed the exam for the Certified Information Systems Auditor designation. They have submitted their applications to the organization, but this is typically a formality. More detail about this upon the official acceptance of their certifications.

-Several employees across departments stayed after hours one night in August, demonstrating their commitment to delivering stronger, more dynamic reporting capabilities. Michael Roma was kind enough to donate his knowledge and his afternoon to a SQL reporting workshop, which was taken advantage of by much of the GraVoc staff.

-Coming soon to the GraVoc website will be some new material about the information security practice and some of the new and revised services offered to respond to customer demand. There will also be a series of new whitepapers being made available shortly.

-A significant cosmetic change is new to the GraVoc offices in downtown Peabody, MA, as the DivergingSoul media production team is making the finishing touches to a new digital sign greeting visitors to the building. Upon the completion of the project, we will post pictures to the GraVoc fan page on thefacebook.com.

GraVoc Associates is a 20-employee technology consulting firm divided into the practices of professional services, media production, information system, and information security. Many GraVoc clients are based in Greater Boston and New England, but several projects take GraVoc's staff around the country and the world. Each practice is explained in more detail on http://www.gravoc.com, and we encourage you to peruse the website and the archives of the GraVoc News Blog, which is nearing 100 posts.

Vassallo Achieves CISM

GraVoc's Dan Vassallo offically became the company's third Certified Information Security Manager in the eyes of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) last week. This designation recognizes an individual's experience and understanding of "the relationship between an information security program and broader business goals and objectives," according to the ISACA website. Vassallo joins roughly 13,000 individuals with the CISM, including GraVoc's David Gravel and Nate Gravel, but joins a smaller group of CISMs who have also displayed the ability to blog about themselves in the third person.

Another recent notable coming from GraVoc is the second-consecutive completion of the Breast Cancer 3-Day by the Flip-Flop Friends, anchored by Vice President Cathy Gravel. The group walked sixty miles in three humid days in July, raising money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, based in Peabody, MA, is a technology consulting firm serving Greater Boston, New England, and beyond since 1994. Now with nearly 20 employees and doing much more than just IT support, GraVoc specializes in the four practices of information security, professional services, information systems, and media production. For more information about the company and the services provided, please visit GraVoc.com.

GraVoc Attends World Partner Conference

Earlier this month, GraVoc travelled to Washington, DC to attend the Microsoft World Partner Conference. Representing the company were Brian Gravel, director of the media production practice, and Dave Gravel, president and CEO. In addition to developing blisters on their feet, GraVoc’s representatives were able to attend speeches and seminars regarding the changes in store for the Microsoft Partner Network, the software giant’s goals amid the expansion of cloud computing, and innovative new features becoming available in the next several months.

A highlight according to the GraVoc attendees was keynote speaker and former President Bill Clinton. Clinton addressed technological advances and how they have re-shaped the way humanitarian efforts are coordinated.

Brian Gravel noted that attending the event, which drew an estimated 14,000 attendees, was certainly worthwhile. “It was fantastic to see the new features coming out and the ideas they’re coming up with.” He was especially impressed with the company’s new “Surface” concept, where a table-top becomes, in essence, an interactive touch-screen that can interact with mobile devices. (Click here for more information on Microsoft Surface.) The reaction by the director of DivergingSoul, GraVoc’s media production practice, to the eye-catching flashiness of the emerging product should come as no surprise.

This was the first time GraVoc had sent attendees to the World Partner Conference, but is the second major Microsoft event attended by the company after three staff members attended Microsoft Convergence in Atlanta in April. There are no definitive plans to attend the 2011 event in Los Angeles, but it is obviously still early in the game.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, based in Peabody, MA, is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. A technology consulting firm with a diversified range of services, GraVoc finds Microsoft at the center of its professional services and information systems practices. The professional services practice specializes in network infrastructure design, planning, and maintenance, and the information systems practice specializes in the implementation and customization of enterprise resource planning systems. For pictures from the WPC, please visit the GraVoc page on thefacebook.com, and for more information on the company, please visit www.gravoc.com.

This Week: Certifications and Gas Grills

Two members of GraVoc's information security team, President/CEO Dave Gravel and his son Nate Gravel, have been grandfathered into the Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) certification by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). The CRISC certification is the newest of ISACA's four certifications.

This certification is for "IT professionals who have hands-on experience with risk identification, assessment, and evaluation; risk response; risk monitoring, [information systems] control design and implementation; and [information systems] control monitoring and maintenance." As the certification requires eight years of experience in information security and risk management, the CRISC designation is perhaps the most selective of ISACA's widely-accepted certifications.

Meanwhile, limited parking, rain showers, and unseasonably cool temperatures weren't enough to deter dozens of members of the North Shore business community from attending GraVoc's barbecue Thursday night. This event was part of the Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce's "Business After Hours" networking event series. The event was characterized by an extensive spread of burgers, hot dogs, beverages, and desserts. GraVoc is extremely appreciative of everyone who attended, and hopes everyone was satisfied by the atmosphere and the food.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, based in Peabody, MA, is a technology consulting firm focused on helping businesses in the practices of information security, professional services, information systems, and media production. For more information regarding GraVoc's wide range of services (the diversity of which became a punch line at Thursday's barbecue), please peruse the archives of the GraVoc News Blog or visit http://www.gravoc.com.

GraVoc Heads to Las Vegas

GraVoc’s DivergingSoul Media Production practice jumped on a plane to Las Vegas earlier this week for the InfoComm 2010 conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  Representatives Brian Gravel and Matt Molk are attending the conference to learn about current ideas and stay on the cutting edge of AV communications.  Notably, the conference is showcasing advances in digital signage, so it presents an opportunity to share ideas regarding the DS2 digital signage network.  The conference lasts through the end of the week, and a recap will likely be posted to this blog shortly upon their return.

GraVoc also made itself available at a more-local tradeshow, attending a conference staged by the Massachusetts Bankers’ Association.  The Annual Bank Technology/Retail Banking Conference addressed, among other things, mobile banking and whether it is an inevitable new step that brings with its benefits a slew of risks.  GraVoc saw many familiar faces, and got to meet several new people in the industry.  GraVoc and other attendees participated in several constructive conversations regarding risk management in the face of the marketplace trending toward mobile banking.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, based in Peabody, MA, has been serving customers in Greater Boston, the North Shore, New England, and beyond.  A technology consulting firm, GraVoc specializes in the practices of media production, information security, information systems, and professional services.  For more information about the services and products offered by GraVoc, please visit www.gravoc.com or peruse the archives of the GraVoc News Blog.

May Updates

It’s been a busy month of May for GraVoc Associates, so busy that there has been little time to tend to matters like updating the GraVoc News Blog.  Some quick updates on what is happening at the company:

• GraVoc is excited about hosting the Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce’s June “Business After Hours” event.  This version of the business networking event will feature a barbecue in front of GraVoc’s building in downtown Peabody.
• GraVoc attended the Massachusetts Association for Behavioral Health’s Annual Meeting.  Dan Vassallo and Paul Lincoln represented the business there and met representatives for several mental health associations throughout Massachusetts.  GraVoc was at this event to promote the GHR system designed specifically for inpatient mental health and substance abuse recovery service organizations.  Meanwhile, GraVoc’s team has been working furiously on improvements to this application, enhancing its overall functionality.
• The DivergingSoul media production division has initiated an aggressive phase of research and development regarding Facebook’s “Open Graph” feature.  This latest Facebook development, in short, allows a Facebook user to integrate his or her entire web surfing experience into his or her Facebook profiles.  This includes “liking” articles, blog posts, or other websites as one can “like” events on Facebook.  By clicking above, you can “like” this blog post.  DivergingSoul is also headed to Las Vegas for an event in June.
• An update on the last post:  It is debatable who is enjoying retirement more:  Ron Davis, whose retirement from GraVoc has opened up more time to focus on his wife’s business, or Nate Gravel, whose retirement from running (he ran under three hours on May 2nd in the Providence Marathon) has opened up more time to focus on GraVoc’s information security practice.
• This summer, look for at least two pertinent whitepapers becoming available on the GraVoc website.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, located in Peabody, MA, has served clients in Greater Boston, New England, and beyond with consulting services since 1994.  GraVoc’s services are all based in technology, and are now divided into the four practices of information systems, professional services, information security, and media production.  GraVoc utilizes the GraVoc News Blog to announce events and occasionally offer some advice regarding topics relevant to clients and potential clients.  For more information about GraVoc and the wide range of services provided, please visit GraVoc.com.

Quick Hits

A few brief notables from the last week at GraVoc:

• The company would like to offer its sincere thanks and a fond farewell to Senior Associate Ron Davis.  Ron, who has handled business development for half of GraVoc’s sixteen-year history, is stepping down Friday afternoon and going into semi-retirement.  Going forward, Ron will spend much of his time assisting his wife Debra in her entrepreneurial pursuits.  The Davises own and operate Chili Choice, a New Mexican cuisine retailer and distributor in Gloucester.
• Another update on the rubber chicken video:  DivergingSoul’s footage has now even caught Keith Olbermann’s attention.  See his commentary from an episode of MSNBC’s “Countdown” by clicking here, browsing the “oddball” section, and clicking the April 28th edition (the one about the Obama nightclub).
• Director of Information Security Nate Gravel will be competing in Sunday’s Cox Sports Marathon in Providence, RI.  Nate, a competitive runner formerly of Peabody Veterans Memorial High School and Trinity College, should be among the leaders of the race, as his previous best of 2:30:00 in the 2008 Madrid Marathon is several minutes faster than the Providence course record.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, based in Peabody, MA, is a full-service technology consulting firm offering a dynamic range of services to clients in greater Boston, New England, and beyond.  Founded in 1994, GraVoc specializes in the practices of information systems, information security, and professional services.  For more information about the firm, please visit www.gravoc.com or feel free to browse previous posts of the GraVoc News Blog.

Update: Rubber Chicken World Record Set

Last week, the GraVoc News Blog brought you the news of a world record attempt being held in Boston for the most rubber chickens tossed at the same place, at the same time.  As expected, the world record was set pending the approval of the Guinness Book of World Records staff—and caught on video by GraVoc’s DivergingSoul Media Production team.

DivergingSoul’s Brian Gravel captures the tense moments before the record attempt.  Photo courtesy Haywire Group.

Officially, 265 rubber chickens flew during the promotional event for the Haywire Group’s Flickin’ Chicken game, which raised money for the Charles River Watershed Association.  DivergingSoul’s video was picked up by several media outlets, resulting in a great deal of publicity for the game manufacturer and its beneficiary charity. 

GraVoc Associates, Inc. is a full-service technology consulting firm located in Peabody, MA specializing in the practices of information systems, professional services, and information security.  Upon the firm’s joining forces with DivergingSoul Media Production, clients in Greater Boston, New England, and beyond contract GraVoc for services ranging from the implementation of ERP systems to business continuity planning to filming the flight of hundreds of rubber chickens.  For more information about the company and how those three services could possibly be connected, please visit GraVoc.com.

GraVoc to Film World Record Attempt

In what is rumored to be the organization's first project in the rubber chicken throwing industry, GraVoc Associates will be filming a world record attempt in Boston this Sunday, April 25th. GraVoc's media production staff will be on hand as the folks at Haywire Group are orchestrating an attempt to set a world record for the largest number of rubber chickens tossed simultaneously.



The event will take place on Artesani Park on Soldiers Field Road in Brighton, MA Sunday at 3:00 PM, and the public is encouraged to attend, witness, and participate in the event. Rubber chickens will be available for purchase for $1 and all proceeds are to go toward the Charles River Watershed Association. This event is being organized by Haywire Group, a Western Massachusetts firm that designs family board games including the popular "Flickin Chicken" game.



Most world record attempts require the presence of an official adjudicator or a long list of evidence to verify the record. The DivergingSoul team (now a division of GraVoc) is responsible for compiling video evidence of the event. Audio/video production of events like Haywire's world record attempt is one of the services regularly offered by GraVoc's media production team.



GraVoc Associates, Inc, a Peabody, MA-based technology consulting firm, expanded into media production in 2010 with its acquisition of DivergingSoul Media Production. Together they serve Greater Boston, New England, and beyond with media-related services such as A/V production, web design, web 2.0 services, and the popular DS2 digital signage network. GraVoc also specializes in the practices of professional services, information systems, and information security. For more information about DivergingSoul and GraVoc, please visit http://www.gravoc.com/ or http://www.divergingsoul.com/.

GraVoc to Attend Great New England Credit Union Show

Next week, GraVoc Associates, Inc. will be sending some of their information security team to the Great New England Credit Union Show in Boxborough, MA.

This will be GraVoc's first appearance at the show, and they can be found in booth 70, in between Enterprise Car Sales and FMS (Financial Management Solutions). An estimated 700 attendees from credit unions across the New England region are planning to be at the event, which features thirteen seminars of interest to credit union executives. Additionally, eighty vendors are expected to exhibit.

GraVoc's information security team will be on hand to explain more about their wide range of information security services that can be found both on the gravoc.com website and in past posts of the GraVoc News Blog. The GraVoc booth will feature typical tradeshow fare, such as a video display, candy, and handouts. We hope to see many familiar faces there, as well as new faces.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, founded in 1994, provides a dynamic range of information security services to financial institutions throughout Greater Boston and New England. The Peabody, MA-based company specializes in business continuity planning, LAN/WAN testing, and risk assessments. Lately, among its more popular services have been social engineering testing and services to help clients comply with the Massachusetts Data Security Law. Beyond information security, GraVoc also specializes in the fields of professional services, media production, and information systems. For more information about the services GraVoc provides, please visit http://www.gravoc.com/.

GraVoc Participates in Peabody Education Council Events

In the last few weeks, GraVoc has made efforts to give back to the Peabody community through a pair of educational programs.  Historically, GraVoc has an ongoing relationship with the Peabody Ed Council, and President/CEO David Gravel is the council’s current chair.  Recently, GraVoc has participated in the mentoring program and in Friday’s Peabody Veterans Memorial High School Career Day.

Several students interested in various aspects of business visited GraVoc for a taste of job shadowing.  Students with interest in business administration, computer programming, and media production spent a few hours behind the scenes at GraVoc.  Programmers Matt Coraccio and Paul Lincoln offered advice to a student who was interested in programming but had not yet taken any programming classes in high school.  “I only took one programming class in high school, and didn’t take any more until my sophomore year of college,” Coraccio said.  “I told him not to worry, and he had plenty of time to take classes.  It was great to see a student interested in what we do.”

GraVoc also sent three representatives to PVMHS Career Day, also put on by the Peabody Ed Council, this morning.  Aside from the free stress balls and candy selections, students asked questions about GraVoc, the types of services they offer, the level of education achieved by their employees, and the fields of study GraVoc’s employees pursued.  As GraVoc is a dynamic business with employees from many different backgrounds, students were encouraged to study fields they were interested in as undergraduates.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, based in Peabody, MA and serving Greater Boston, New England, and beyond in the practices of information systems, professional services, and information security, is a 17-employee firm whose professionals bring backgrounds from accounting and finance to communications to English to computer science.  Like many small businesses, GraVoc prides itself on its time spent on community service.  For more information about GraVoc, please visit www.gravoc.com, and for more information about the Peabody Education Council, please visit www.peabodyedcouncil.com.

GraVoc Holds Compliance Consortium

GraVoc’s information security team would like to extend its gratitude toward North Easton Savings Bank for hosting the first quarterly information security & risk management consortium.  The event was held Tuesday morning March 30 at NESB’s new corporate offices in South Easton, and was attended by several GraVoc information security clients and friends.

Led by GraVoc’s Nate Gravel and Dan Vassallo, the meeting was the first of hopefully several where financial service executives both within IT and outside IT can share ideas, concerns, and observations regarding the current compliance landscape for regional financial institutions.  Among the many topics discussed this quarter were the changes in Regulation E that require customers and members to opt in for courtesy overdraft payment, challenges brought on by the popularity of social media outlets, and current patterns in regulatory exams.

The GraVoc information security team is grateful that some of its clients braved adverse weather conditions to attend the event, and hopes that all attendees considered the event a conduit for discussion that was worth the drive.  If you are interested in attending the next event, most likely to be held in June, please contact either Nate or Dan by calling the GraVoc offices at 978-538-9055.

GraVoc Associates, Inc., based in Peabody, MA, has served clients in greater Boston, New England, and beyond in the practices of information security, information systems, and professional services.  Some of the more pertinent services offered in the information security practice include business continuity/disaster recovery planning, Massachusetts General Law 93H/201 CMR 17.00 compliance services, and social engineering simulations.  For more information about the services provided by GraVoc, please visit http://www.gravoc.com.

GraVoc Website Updates

The last week has brought some changes to the GraVoc website.  The transformation of the GraVoc Software website (http://www.gravocsoftware.com) is now complete and much easier to navigate and get information on the software products offered by the company. 

Some of the products offered include the GFS field service management platform, several utilities to integrate into Microsoft Dynamics GP, and the versatile GCMS cemetery and crematory management application for GraVoc’s many clients in the death care industry.

Also new to the GraVoc website is a case study regarding GraVoc’s Massachusetts General Law 93-H services.  GraVoc’s information security team launched a recent project to help a client comply with the standards presented by the Massachusetts Data Security Law.

To access this case study and to learn more about GraVoc’s Mass. Data Security Law services, please click here.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, founded in 1994 and based in Peabody, MA, serves the Greater Boston area, New England, and beyond in the practices of information systems, information security, and professional services.  We strongly encourage you to explore the revamped GraVoc website, available at http://www.gravoc.com, in its entirety to learn more about the company and what it can do for your business.

GraVoc Welcomes Paul Lincoln

Earlier this month, GraVoc added Paul Lincoln as an associate to its information systems practice.  Paul, a Microsoft Certified Professional, brings experience both in programming and network infrastructure to the table, so Paul also adds depth to GraVoc’s IT service offerings.

Paul, originally an Austin, TX native, is the second employee hired to the IS practice in the past six months, as Stefanie Marsh was also added to the team in August 2009. 

Paul comes to the Northeast after most recently working at VersaCall Technologies in San Diego, CA.  He and his wife just moved to Worcester, MA.  Paul is no stranger to moving, as he carries an impressive military background.  A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Paul spent many years in the U.S. Marine Corps where he earned, among other honors, the Navy Commendation Medal.  In his spare time, Paul enjoys working out and spending time outdoors.

Also notable this month, GraVoc would like to thank Karen Morey for her contributions to the information security practice over the past three years, and would like to wish her the best of luck at her new job.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, now a 17-person firm, offers a wide range of technology-based solutions in the practices of information systems, information technology, and professional services.  Based north of Boston in Peabody, MA, GraVoc has served the North Shore, New England, and beyond for sixteen years.  For more information about GraVoc, please visit the recently-revamped http://www.gravoc.com/.

DivergingSoul Now Part of GraVoc

Effective January 1, 2010, DivergingSoul Media Productions is now a division of GraVoc Associates, Inc. This is an exciting milestone as these two companies become one and GraVoc’s staff increases to twenty with the addition of DivergingSoul’s Brian Gravel and Matt Molk. DivergingSoul has served both individuals and businesses since 2006 in the fields of audio and visual media production, web design, and creative marketing strategies.

DivergingSoul brings an additional creative influence to GraVoc, who currently serves Greater Boston, New England, and beyond in the fields of information systems, professional services, and information security. Some of the services DivergingSoul brings to the table include the DS2 Network, which leverages digital signage in high-traffic areas, and Web 2.0 services, which use creative strategies and the use of user-friendly technologies (such as blogs like this one, Facebook, RSS feeds, etc.) to promote a company’s message and web presence.

GraVoc President/CEO David Gravel considers the merger a logical step in line with industry demands: “There is a blurring of the lines between the technology practices,” he said. “More and more of our customers are asking us to be able to support their web and training needs. In that light, the merge with DivergingSoul is natural as it further extends our ability to address our customers’ needs.”

“We’ve had a strong working relationship in the past and we are looking forward to a new chapter in our company’s history,” said DivergingSoul co-founder Brian Gravel. “The worlds of IT and AV have been rapidly merging together and the combination of DivergingSoul and GraVoc will create a one-stop solution for media and information solutions.”

DivergingSoul will keep its brand identity while operating as a division of GraVoc: This is currently reflected on the revamped divergingsoul.com. More information about the services offered by GraVoc’s newest practice is also contained on the website.

As a result of the merger, the GraVoc website has undergone some changes in look and functionality. To see these changes, learn more about GraVoc, or learn more about GraVoc’s newest division, please visit http://www.gravoc.com.

GraVoc On Facebook

For those who do not personally institute a “No Facebook At Work” or even a “No Facebook At All” policy, GraVoc invites you to visit the company’s new Facebook fan page.  From the page, you will soon be able to view basic information about the company, connect with fellow customers/fans/well-wishers of the business, and have current posts of the GraVoc News Blog show up on your news feed.

Despite our expansion into this form of social media, GraVoc will not spam fans’ inboxes and will make all possible efforts to avoid the use of poor grammar, nonexistent punctuation, and web-speak acronyms.  The GraVoc Associates Facebook Fan Page is available here.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, based in Peabody, MA, specializes in providing technology-based solutions to small-to-midsized businesses in the fields of information systems, professional services, and information technology.  One of the services provided includes establishing your business’s web presence.  It is celebrating over fifteen years of business serving companies in a wide range of industries in Greater Boston, New England, and beyond.  For more information regarding the company, please visit GraVoc.com.

GraVoc Showcases Health & Recovery Application at Tradeshow

On Friday, GraVoc sent three representatives to the Association for Behavioral Healthcare (formerly the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Corporations of Massachusetts) 10th Anniversary Provider Celebration.  At the ABH expo, GraVoc promoted GHR, a comprehensive bed management software designed for inpatient health and recovery service providers similar to many attendees of the event.

Like many of the GraVoc Software products, this solution was designed based on customer input regarding their needs and which key processes must be streamlined with this software.  This was GraVoc’s first time attending this event, and many representatives of health and recovery organizations from throughout Massachusetts were impressed by GHR’s functionality.  The application was designed with the goals of a quick learning curve and ease of use.

GHR handles occupancy management, admission processing, management of billing processes (including care that falls under health insurance and care that does not fall under health insurance), discharge management, client history inquiry, and reporting.  With GHR, a behavior health facility will be able to waste less time on administrative tasks and instead spend that time caring for their patients.  More information about GHR, including screen shots of the application, are available on the GraVoc Software website.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, based in Peabody, MA, is a consulting firm specializing in information systems, professional services, and information security.  The information systems practice encompasses the development of several internally-developed GraVoc Software solutions, all of which are profiled on the gravocsoftware.com.  For more information on GHR or the company, please visit GraVoc.com or call the GraVoc offices at 978-538-9055.

GraVoc Attends PACC Business Expo

GraVoc Associates, Inc. featured their information security services at the 2009 Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo on Thursday.  Additionally, GraVoc’s Dan Vassallo delivered a presentation about blogging and how the GraVoc News Blog improved the company’s web presence, credibility, and search engine optimization.

GraVoc shared a booth at the tradeshow with marketing consultant Divergingsoul Media Production, who also impressed attendees with its variety of digital media service offerings.  Attendees were encouraged to visit the GraVoc booth by the chance to win a portable media player.  Congratulations to Colleen Derrivan of Phil Richard & Associates Insurance, who won the raffle.

At the conclusion of the event, the Chamber of Commerce presented a panel of seven members who used non-traditional techniques to market their products or services.  Dan Vassallo represented GraVoc on the “7 Experts, 7 Tips, 7 Minutes” panel, explaining how the GraVoc News Blog has heightened GraVoc’s web presence and search engine optimization.  It is now easier for businesses looking for a Boston-area, North Shore, or Peabody technology consulting firm or Microsoft Dynamics partner to find GraVoc and learn more about the services the business provides.  Dan has received comments from competitors, vendors, and customers about how the blog has made the firm appear to really be on top of relevant issues.  It also lets customers know what is new with the business. 

GraVoc Associates, Inc., based in Peabody, MA, is a seventeen-person consulting firm specializing in the areas of professional services, information systems, and information security.  For more information on GraVoc and the services the company provides, please visit GraVoc.com or check out the archives of the GraVoc News Blog.