About GTS Communications

His Story

Fourteen years ago, from a one-bedroom apartment in Olmsted Falls, Ohio, Jerry Stallard launched GTS Communications with not much more than his pick-up truck, some wire and a ladder.

The GTS initials were born from his imagination, and didn’t stand for anything specific, at least at the time.

In Jerry's inimitable, low-key style, he “just thought they sounded good together,” and, like the company, they have endured the passage of time.

Having fascination but no formal training in telecommunications, Jerry began his on-the-job learning and foray into entrepreneurship.

His first phone installation project was given to him by his brother, Don Stallard, president and CEO of The Reserves Network, a regional staffing service in the Cleveland area.

At the time, Jerry knew nothing about phone systems, only that he had a unique interest in them.

Applying the troubleshooting techniques he learned from working with radar and electronics in the U.S. Coast Guard, the Reserves job gave Jerry an opportunity to train in real-time, and so it began.

Her Story

Not long after Jerry conceived GTS arrived the needed assistance of Victoria Maloney (now Stallard), who worked as corporate office receptionist for The Reserves Network.

She also answered GTS phones, which were forwarded to her Reserves workstation. After her “day job,” Victoria would join Jerry for more GTS projects, which often lasted into the night and throughout the weekends.

Essentially, she worked two full-time jobs for six years, after 13 years in retail positions.

In 1998, Victoria became a Stallard, and in 2002, officially joined Jerry and the company full-time as vice president and co-owner, in what she calls the opportunity of a lifetime. And take it and run with it, she did.

Their Story

Over the last 14 years, GTS has expanded measurably in all the essential categories of business performance and growth: sales and employment, products and services, equipment, geographic service area, number and tenure of customers, and marketing and office space.

Speaking of office space, GTS celebrated in 2006 a move to its first company-owned building, giving us six times the breathing room of our former leased location.

The GTS and Stallard families — including Victoria’s daughter Kelli and father Larry, plus their ten field technicians and three onsite dogs — really miss tripping over each other in their former digs, but everyone has quickly gotten used to the ability to roam more freely.

The last five years for GTS have been incredible when it comes to business performance and growth awards. The company has won three NEO Success Awards, five Weatherhead 100 honors, and the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business of the Year for the Cleveland district.

GTS also won the COSE (Council of Smaller Enterprises) Ten Under 10, an honor recognizing ten top-performing small businesses in Northeast Ohio. And Jerry was named a Northeast Ohio finalist in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year competition.

The events of the last 14 years give GTS cause for celebration, but, most importantly, the chance to recognize and be thankful for the support of clients, associates, family and friends.

View Our Staff and Facility Photos

GTS Owners Victoria and Jerry Stallard