Curtis Hicks
Chief Technology Officer/Chief Product Officer (CTO/CPO)
With a drive and determination to help businesses solve their problems using technology as a tool, Curt Hicks joined the Centaris in 1992. Through his visionary leadership, Centaris has become one of Michigan's top IT companies over the past two decades.
After receiving his degree from Michigan State University, Curt worked for an automotive decal manufacturer where he completely computerized their quality control department. That is when he was bitten by the technology bug.
Curt needed to move to the technology industry and became the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Xytec, a software development company focused on wholesale distribution software and international letters of credit tracking software. He helped Xytec grow from a tiny startup to a staff of 15 employees before it was sold.
At Centaris, Curt worked as a software designer, business analyst, application specialist, account manager and Executive Vice President before being named President in 1997 -- just five years after joining the company. He was instrumental in transforming Centaris into a company that specialized in providing Microsoft-based solutions, and drove Centaris to become an elite Microsoft partner in 1997. In 2000, Centaris was awarded the Microsoft Small Business Solution of the Year award. Under Curt's leadership, Centaris grew from a 10 person company to a 35 employee organization over a 10 year period.
Over the years, Curt has been very involved in different professional organizations. From 1998 to 2009, he served on the Microsoft Small Business Server Advisory Council. He was a feature presenter at the Microsoft Small Business Server 2000 International Launch Event in Atlantic City, NJ. He was the keynote presenter at the first SMB Nation conference in Indianapolis, Indiana in 2003, and later chair of the 2008 SMB Nation conference in Seattle, Washington. He served on the ConnectWise Advisory Council for four years and is currently a member of the invitation only national technology industry peer group, True Profit Group. He is also an accomplished public speaker, having presented many times at industry events such as the Microsoft Fusion, Microsoft Worldwide Partner, Microsoft Small Business Symposium, SMB Nation, and ConnectWise conferences.
Curt has also been featured in Beatrice Mulzer's book "Making it Big in Small Business 2006" where he is recognized as one of the top 15 SMB consultantsresellers in the world.
In February, 2024, after an inspiring 31-year tenure leading Center for Computer Resources (CCR) and Centaris, Curt announced a new journey as our Chief Technology Officer/Chief Product Officer (CTO/CPO). This shift allows Curt to focus more on his passion for technology and solutions development, a field he has led for many years.
Curt lives in Macomb, MI with Carol, his wife of 30+ years. He has two daughters, 1 grandson and another grandchild on the way! He enjoys skiing, family time, Red Wings hockey and Michigan State University football.