Jeff Averbeck, left, president and CEO of Airnet, and Scott Rix, chief operating officer, stand in the basement of the Pioneer building on Broad Street where much of Airnet’s equipment hums away.What Airnet Does• WiFi• Managed, virtual or private data hosting• Advanced mass communications• Political campaigns (As SmartTech)• Corporate marketingSource: AirnetAirnet at a Glance• Founded – 2002 in its current form• Employees – 22• Does business as – Smartech• 2007 revenue – $4.1 million• 2010 revenue – $5.3 million• Three-year growth – 31 percent• Position on the 2010 Inc. list of 5,000 fastest growing companies – 4,215• Position on the 2011 Inc. list of 5,000 fastest growing companies – 4,025Source: Inc., Airnet
Chattanooga’s best-kept secret isn’t a secret muffin recipe, a hidden bike trail or a forgotten underground passage.
It may well be a company named Airnet, the brainchild of local tech pioneer Jeff Averbeck.
Founded as a contract marketing firm for Republican political candidates, the firm recently won recognition for the second year in a row from business magazine Inc. for its 30 percent growth and high profitability.
“We were one of the few firms that didn’t lay anybody off last year,” Averbeck said. “In fact, we gave everybody raises.”