April has been one of those months where momentum turns into something you can truly feel—not just internally, but out in the market, in our partnerships, and across the broader technology community. From industry stages to local leadership roles, it’s been energizing to see Symplicity showing up in meaningful ways. I’m especially honored to be joining the Tech Week Grand Rapids board, continuing our commitment to strengthening the innovation ecosystem right here in our hometown while staying connected to what’s happening nationally.
That national presence was on full display at Channel Partners in Las Vegas, where I had the opportunity to speak, connect with peers, and represent the work we’re doing together. Being recognized with a Channel Partners Thought Leader award was incredibly humbling, and it reflects the strength of this entire team and the partners we serve. At the same time, back home, Symplicity was honored with the MCSB Award—another reminder that our impact is being recognized both locally and across the industry. Moments like these don’t happen by accident; they’re the result of intentional and consistent focus, strong relationships, and a shared vision.
What excites me most, though, is how we’re continuing to build on that momentum. From launching our new commercial, to expanding our presence at events like HealthCare and Local Connect at DeVos Place, to celebrating team growth like Darrell stepping into his new role and welcoming our new People and Culture Manager, Heidi—this is what progress looks like in real time. Add in the continued conversations through our podcast and thought leadership efforts, and it’s clear we’re not slowing down.
We’re building something special at Symplicity, and what makes that possible is a team that is aligned, forward-looking, and genuinely invested in where we’re going—not just where we’ve been. The energy, ownership, and positivity I’m seeing across the organization right now is what will carry us into this next chapter.
I’m grateful to be surrounded by people who are all-in on Symplicity’s future—and excited about what we’ll accomplish together.
Best Regards,
Catherine
Catherine Ripley
CEO & President
[email protected] | 616.588.8501
Symplicity Communications Honored with MCSB Award
The Symplicity Communications team celebrated another Michigan Celebrates Small Business (MCSB) honor recently at the 22nd Annual MCSB Gala in East Lansing.
Symplicity Communications was honored as one of two 2026 Michigan 50 Companies to Watch Alumni: Strategically Focused awardees. Companies nominated for the Michigan 50 Distinguished Alumni: Strategically Focused award must be a previous Michigan 50 Companies to Watch recipient that has strategically increased its sales since receiving the Michigan 50 designation, ensuring continued sustainability in an ever-changing economy.
This is the fourth time that Symplicity Communications has earned recognition by the MCSB, and the third year in a row. Symplicity earned its initial recognition as a 50 Companies to Watch awardee in 2018. In 2024, Symplicity was honored with the Apex Accelerator Best Small Business award. In 2025, Symplicity was given recognition as Woman Owned Small Business of the Year.
Catherine Ripley Honored with Technology Advisor Thought Leader Award
Symplicity Communications President and CEO, Catherine Ripley was among the winners of the first-ever Technology Advisor Thought Leaders Awards, honoring 50+ remarkable individuals for their outstanding contributions to the technology advisory profession.
Catherine was recognized earlier this month during the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, the world’s largest independent gathering of the entire channel ecosystem. The winners were selected by a panel of esteemed industry leaders, who evaluated nominees based on the strength of their applications and their measurable impact on the channel community.
Intelisys Celebrates Symplicity Communications Day
On April 13th, Intelisys, a leading technology services distributor, honored Symplicity Communications by celebrating the 2nd Annual “Symplicity Communications Day.” This celebration is in recognition of Symplicity becoming a Platinum Partner with Intelisys, a milestone 12 years in the making for Symplicity and one that only around 40 business can claim.
Catherine Ripley On Stage at Channel Partners Conference and Expo
Symplicity Communications President and CEO, Catherine Ripley, was a featured speaker at the 2026 Channel Partners Conference & Expo and MSP Summit.
Channel Partners is the world’s largest channel event, where AI, cloud, and emerging technology providers connect with channel partners, the sellers of technology, to create unprecedented opportunities for explosive growth.
Catherine was featured on a panel CEO Track Session titled Strategic Growth and Market Expansion for Technology Advisors. The session covered how to identify new market opportunities, build strategic partnerships, and leverage data analytics to drive growth decisions.
Catherine then hit the main stage at Channel Partners 2026 to present a Tech Talk by Sara Seegers (GTT) and Janet Schijns (JSG) titled “There Is No Deal Without a Partner” and a keynote discussion by Mark Tina (Verizon Business) called “Prioritizing Business Convergence For Partner Wins“
Darrell Anderson Named Field Technician Team Lead
Symplicity Communications is pleased to announce that Darrell Anderson, Jr. has been elevated to a new role as the Team Lead of the Field Technician Department. Darrell brings a decade of management and operations experience and two years of telecom field experience at Symplicity to his new position where he will support the company’s field operations in an increased capacity.
Over the past two years, Darrell has already played a key role in improving routing strategy, process documentation, field testing methods, and communication between clients, field teams, and internal support. In his new role, Darrell will help build a stronger, more responsive Field Services operation designed to better serve clients and support future growth
Catherine Ripley Presents “Woman of the Year” at Brilliance Awards
The Symplicity Communications team recently attended the 10th Annual West Michigan Woman Brilliance Awards recently, celebrating the dynamic talent, spirit and intellect of those who tackle issues facing professional women in West Michigan.
Symplicity Communications President and CEO Catherine Ripley, who was honored last year as the 2025 West Michigan Woman Brilliance Woman of the Year, presented the 2026 Woman of the Year Award to this year’s recipient, Kathleen Vogelsang of Bostwick Investment Consulting.
The Latest Symplicity Conversations
Have you been staying up to date with the Symplicity Conversations Podcast? We have had some great conversations recently, with guests like Maureen O’Connell of Comcast Business, Stacy Sloan of Three Little Birds Granola, Roberta McCarter of Novus Data Journeys, Jennifer Jurgens of 1 Bold Step, and Patrick Hayes of Third Wave Innovations. Check them out!
We’ve got a lot of great guests lined up and many great conversations coming your way. So, make sure you like and subscribe and never miss an episode!
Diamond Partners with RingCentral
As a RingCentral Diamond Partner, Symplicity Communications is recognized as one of the partners most familiar with RingCentral’s industry leading UCaaS and CCaaS products.
For the 11th consecutive year, RingCentral has been recognized as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) Report. With great solutions like RingEX, RingCX, RingCentral Events, AI Receptionist (AIR) and AI Conversation Expert (ACE), RingCentral is delivering innovative responses to customer needs.
With our long track record of success with RingCentral, we know how to design the perfect solution for your needs. Want to know more?
