“It is true of the nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”
—Theodore Roosevelt

"We're in the business of helping clients save and make money. We just happen to show up with a computer, but fundamentally it's all about the business," says Dave Hatter (left). Libertas Technologies' founder. Also pictured are CEO Tim Bankes (center) and Vice President Glenn Plunkett Photo: Ian Wagreich

Whatever you do, don’t call Cincinnati-based Libertas Technologies a technology company. While technology is part of the company’s name, President and founder Dave Hatter and CEO Tim Bankes say they have created something that is much more than an IT company.

“We’re not a technology company; we’re a business company,” says Hatter. “We offer a business solution, not a specific technology. We’re not trying to sell a product. We’re not trying to come in and say, ‘Our product fits your need.’ We come in and ask, ‘What is it you need, and how can we build something that fits your needs and helps you better achieve your objective?”

Libertas Technologies offers custom-tailored software, mobile applications, and web-based products and services that enable businesses to improve their processes. It has developed custom software programs for Fortune 500 companies, such as Proctor & Gamble and Duke Energy, as well as for smaller companies and nonprofits. “Much of what we do is consulting, working collaboratively with customers to understand their needs, figuring out if we can help them automate their processes, and then ensuring it gets done well,” Hatter says.

Libertas, the Latin word for “liberty,” is an appropriate name for the company given Hatter’s inspiration to launch it nine years ago. Says Hatter, “I started the business because I like to be in control of my own destiny and have a certain way I like to do things in terms of honesty, integrity, and ethics.” Bankes, whom Hatter has worked with at various technology companies since 1995, shares Hatter’s philosophy. “What gets you out of bed in the morning is building something you can be proud of,” he says.

Having gone through the overheated dot-com bubble of the late 1990s, Hatter and Bankes are on the same page when it comes to building the company organically and self-funding its growth, rather than relying on venture capital or angel investors, such as other IT companies. As a director of a company he worked for previously, Bankes was involved in two rounds of layoffs. “It was challenging. Even at the executive level, the venture capitalists really were pulling the strings. You’re limited in what you can do to help the company succeed, and, of course, the company failed.”

Owing to the company’s self-funding approach, Libertas is, in fact, growing—and hiring. But with an area unemployment rate for the IT industry at around 3.5%, Vice President Glenn Plunkett says that they’re challenged in finding the right software developers and project managers. “We’re also pretty picky. We’re trying to find people who understand that this is a business about business, not technology. We have high expectations, and we’re looking for technically skilled, customer-friendly people,” Plunkett says.

Member Facts
Company: Libertas Technologies
President and Founder: Dave Hatter
E-Mail Address: info@libertastechnologies.com
Address: 708 Walnut Street, Suite 400, Cincinnati, 45202
Phone: 866-840-3765
Website: www.LibertasTechnologies.com
Chamber Member Since: 2001
Founded: 2001
Number of Employees: 8