This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Heritage Internet Technologies of Provo, lauded as one of Utah's fastest-growing companies in recent years, shut down suddenly Tuesday, leaving employees and customers reeling.
Heritage provided website design and hosting services for small to medium-sized businesses. According to its website, it had more than 15,000 customers.
On Wednesday, a recorded message referred Heritage's customers to Fibernet, a separate Internet company. Fibernet, based in Orem, provided hosting services to Heritage, which in turn resold that service to its customers.
Repeated telephone calls to David Aitken, chief executive officer of Heritage, were not returned.
Fibernet CEO Lane Livingston said he had no warning of the closure and initially was unaware Heritage was referring calls to his company. As of noon, Fibernet had received more than 500 calls.
"We're in emergency mode over here," Livingston said. "We're just trying to get to everybody as quickly as we can."
Livingston said Heritage officials met with employees Tuesday to inform them it was shutting down immediately. The company at one time employed more than 300 people full time and an equal number of contract employees, but its staff had dwindled to under 200 or so.
"We've heard from lots of employees," Livingston said. "One unfortunate misconception is that we bought them, and they are asking for their paychecks. We didn't acquire or buy them or anything of that sort."
Livingston said his company has received no customer account information from Heritage but is still trying to do everything it can to answer questions and provide service.
"What we're trying to do is communicate with everyone who calls in," he said. "We're just taking down the information from these customers and what their concerns and needs are, and promising to get back as soon as we have information."
Fibernet has created a form on its website at http://www.fiber.net that Heritage customers can use to ask questions or request help.
Heritage CEO David Aitken started the company in 2001 with a $1,000 investment. Other principals in the business were Brad Stone, Mark Strong and Leah Young. Attempts to reach Aitken Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Inc. 500 listed Heritage in 2007 and 2008 as one of the country's fastest-growing privately owned businesses.
Utah Valley Business magazine cited Heritage, also known as HIT Web Design, among the valley's top businesses. In 2008, the magazine ranked Heritage No. 14 out of 50 top businesses, noting it experienced 175 percent growth in the previous three years, and had revenue of $11.5 million in 2007. In 2008, the company said it was on pace to pass the $20 million revenue mark.
But the company also logged numerous complaints from customers, according to the Better Business Bureau. The BBB processed 882 complaints involving Heritage in the past three years, half of those within the past year; 95 percent were successfully resolved.
In 2009, Heritage set up HIT Humanitarian, a nonprofit organization, and matched employee contributions to support charitable efforts in such countries as Nepal and Haiti. The nonprofit's projects included sponsorship of the Hope for Little Angels orphanage in Haiti, from which Aitken and his wife adopted three children last year.
Customer information
O Fibernet has created a form on its website at http://www.fiber.net that Heritage Internet Technologies customers can use to ask questions or request help.