Behind the Business | Jones Insurance.
If you want to understand ITEC, don’t start with machines. Start with the people who run them, fix them, rely on them, and build entire seasons around them.
Ray’s story begins the way many Northern Ontario stories do: in the bush. From the mid-’80s through the late ’90s, he worked as a forestry contractor, following a family tradition where “everyone went to the bush to work.” What stayed with him wasn’t just the grind, but a clear lesson: success in heavy industry is rarely decided at the point of sale. It’s decided after, through service, uptime, trust, and support.
In late 1999, Ray flipped sides of the equation. He founded ITEC to support the contractors he once worked alongside, spotting a gap in the market and starting with little more than a phone and a computer. Within months, he hired his first employee. Today, ITEC employs roughly 55-60 people and has grown from sales and parts into equipment and service, a shift that was never optional, but foundational.
“Anyone can make a sale,” Ray says. “But it’s the support afterwards that’s important.”
Forestry was ITEC’s foundation, but modernization became its mission. By helping smaller contractors transition to more efficient equipment and processes, ITEC strengthened both individual businesses and the industry itself. From there, expansion into construction and mining followed naturally, after all, Northern Ontario is no longer a single-industry region, but rather home to multiple, interconnected business ecosystems.
That perspective shapes ITEC’s role today: offering advice, informed opinions, and practical support that help customers improve profitability and sustainability in a changing business landscape. As technology becomes more sophisticated, especially with the rise of electrification and infrastructure investment, ITEC evolves alongside it, grounded firmly in Northern realities.
Ask Ray what makes the company special, and he doesn’t hesitate: the people. ITEC’s culture is built on openness, immediate problem-solving, and shared leadership. Employees are encouraged to be active in the community, not as an obligation, but as part of belonging.
That care is visible to customers the moment they walk through the door. The goal stays simple: support customers and help them succeed.
That success is reinforced through partnerships, including a long-standing relationship with Jones Insurance. For eight years, Jones has helped ITEC navigate the complex risks of heavy equipment, growth, and expansion by providing expert advice tailored to Northern industries. More than pricing, the partnership is built on trust, understanding the business, the community, and the realities of operating in the North. For ITEC, that confidence means focusing on growth, people, and progress, knowing the foundation is protected.
Jones Insurance’s Behind the Business campaign highlights local businesses that invest in their communities, hiring locally, supporting causes, and fostering stability for families and future entrepreneurs. Discover more stories of community-driven companies shaping Northern Ontario on the Jones Insurance YouTube channel.
