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§ Private Profile · Chicago, IL, USA
Whitman-Hart is a company.
Key people at Whitman-Hart.
Whittman-Hart specializes in providing strategic information technology services and digital communications solutions. The firm offers expertise in areas such as enterprise resource planning systems, custom software development, and web consulting. Its approach integrates technical implementation with business strategy to enhance client productivity and competitive positioning within various industries.
Whittman-Hart was founded in 1984 by Bob Bernard, Bill Merchantz, Rich Colson, and Bill Topol. The initial insight centered on delivering specialized IT consulting, particularly focusing on IBM AS/400 systems for emerging and mid-market companies in the Chicago area. Bernard's leadership guided the company through significant expansion in the rapidly evolving technology landscape.
The firm serves a diverse clientele seeking to leverage technology for business transformation. Whittman-Hart aims to empower organizations with robust digital foundations and innovative communication strategies. Its long-term vision emphasizes guiding businesses through technological advancements to achieve sustainable growth and operational excellence.
Key people at Whitman-Hart.
Whittman-Hart was a Chicago-based IT services and consulting firm specializing in digital communications, systems integration, strategic IT planning, software development, and e-commerce solutions.[1][3][4] Founded in 1984, it provided comprehensive services to enhance clients' productivity and competitive position, growing to nearly 4,000 employees across 22 U.S. and UK offices by 1999, with strong revenues of $342.7 million in the nine months ended September 30, 1999.[1][2][3] The company went public in 1996, earned recognition as one of Fortune's fastest-growing U.S. firms in 1997, but merged into marchFIRST in 2000 and liquidated amid the dot-com bust in 2001.[1][4]
Whittman-Hart was founded in 1984 in the Chicago area by Bob Bernard (then 22, son of an Inland Steel electrician), Bill Merchantz, Rich Colson, and Bill Topol, initially focusing on IBM AS/400 IT consulting.[1][4] In 1990, Merchantz split off with the software division, leaving Bernard to lead the consulting arm, which generated $9 million in annual revenue.[1][4] The firm expanded steadily through acquisitions, went public on May 1, 1996 (raising $5.5M total pre-IPO), and shifted toward e-commerce and traditional company clients by late 2000, dropping over 1,000 clients to focus on 500 key ones.[1][2][3][4] A pivotal 1999 acquisition of US Web/CKS (valued near $6 billion) doubled its size to 8,000-9,000 employees, rebranding as marchFIRST in March 2000; however, the dot-com crash led to bankruptcy in April 2001 and liquidation by May.[1][2][4] In 2003, Bernard relaunched a smaller version in five Midwestern cities, dropping the hyphen.[4]
Whittman-Hart rode the 1990s IT consulting and dot-com boom, capitalizing on demand for AS/400 systems, enterprise software like SAP, and early web strategies amid explosive internet growth.[1][3][4] Its timing aligned with corporate digitization and the 1996-1999 public market frenzy for tech services, enabling acquisitions like Fulcrum (UK Oracle specialist) and US Web/CKS to create the world's largest internet services firm with $500M sales.[1][4] Market forces like Y2K prep and e-commerce hype fueled its rise, but the 2000 bust exposed overexpansion vulnerabilities, influencing the ecosystem by exemplifying dot-com excess—liquidation assets were snapped up, and Bernard's 2003 revival highlighted consulting's resilience in a post-bubble world.[1][4]
Whittman-Hart's arc—from scrappy 1984 startup to dot-com giant and bust—mirrors the era's volatility, with Bernard's revival signaling enduring demand for IT consulting.[4] Post-2003, the slimmed-down entity likely evolved into niche Midwest services amid cloud/AI shifts, though no recent data confirms scale.[4] Trends like digital transformation could revive similar models, but success hinges on avoiding overreach; its legacy underscores disciplined IR and client focus as timeless for tech services firms.[2] Tying back, this Chicago pioneer's journey warns of boom-bust cycles while proving IT expertise's lasting value.[1][4]
