Home / About Us

Since 2002

Local IT People, Rooted in Rural Minnesota

Leap Forward Technologies has been helping businesses across West Central and Southwest Minnesota use technology well since 2002 — with real people who live here, not a call center three states away.

New Row Image 7

Founded in 2002

16 communities served

Locally owned, locally staffed

Still answering our own phones

Our story

Founded in 2002. Still Local, Still Hands-On.

Andrew Rosenau founded Leap Forward Technologies in 2002, driven by a passion for helping businesses harness technology to improve efficiency. More than two decades later, that is still the whole job — and it is still done from here, in rural Minnesota.

Andrew brings over twenty years of experience, including deep expertise in HIPAA compliance and network administration, and leads the team in delivering proactive, secure IT solutions. John Rickgarn, our Support Lead, brings over a decade of industry expertise across comprehensive IT, phone systems and vendor-independent PRINT A.U.D.I.T. work — and a habit of helping clients cut through the noise to find cost-effective solutions that actually fit.

The mission has not changed since day one: simplify and secure the complexities of technology so you can get on with running your business.

New Row Image 2
2002

Leap Forward opens its doors

20+

Years serving rural Minnesota

16

Communities across the region

2

Standalone programs alongside Managed IT

Proximity matters

We're Down the Road, Not Across the Country

Being physically here changes what we are able to do for you.

We drive to you — Willmar, Hutchinson, Marshall and Redwood Falls are service calls, not support tickets.

Litchfield, Montevideo, Morris, Worthington, Windom, Granite Falls, Olivia and New Ulm are on the same map we live on.

When something has to be physically touched, a technician gets in a truck — nobody has to be flown in.

You reach people who already know your building, your server closet and your staff by name.

No metro call center, no offshore queue, no reading your account number to a stranger.

Same time zone, same weather, same community — we understand what a rural business day looks like.

The difference

What Changes When Your IT Partner Lives Here

Three things a metro provider structurally cannot offer a business out here — and one we simply choose to do differently.

Local Techs Who Show Up

When a problem needs hands on it, someone who lives in the area drives out to your site. No dispatch queue in another state, no waiting on a part to be shipped to you with instructions.

One Partner, No Finger-Pointing

We deal directly with every outside vendor on your behalf — internet, phones, line-of-business software — so nobody gets to blame the other guy while your office stands still.

Flat, Honest Pricing

One predictable monthly fee instead of surprise repair invoices. You know what IT costs before the month starts — and so does whoever signs the checks.

Compliance Kept In-House

HIPAA compliance and network administration are Andrew's own areas of expertise, built over two decades — so regulated clients aren't handed off to a subcontractor who has never met them.

How we work

How We Work With You

The same four steps whether you are a five-person office in Olivia or a multi-site operation spread across the region.

01

Assess

We evaluate your current setup and uncover the risks, gaps and opportunities.

02

Align

We build a roadmap that fits your size, your goals and your industry's rules.

03

Implement

We put the right solutions in place, then back them with responsive support.

04

Support & evolve

As you grow we meet, review and refine the strategy — proactively, not reactively.

The people

The Experts Behind Your Next Leap

The people you actually talk to when you call — and the standards we hold ourselves to.

andrew-hero-1

Founder & Owner

Andrew Rosenau

Andrew founded Leap Forward Technologies in 2002, driven by a passion for helping businesses harness technology to improve efficiency. With over two decades of experience, including deep expertise in HIPAA compliance and network administration, he leads our team in delivering proactive, secure IT solutions. When he isn't advancing local technology, Andrew is active in his community, 4-H, and enjoys camping with his family.

Team 2

Office Manager

Joleen Rosenau

As Office Manager, Joleen ensures our internal operations run smoothly so our clients always receive the highest quality of service. She is dedicated to streamlining processes and creating a seamless client experience. Outside of the office, Joleen is a dedicated community volunteer who enjoys gardening, hiking and spending time with her family.

John Bio Pic

Support Lead

John Rickgarn

John brings over a decade of industry expertise to his role, specializing in comprehensive IT, phone systems and vendor-independent PRINT A.U.D.I.T.s. He is passionate about helping clients cut through the noise to find cost-effective, efficient solutions that fit their specific needs. Outside of work, John is an avid traveler and investor who enjoys reading and spending quality time with his family.

Mission & vision

Why We Do This

Technology That Gets Out of Your Way

We simplify and secure the complexities of technology so you can focus on running your business. Our team provides proactive, reliable IT management and cybersecurity solutions that protect your assets and streamline your daily operations, ensuring your technology acts as a catalyst for your success.

Every Client Free of Technical Hurdles

Empowering local businesses to reach their full potential drives our long-term goals. We look forward to a future where every client we serve operates free from the stress of technical hurdles, fully equipped with the agile, modern systems required to thrive in an ever-evolving world.

How we work

The Rules We Hold Ourselves To

Own the whole problem

We deal directly with every outside vendor — your ISP, your line-of-business software, the copier company — so there is no finger-pointing and no go-between.

Prevent, don't bill

Break/fix rewards a provider for your bad day. Managed IT rewards us for making sure you don't have one.

Explain it in plain English

You should be able to repeat our recommendation to your board without a translator. If you can't, we haven't explained it yet.

Document everything

Nothing about your environment lives only in one person's head — ours or yours. Audit-ready, always.

Proudly rural

We're Not Servicing This Region. We Live In It.

Our kids go to these schools. We bank at these banks. When your systems go down on a Friday afternoon, you are not an account number to us — you're someone we'll see at the chamber lunch.

  • A person, in Minnesota, who already knows your setup
  • Remote-first, never remote-only
  • Client relationships older than the smartphone
New Row Image 3