An Oakland University doctorate student and faculty member Darrin Hanna recently received an award from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for his company, Technology Integration Group Services Inc.

Hanna founded Technology Integration Group Services when he was a sophomore at Oakland University. The company provides services necessary for full automation, including hardware, network planning and implementation, training, E-commerce Web sites, intelligent automation software, and QS and ISO certification software.

The company currently employs 15 full-time and two part-time workers, a number of them OU graduates, and serves more than 100 customers, primarily small businesses, CPA and legal firms, personal users, doctors, distributors, manufacturers and municipalities.

Technology Integration Group Services' annual sales are approaching $1.7 million and its market share is currently 5 percent. All company operations are in Michigan.

Hanna is a 1999 graduate of Oakland University with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering and mathematics. He also received his Masters in computer science and engineering at OU in December 2000. Hanna currently is a visiting instructor while pursuing a Ph.D. at OU.

To be eligible for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation's award, the company has to be in existence less than five years, be a spin-off from a university, develop or market intellectual property and create jobs in Michigan.