Inland Imaging Business & Technology, the business-services and information-technology division of the Spokane-based Inland Imaging group of companies, has acquired a majority interest in TROI IT Services, of Spokane, in a move aimed at expanding Inland's IT services beyond the health-care sector.

Jon Copeland, CEO of Inland Imaging Business & Technology, says computer-network provider TROI IT is in the process of moving into the Inland Imaging building at 801 S. Stevens on Spokane's lower South Hill. Copeland declines to disclose the terms of the transaction, but says the operation will continue to do business as TROI IT.

The acquisition essentially doubles the size of Inland Imaging's information-technology operation. Currently, 32 of Inland Imaging Business & Technology's 115 employees work in information technology. TROI IT currently has about 35 employees, six of whom provide in-house support at Avista Corp.

"We wanted to expand and deepen our IT abilities," Copeland says. "They have a presence in Spokane outside of health care. A lot of the things we do are skills that can be shared outside of health care, but we didn't know how to do that. They do."

TROI IT President Randy Kembel says much of that company's expertise lies in computer-network infrastructure, and Inland Imaging's information-technology strength is in applications, such as health-records applications and primary business applications. The ability to couple the two areas of expertise made the acquisition attractive, Kembel says.

"We saw that as a huge win," he adds.

About 25 percent of TROI IT's current customer base is involved in the health-care sector. The company also serves clients in the utility, manufacturing, and accounting industries, among others.

Founded as part of the Spokane-based LeMaster Daniels PLLC accounting firm in 2005 and spun off as a separate company the following year, TROI IT specializes in server and technology-infrastructure management, system hosting, desktop computer support, and consulting. It had remained affiliated with LeMaster Daniels until that firm was acquired last year by Minneapolis-based LarsenAllen LP.

Inland Imaging Business & Technology was founded in 1995 and offers a number of support services to hospitals, clinics, and medical practices throughout the U.S. In addition to information technology, other technology-related services the company provides involve radiology information services and picture archiving communication services. In that capacity, Inland Imaging works with more than 100 medical facilities.

While the acquisition bolsters Inland Imaging Business & Technology's information-technology services, the bulk of the company's employees still work in business services. Such services the company provides to health-care organizations include billing, accounting, and consulting, among others.