HTDNET has spent more than three decades quietly keeping local businesses, fire departments, and nonprofits running. We are a veteran and firefighter owned company based in Catlett, VA, and our team handles the technology so you can focus on the work that pays the bills.
HTDNET started in 1994 as HyperText Design Network, a small web shop in Fauquier County built on one straightforward idea — technology should make a business stronger, not more complicated. More than three decades later, that is still the whole point.
What began with websites steadily grew into much more: PC repair, in-house web hosting, managed IT, business phone systems, networking, and print. (Our founder also served two tours in the U.S. Army between 1999 and 2007 — each time, the business reopened and came back stronger.) The goal never changed: keep local businesses running on technology they do not have to think about.
On March 20, 2014, HTDNET incorporated as HTDNET, LLC. Today our team supports clients across managed IT, business VoIP, web hosting and design, computer repair, networking, graphic design, and print marketing. One team, one phone number, every layer of your technology.
What makes our team different
Most providers do one thing. We cover all your technology, locally, with people who answer the phone.
Computers, phones, networks, website, print. You call one number and the right person picks up.
Based in Fauquier County. We can be on site when remote support is not enough.
Two cultures that run on accountability, training, and showing up.
We have seen the tech cycles. We pick tools that last, not the ones with the loudest pitch.
If a vendor cannot explain it without a slide deck, it probably is not the right tool for you.
No acronym soup. We tell you what is broken, what it costs, and what we recommend in language your team can use.
Tickets get answered. Phones stay up. Backups actually run. Reliability is the product.
Real people in Northern Virginia. When you need someone in the building, someone is in the building.
Our technicians keep current on the platforms that matter so you do not have to.
From a small web shop to a full service technology team for Northern Virginia.
Matt Demaree founds HyperText Design Network at just 14 years old. In the early years the company focuses on web design, document digitizing, and graphic design for local businesses. His very first client sees a dramatic jump in sales after launching their website.
Matt enlists in the U.S. Army as an airborne indirect-fire mortarman with the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, later serving with the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. The business pauses during his service and reopens after his honorable discharge in 2003.
After completing his initial enlistment, Matt expands HTDNET beyond the web. The company adds PC repair and moves its web hosting off a third-party cloud service onto its own in-house hosting platform.
Recalled to active duty, Matt deploys to Iraq as a Fire Support Specialist through 2007, keeping web and hosting clients online whenever deployment downtime allowed. He separates honorably at the rank of Sergeant.
The name is shortened to HTDNET and the company grows into a full-service web hosting and design provider with a focus on data security, serving many local businesses — from retail and healthcare to non-profits, clubs, and local fire departments.
On March 20, 2014, the company incorporates as a Virginia limited liability company. That November, web and graphic designer Jessy Stewart-Brubeck joins the team.
HTDNET launches managed IT services — proactive monitoring, automated maintenance, and SLA-based support that works like an in-house IT department at a fraction of the cost, catching problems before they become costly.
After trials, HTDNET adds Voice over IP phone service — hosted fax, voicemail-to-email, find-me-follow-me, custom hold music, mobile apps, full call-center solutions, and over 50 features in all.
HTDNET earns Virginia SWaM certification (Small Business, Micro Business, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned) and SBA VetCert recognition as a Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, opening new state and federal contracting opportunities.
HTDNET becomes an Investing Partner of the Fauquier Chamber of Commerce — directly supporting the Chamber’s ability to deliver advocacy, networking, and business development resources to the entire small business community.
Managed IT, business VoIP, web hosting and design, computer repair, networking, and print marketing — all under one roof in Catlett, VA.
The founder behind HTDNET — and the experience the company is built on.
Founder & CEO, HTDNET, LLC
Fun Facts
Fun fact
Matt was introduced to computers at a young age when the 386 computer came out. Before he could play any game on the computer, his parents required him to use a typing tutor for 30 minutes. In 3rd grade, he would stay in at recess and write QuickBASIC code in composition books — inspired by his older brother Chris — creating choose-your-own text adventures. When he got home, he would transcribe them into the computer and watch the adventures come to life.
Fun fact
Matt wanted to be a veterinarian throughout his childhood — little did he know he would become a different kind of vet. But having that desire created a strong need to help animals, and early in the beginning stages of his company he got that chance: he started volunteering for the SPCA. He created their first website. They would send physical pictures through the postal mail, and he would open the weekly photos, scan them into his computer, and post them online for people to search for their new family member. He still provides services to the SPCA and still hosts their website — but now also deploys computers, sets up wireless networks, and provides phone systems. Still never charging for his time or knowledge.
Fun fact
The actual making of HyperText Design Network (HyperText derived from HTML, or HyperText Markup Language — some argue it’s not a real programming language): Matt was active in text-based chat rooms, and one of his friends showed him how to make a basic web page. Word got around, and a family friend asked, “Hey, can you design a website for my solar voltaic home business?” Matt was excited to help, and the friend agreed to pay him $300 for his efforts. Once the site was deployed, the friend came back and stated he made 600% profit in the first month alone! Matt knew what he wanted to do — this is a money maker — and started HyperText Design Network under the domain htd.net. (Should have grabbed the .com and .org for that too. Little did he know at the time that 3-letter domains would quickly disappear during the .com boom, as there are only 17,576 per extension (.com, .net, .org), totaling only 52,728 possible combinations across all three.)
Fun fact
One of Matt’s first jobs was at CrossLink Internet, when he was just 14 years old — CrossLink was a regional dial-up internet service provider. He would often call CrossLink support to get his internet fixed, eventually growing tired of calling and telling the support folks what he needed done to fix the problem. He asked to speak with a supervisor and said, “How about I come in for an interview and you hire me to work support?” The supervisor was like, “Well, it doesn’t really work that way,” but he humored young Matt and invited him in for an interview. Matt’s dad, Peter, had to drive him to Springfield, Virginia, where the office was. He proceeded through the interview with relative ease, and then the supervisor said, “Tell you what — when that phone rings, you answer, and if you solve the problem you are hired.” Without hesitation, the phone rang. Matt answered, “CrossLink support, how may I assist you?” Turns out the caller was completely blind, and to Matt’s amazement the supervisor told him to just hang up — that wasn’t a fair call for him to take. Matt very confidently said, “No, no, I got this,” and proceeded to put his feet up on the supervisor’s desk, relaxing into the chair, closing his eyes, and in less than 5 minutes walked the customer through using keyboard commands, successfully solving the connection issue. Matt again confidently hung up the phone, looked the supervisor dead in his eyes, and said, “When do I start?” So Matt’s official IT career started — and it turned out to be a work-from-home position where he would call into the office voicemail system, check the messages, and call back the customers who reached voicemail. So Matt purchased a Plantronics wireless phone and would play soccer nearly 1/2 a mile away, checking voicemail periodically, occasionally running home to deal with a support issue, then continuing to play soccer.
Matt Demaree founded HTDNET in March 1994 (originally as HyperText Design Network) and has owned and operated the company ever since. What began as a one-person web design shop has grown into a full-service technology provider for businesses across Northern Virginia, and Matt is still personally involved in the work, every day.
He is a U.S. Army veteran. Matt enlisted in 1999 as an airborne mortarman with the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, later serving with the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. In 2005 he was recalled to active duty for Operation Iraqi Freedom and deployed to Iraq as a Fire Support Specialist, separating honorably as a Sergeant (E-5) with U.S. Army service from 1999 to 2007. His decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal (with one bronze service star), the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Mobilization (M) device, the Army NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Army Overseas Service Ribbon, along with the Expert Marksmanship Badge (Rifle and Mortar) and the Parachutist Badge.
Outside of HTDNET, his career runs through enterprise IT: corporate security and data loss prevention at Verizon, end-user support across hospitals for Novant Health, multi-branch banking technology rollouts, and Internet service provider help-desk support dating back to the dial-up era. He holds an Associate of Arts in Information Technology and Web Design.
Matt has been a volunteer firefighter in Fauquier County since 2004 — 22 years and counting. He currently serves with the New Baltimore Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company as a Firefighter and Board Member, and is a member of the Fauquier Fire and Rescue Peer Support Team. He also serves as director and treasurer of the Fauquier First Responders Foundation, chairs the Fauquier Chamber Valor Awards Committee, and gives his time and technical know-how to the Fauquier SPCA. Giving back to the community has always been part of how he works.
Away from the office, Matt is a devoted family man — he and his wife, Ashley, have a daughter, Savannah, and are expecting a son this August, with their white German Shepherd, Delta, rounding out the household. In his free time he stays hands-on with software development, exploring artificial intelligence, and the occasional game.
