The Team

Since 1996 we have been an industry leader, providing the best in class Hosted (IVR) Interactive Voice Response. We are a custom, made to order service bureau, providing the best personal service, no matter how small or big your company may be! We help with all steps of your application; from call flow design and scripting to advanced web reporting and data integration.

The key players otherwise known as Team ITG:

Michael S. Byrne, Co-Founder & CEO

As IVR Technology Group (ITG) Chief Executive Officer, Mike is intimately involved in the day-to-day operations and is focused on ITG’s strategic vision and initiatives, as well as leading the company’s product development and overall strategy. He co-founded ITG in 2006, after serving as the EVP of Sales and Marketing for Prosodie Interactive, US. Prior, Mike served as EVP of sales and marketing for IVR Inc., an early pioneer in the IVR hosting, service bureau space.  Prosodie Interactive acquired IVR, INC., in 1999.

Mike got his start in the Technology Industry while helping to design and develop telephony components for a patented school bus and vehicle tracking application; the patents still stand today. 

As a CEO, as a Father, as a Husband or as a Friend, Mike’s passion is evident.  A serial entrepreneur from the age of 12 – started with a paper route and tennis racquet string business, moving on to brick and mortar retail and ecommerce, Tennis management and club ownership to now….

ITG in 2009 faced a couple of very sad, unfortunate and tragic events.  Thanks to some extremely important people and partners ITG has reinvented themselves.  At ITG, we believe primarily in just a couple of things…. our people, our customers and that the phone is and always will be, the most important business tool!

Akash Desai, President

Akash serves as the President at IVR TECHNOLOGY GROUP. In this capacity, he provides strategic oversight over the organization. Prior to owning IVR TECHNOLOGY GROUP , Akash founded, managed, and sold two technology start‐ups. He serves on multiple non‐profit and corporate boards. He has been involved in the Buffalo, NY community and was selected as a 2008 Buffalo Rising Leader.

Eric Lee, CTO

John Crouthamel, EVP, Sales & Marketing

John is an expert with IVR and SMS applications.  His career in direct marketing began over thirty years ago at Grolier Incorporated where his management skills and vision enabled the company to design, develop, and launch the first automated telemarketing outbound program and data management system of its kind. Now, some 34 years later, John is considered one of the foremost direct marketing & communication specialists with a host of hands on experience in teleservice operations, marketing and fulfillment support and management roles.  He has been responsible for creating and managing solutions for telecom, IVR, predictive, automated dialing, inbound ACD, virtual agent, direct brick and mortar operations for small to fortune 100 companies.  He has been actively involved with the direct marketing industry as a past chairman of the DMA’s Teleservices Council, inaugural member of the DMA’s Teleservices Ethics Committee, Angel Award recipient from the DMA, TelePro award recipient of the American Teleservices Association, active member of SOCAP and is a sought after speaker.

Chirag Desai, VP of Customer Success & Director of Operations

Chirag loves technology.  Prior to joining IVR Technology Group, spent five years in public accounting during which time he realized his real passion.  He ran a web development company which later merged with IVR Technology.  He enjoys explaining how a particular technology can sustain and grow a company which led to his role in working with new and current customers.  Chirag maintains a keen entrepreneurial spirit and is involved in two other ventures in technology and healthcare.  He whiles away his meager spare time writing and reading science fiction, dabbling in 3D art, and building a non-profit with his wife and close friends.

Karthic R Raghupathi, Director of Software Engineering

Ron Kotlik, Senior Software Engineer

As one of IVR Technology Group (ITG)Senior Software Engineers, Ron is involved with all aspects of our telephony platform.  He’s been developing IVR and telephone applications for over 20 years and has personally developed hundreds of applications.  Ron has been a part of ITG since the beginning.  He has been instrumental in our success and in helping developing ITG’s foundation. 

Prior, Ron served as a lead engineer for five years at Prosodie Interactive.  Prosodie Interactive acquired IVR, Inc. in 1999 where Ron had worked as a software engineer.  Ron was one of IVR, Inc’s original employees and was instrumental in the growth and success of the company.

A dedicated husband, father of two and friend to all…  Ron has owned several of his own small business, including a nightclub and a garage.  He is a spiritual man and enjoys hiking, kayaking, and flying.

Ron, who we can say is the most modest person we have ever met, wouldn’t write his own Bio.  So, we did it for him!

Matthew Castronova, Director of Voice Talent Production

As an audio engineer for over 7 years, Matthew not only brings his experience to IVR Technology Group, but his passion for recording. Unlike most third party voice service companies, his commitment to a project doesn’t end simply with the delivery of the recorded prompt files; he shares a unique bond with each client, communicating their needs directly to our development team and has proven to be a vital solutions engineer. In little over 2 years time with ITG, he has lent his voice to an impressive clientele, most notably including Honda, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), WebMD and Kurtzman Carson Consultants (the nation’s leading class action settlement administrators). As our Project Manager and Director of Voice Talent Productions, Matthew’s unique skill set helps to bridge the gap between customer service and design. 

Christopher Fraschetti, Senior Software Engineer