Your Retail Connection Point

UTC RETAIL is the innovative full-service store solutions supplier to the specialty retail marketplace.

About Us

UTC RETAIL is the innovative full-service store solutions supplier to the specialty retail marketplace.  We offer advanced enterprise Point-Of-Sale solutions that provide a seamless experience where your stores and customers meet.  Our suite of connected store solutions, including software, hardware and services, give you the ability to thrive in the ever-changing and always accelerating retail climate.  For 35 years, UTC RETAIL has been recognized as the industry leader delivering exceptional value and customer service.  We have designed our systems to give you everything you need today while providing you with unlimited potential to grow and differentiate as your customer's expectations evolve.  Our solutions leverage a modern technology architecture, giving you greater flexibility across multiple channels and platforms, and securing your investment protection well into the future.

Our History

UTC RETAIL was founded in Victor, New York in 1988.  We have been a premier provider of software, hardware and service solutions to the specialty retail industry for 35 years.  UTC RETAIL was one of the first manufacturers of POS terminals based on open system architecture, and we pioneered the front access design for significantly improved serviceability and on-site repair.

Where we started

In 1988, we recognized a gap in the market: specialty retailers needed technology solutions designed specifically for their operations, not generic systems built for big box stores. We established our business in Victor, NY to address that need. During the 1990s, we pioneered open architecture POS terminals—a significant departure from the closed, proprietary systems that dominated the industry. This approach gave retailers the flexibility to customize and scale their technology without vendor lock-in, establishing a principle that continues to guide our development today.

Coming of Age

As the retail landscape shifted toward cloud-based infrastructure in the 2000s, we moved decisively. We were among the first companies to transition POS systems to enterprise cloud platforms, delivering the scalability and reliability of modern technology while maintaining the specialized functionality specialty retailers require. This proactive approach to technological advancement positioned us ahead of industry trends rather than reactive to them. We continued investing in solutions that addressed the evolving needs of specialty retail, building on our foundation of open architecture with modern capabilities.

Leading Today

ReadyStore POS is now recognized as an industry leader in omnichannel retail solutions for specialty retailers. With over 35 years of continuous innovation, we've built deep expertise in the unique operational challenges of specialty retail. Our clients benefit from both our technical capabilities and our institutional knowledge—we understand the nuances of specialty retail operations because we've dedicated our entire history to this sector. Our focus remains consistent: delivering reliable, adaptable technology solutions that help specialty retailers operate more efficiently and compete more effectively.

Industry Awards and Recognition

  • Year after year UTC RETAIL is recongnized by the RIS News LeaderBoard survey consistantly achieving top rankings in the categories of quality of service, quality of support, software reliability, total cost of operations, and return on investment.  in 2019 UTC RETAIL was named the #1 Targeted Solutions Vender and they ranked in the top 5 in every category for mid-sized retailers.
  • After consistantly being recongnized as one of the fastest growing company in the greater Rochester region UTC RETAIL was named #1 in the Rochester Top 100 in 2014.
  • In 2013 The New York Society of Human Resources Management selects UTC RETAIL as one of the Top 50 places to work in the entire empire state.
  • RIS News ranked UTC RETAIL in the Top 3 all four years of the Hardware LeaderBoard survey, 2006 through 2009, topping industry stalwarts IBM, NCR, and Fujitsu.

What makes UTC RETAIL different?

We are recongized by industry experts for unmatched service, reliability, and performance—trusted by retailers to deliver results they can count on.

#1

Ranked in overall performace¹  

Top 3

Vendor in 15+ critical categories¹  

Top 20

Ranked for 5 conesecutive years

#1

Fastest growing company²

¹RIS Software Leaderboard

² Rochester Chamber of Commerce Top 100

Working with high class partners

UTC RETAIL recognizes that partnering with other companies who provide complementary products and services allows us to deliver the best total solution and highest level of value to our customers.

Trusted by Leading
Specialty Retailers

Why choose UTC Retail?

We are recongized by industry experts for unmatched service, reliability, and performance—trusted by retailers to deliver results they can count on.

Leadership built on deacdes of retail expertise

Our executive team brings over 100 combined years of point-of-sale and retail technology experience. From Fortune 500 management to engineering innovation, we understand retail operations from every angle.

Samuel J. Villanti

President & CEO

Sam joined UTC RETAIL as President and CEO in 1998 and led the management buy-out of UTC from Tridex Corporation in 2000. Sam has more than thirty years of management experience in the Point of Service industry. Sam previously held leadership positions with Axiohm IPB, Price Waterhouse Management Consulting Services and NCR Corporation. He is a member of the Young Presidents Organization and a member of the School of Business Advisory Council at Ithaca College.  Sam has also served as a member of the Board of Directors with Ontario County United Way and Flower City Habitat for Humanity Leaders Build.

Daniel Henry

VP & CFO

Dan joined UTC RETAIL in 2020. Prior to joining UTC, Dan served as the CFO of Vanteon Corporation for over 15 years.  Throughout his career, Dan has held a variety of accounting and financial positions. Dan has more than 25 years of financial management experience within the software, hardware, and manufacturing industries.

Travis Downs

VP Hardware Solutions

Travis joined UTC RETAIL in 2021 with 20 years of test engineering and operations management experience.  He started his career at General Motor's advanced propulsion center testing Fuel Cells for automotive applications.  Prior to joining UTC, Travis served as General Manager at Enetics where he worked to develop advanced Natural Gas and Electric monitoring equipment.  Travis has over 12 years of experience managing supply chain, manufacturing, and R&D activities.  

Mitchell Mead

VP Software & Services

Mitch joined UTC RETAIL in 2009. He has been active in the retail industry for more than 25 years, in a wide range of positions including store-level, corporate-level, operations, managing retail systems and support for multi-store retailers. Prior to UTC RETAIL, Mitch was with GERS/Escalate Retail managing system implementations. His extensive retail expertise includes POS, Merchandising, CRM and Loyalty.