Chicago-based AHEAD, which builds platforms for digital business, Data Blue, which delivers customized storage, backup and server virtualization and consolidation solutions, and Sovereign Systems, an IT service management company, agreed to merge. Financial terms were not disclosed. “With this combination, our ability to scale expands substantially. Our larger, combined brand will help us serve clients more effectively, but the minimal regional overlap will allow us to maintain the close-knit relationships that our clients have come to expect.” Matt Cadogan, Managing Partner of Sovereign.