It took a hitch in the Navy for Judson Meyers to realize his professional passion, although given his zeal for fixing things, it isn’t too surprising. During his service, several of his fellow sailors had been grousing about a common area copier that was constantly getting jammed. While copier repair didn’t fall under Meyers’ purview, he felt a calling to address the issue. Little did he know at the time that it was the beginning of a lifelong calling.
“It sounded like an interesting/fun challenge so I worked on the copier and fixed it,” said Meyers, a 2025 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “It was satisfying to resolve the issue. After I left the Navy, I contacted a previous neighbor friend and he got me a job as a technician.”
Meyers parlayed that seemingly innocuous opportunity to lend a hand into a career that has spanned 40 years. He’s currently the production support manager and color specialist for Copiers Northwest in Seattle, but his CV reads like a how-to guide for printing: technician, field service supervisor, field service manager, zone consultant and service manager. His office walls are blanketed with certifications, including many that cover color management and working on Canon gear.
It’s the ability to fix things that helps fuel his passion for resolving issues and helping people. Meyers is admittedly a perfectionist with a tenacious resolve to make things happen. Battle tested, he once strolled through a gauntlet courtesy of a harrowing experience that has stuck with him.
It was 1999 and the over-hyped event known as Y2K caused businesses globally to brace for computer systems failures that, as we know, never transpired. Technicians including Meyers mobilized in the weeks and months leading up to Y2K, doing all they could to keep clients online and operating once the clock struck midnight, ushering in Jan. 1, 2000.
Meyers had been asked to install a patch for his company’s print drivers on the server of a particular Seattle-based coffee giant. He was hesitant, but once the client’s IT rep brought Meyers into the server room, he went to work. The IT guy opened the CD tray before exiting, leaving Meyers to insert the disc, run his patch and reboot the system. Much to his horror, the reboot had taken place on the main corporate server, and impacted the company globally. The client didn’t have a “print server” back then, and it took about 45 minutes to recover.
It may not have been his fault, but it did result in a few gray hairs. “Since the IT rep left me unattended and I was just following a directive, I was safe,” Meyers said. “But ever since then, I always ask/confirm before rebooting.”
During his career, Meyers has enjoyed many more wins than setbacks. He’s benefitted from the wisdom of several team members, led by Michael Coenan, his trainer/mentor. It left Meyers with a holistic approach to fixes, especially being mindful to “cure the cause and not just treat the symptom.”
Meyers spent much of the past year working with service and sales management to elevate the dealer’s production service and sales chops, which he believes has provided a significant point of differentiation for Copiers Northwest. Moving forward, he’s seeking to raise his own game through training and always looking for ways to be more efficient, in addition to being open.
A bit of self-diagnostics is also key to Meyers living his best life. Given his tenacious nature, it’s important not to internalize the workday’s troubles, thus his goals are to “slow down, be less stressed and enjoy life.”
On the personal front, Meyers and his wife, Shannon, have been married for 31 years. They enjoy taking trips down the West Coast, including along the Oregon waterfront. The Meyers have three children: Caitlin, Elizabeth and Joshua. Father and son are gear heads who love to work on vehicles, including a 1978 Ford F250 P/U and a highly modified 2006 Mustang GT.
