Jim Cerkleski is the first person to admit that he’s a bit of a hands-on executive when it comes to every aspect of business. He’s left his fingerprints at a number of ventures during his career—Superior Office Products, Superior Wireless and now Clover Imaging Group.
That he has experienced success and overcome challenges at every mile along the road of his career validates Cerkleski’s penchant for taking the steering wheel. After all, Cerkleski knows where he’s been and is hell-bent on getting to where he’s going next…regardless of how many obstacles lay in the road ahead.
“Some may even say that I am too hands-on, but I challenge the leaders within the organization by asking tough questions and expecting accountability,” said Cerkleski, chairman of Clover Imaging Group and a 2020 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “No one would say I’m afraid to get my hands dirty. But truth be told, I am fortunate to have a driven, loyal leadership team that gives 110% every day.”
Cerkleski views himself as the stereotypical entrepreneur—thriving on risk, making deals and navigating complex situations. He grips the bat a little tighter in challenging situations, eager to deliver in clutch situations that can spell the difference between victory and defeat. But he’s no one-man star of the show; Cerkleski is fiercely proud of that world-class leadership team he alluded to, and is proud of how it continues to drive the business forward.
Speaking of clutch situations, 2019 represented some of the finest work done by Cerkleski and Co. to date. When Clover’s former parent company, 4L Technologies, showed signs of buckling under a debt load, he led a management buyout. Cerkleski then quickly scooped up the assets of bankrupt competitor LMI Solutions and embarked on a Silver Bullet program that counter-acted attempts by manufacturer competitors to undercut pricing.
Early Lesson
Cerkleski’s professional journey began with IBM shortly after graduating from Northern Illinois University, but he soon soured on the notion of working in corporate America. When he started his own business, Cerkleski learned his first lesson in business—he had signed a non-compete agreement with IBM, and needed to shift from selling hardware to offering supplies such as fax paper, typewriter ribbons and printer cartridges. Thus, a career in the office products industry was born.
One of the biggest turning points in Cerkleski’s career came in 2005, when Clover acquired Dataproducts from Hitachi, enabling the company to expand into Europe and Mexico. “That’s when I started to understand the magnitude of the business we had built,” he explained. “That acquisition, of a company of a similar size, completely transformed our capabilities and really solidified our status as a market leader in the aftermarket space.”
Another positive byproduct of the Dataproducts deal was the influence of Bill Barclay, the former executive vice president of Ricoh Printing Systems America (RPSA), the manufacturer of Dataproducts and other compatible supplies brands, who would become president of the Dataproducts USA, LLC division of Clover. Cerkleski cited Barclay’s ethical approach to treating customers as being impactful.
“Bill’s philosophy of ‘Take care of the people you do business with and it will come back tenfold’ was a definite influence on me throughout the years,” Cerkleski noted.
The 2019 restructuring of Clover was the best education Cerkleski ever received. While separating the wireless division from the imaging division was challenging and exhausting, it was ultimately the right move, in his estimation.
“I would not wish it upon anyone, but the experience and knowledge I gained from all of the attorneys, financial analysts and investment bankers that we worked with as we navigated this process was invaluable,” Cerkleski added.
Digging Deep
Coming off the restructuring experience, Cerkleski obviously could not envision the pandemic challenge around the corner. Clover mobilized in short order, adjusting its business operations and diversifying into product categories such as personal protective equipment, to weather the COVID-19 storm and position the company for a stronger future.
Cerkleski is bent on allowing his teams to become fully engaged and using their strengths and skillsets to drive the business. One of the keys moving forward was the appointment of George Milton as CEO. He credits Milton with setting the stage for future growth and providing the leadership necessary to usher in the next chapter of Clover’s story.
“At this point in my career, it’s about leaving a legacy I am proud of and a big part of that is putting the right people in the right roles to position the company for success well into the future,” Cerkleski said.
On the home front, Cerkleski and his wife, Sheryl, have been married for 24 years. They have two children—a recent college graduate and another who is an underclassman. An avid golfer, fisherman, boater and hunter, Cerkleski finds his greatest enjoyment to be spending time at their lake house with family and friends.
“I live for those family times,” he added.
