{"id":10429,"date":"2014-11-25T09:37:01","date_gmt":"2014-11-25T14:37:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=10429"},"modified":"2015-03-03T11:39:17","modified_gmt":"2015-03-03T16:39:17","slug":"elite-dealers-2014-25-49-9-million","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/elite-dealers\/2014\/11\/elite-dealers-2014-25-49-9-million\/","title":{"rendered":"Elite Dealers 2014: $25-$49.9 Million"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Earlier<\/a>

Earlier this year, Advance unveiled a dedicated, state-of-the-art production center. Not only does the new showroom showcase the Elite Dealer\u2019s most powerful Ricoh, Canon, and EFI products, but it also serves as a back-up print center for production customers should they ever have the need.<\/p><\/div>\n

Advance<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cockeysville, MD<\/p>\n

www.advancestuff.com<\/p>\n

Year Founded<\/strong>: 1964<\/p>\n

Principal\/President\/CEO<\/strong>: Jeff Elkin<\/p>\n

Number of Employees<\/strong>: 170<\/p>\n

Primary Vendors<\/strong>: Ricoh\/Savin, Canon, KIP, Kyocera, Samsung, Panasonic<\/p>\n

Primary Solutions Offerings<\/strong>: DocuWare, eCopy, LincWare, Objectif Lune, Managed Print Services<\/p>\n

Document Management, Managed IT Services, Production Print<\/p>\n

Primary Supplies Vendors<\/strong>: Savin, Ricoh, Canon<\/p>\n

Primary Leasing Partners<\/strong>: Advance Business Systems & Supply Company (Advance\u2019s in-house leasing<\/p>\n

company), GreatAmerica Financial Services Corp, CIT, DLL, Marlin Finance<\/p>\n

Approximate Yearly Revenues<\/strong>: $35-$40 million<\/p>\n

Fastest Growing Segments of Advance\u2019s Business<\/strong>: Advance continues to thrive in both its traditional<\/p>\n

hardware and professional service portfolio offerings. Specifically, remote support and mobile solutions<\/p>\n

continue to grow, with a recent upsurge in production print, and managed IT services. It continues to<\/p>\n

give customers the option of our Onsite and Online program for pre-configuration of their new devices<\/p>\n

enabling plug and play capability upon delivery. Last year, the program saw another increase in<\/p>\n

participation (7%) resulting in 78% of all Advance network installations completed prior to arrival at the<\/p>\n

customer\u2019s site using remote network tools.<\/p>\n

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year<\/strong>: Achieving its 50th year in business this past July.<\/p>\n

5 Reasons We Consider Advance Elite<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> Surviving and thriving 50 years in the office imaging industry while leveraging that longevity with<\/p>\n

customers and prospects through a series of vertically-targeted events in its new production<\/p>\n

showroom.<\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> Reactivation of its referral program where customers are rewarded with a gift for submitting<\/p>\n

qualified referrals to Advance.<\/p>\n

3.<\/strong> The \u201cSmart Choices\u201d campaign. As one of the largest independently owned and operated<\/p>\n

dealers in Maryland, Advance has deep roots within the communities it serves. One particular<\/p>\n

strategy has been to partner with many of the region\u2019s premiere organizations, such as the<\/p>\n

Baltimore Ravens, Maryland Athletics, National Aquarium in Baltimore, and the Maryland Zoo,<\/p>\n

to not only support their office efficiencies, but to collaborate on philanthropic efforts. All of the<\/p>\n

organizations that it has partnered with have charitable entities in which Advance is actively<\/p>\n

involved. One way that it continues to promote these relationships is through a television and<\/p>\n

web campaign, \u201cSmart Choices.\u201d The primary objective of the campaign is to differentiate<\/p>\n

Advance by promoting these relationships and further showing its commitment to the local<\/p>\n

community. Each spot features a creature related to the organization and culminates with the<\/p>\n

statement that \u201c[the name of the partner]\u2026chose Advance as their official document solutions<\/p>\n

provider.\u201d followed by the creature affirming, \u201cSmart Choice. They\u2019re good people.\u201d All of the<\/p>\n

spots can be viewed on our YouTube channel: http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/advanceTDS<\/p>\n

4.<\/strong> In support of its commitment to the production space, Advance unveiled a new, state-of-the-art,<\/p>\n

production center devoted to showcasing the latest innovations in digital print.<\/p>\n

5.<\/strong> A commitment to its employees through a caring and nurturing work culture. To ensure this<\/p>\n

positive culture extends well into the next 50 years, recruitment and retention continues to be a<\/p>\n

primary focus. Advance is committed to developing each and every one of its employees. It<\/p>\n

prefers to promote from within and has a dedicated management development program for<\/p>\n

individuals looking for the opportunity to grow.<\/p>\n

\"John<\/a>

John Lowery, President, Applied Imaging<\/p><\/div>\n

Applied Imaging<\/strong><\/p>\n

Grand Rapids, MI<\/p>\n

www.appliedimaging.com<\/p>\n

Year Founded<\/strong>: 1987<\/p>\n

Principal\/President\/CEO<\/strong>: John Lowery<\/p>\n

Number of Employees<\/strong>: 210<\/p>\n

Primary Vendors<\/strong>: Ricoh, Canon, Samsung, Kyocera, Oc\u00e9<\/p>\n

Primary Solutions Offerings<\/strong>: Hyland, Microsoft, Square 9<\/p>\n

Primary Leasing Partners<\/strong>: US Bank<\/p>\n

Approximate Yearly Revenues<\/strong>: $47 million<\/p>\n

Fastest Growing Segments of Applied Imaging\u2019s Business<\/strong>: All areas of the business have grown<\/p>\n

significantly in the past few years, most notably the MPS (PrintSmart) and document imaging divisions<\/p>\n

(DocSmart). In addition, the dealership\u2019s new facilities management (BizSmart) and high-production<\/p>\n

printer (ProTeam) divisions have established traction and are poised for exponential growth over the<\/p>\n

next few years.<\/p>\n

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year<\/strong>: Applied Imaging solidified its presence in Detroit and is<\/p>\n

preparing to open two additional branches in the metropolitan area over the next year or two.<\/p>\n

5 Reasons We Consider Applied Imaging Elite<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> It has an established brand in West Michigan and is beginning to create one in the Eastern<\/p>\n

portion of the state, which includes Detroit. Part of this brand includes labeling everything it<\/p>\n

does, positioning the Applied brand as unique and apart from its competition. In addition to<\/p>\n

labeling all its solutions groups, Applied labeled its off-site service center the Customer Loyalty<\/p>\n

Center while Applied\u2019s training center is labeled Get Smart University.<\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> It has aggressive marketing and advertising campaigns. This has not only solidified its brand and<\/p>\n

communicates its expanding services and capabilities, it gives Applied\u2019s employees instant<\/p>\n

recognition in business and social situations.<\/p>\n

3.<\/strong> President John Lowery has established a culture in which employees not only understand what<\/p>\n

they do, but why they do it. Several steps he takes to ensure this passion for service, people,<\/p>\n

and business include four all-employee meetings per year with themes, motivational speakers,<\/p>\n

and employee recognitions, a monthly Breakfast with the President with small groups of<\/p>\n

employees, recreational staff outings and annual customer events that both customers and<\/p>\n

employees eagerly anticipate in each year.<\/p>\n

4.<\/strong> Its \u201cApplied Chemistry\u201d label that is used to describe its work culture. This has 11 Elements to<\/p>\n

guide employees through their daily professional and personal lives. The 11 Elements are BTU<\/p>\n

(Build Team Unity), HTN (Hit the Number), Community (Pay it Forward), Creativity, Dream,<\/p>\n

Family, Humility, Integrity, SBS (Selection by Success), Service and, most importantly, Fun.<\/p>\n

5.<\/strong> It supports a different charity each month. Employees are encouraged to donate at least $5<\/p>\n

dollars each week in exchange for the opportunity to wear jeans on Wednesday. Employees are<\/p>\n

also invited to volunteer 10 paid hours per calendar year at an organization they are interested<\/p>\n

in. This allows employees devote their time to the causes that are dearest to them, so they are<\/p>\n

able to thoroughly enjoy the time they spend volunteering.<\/p>\n

\"Tarek<\/a>

Tarek Hafiz, President, CBE<\/p><\/div>\n

Cell Business Equipment (CBE)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Irvine, CA<\/p>\n

www.kopiers.com<\/p>\n

Year Founded<\/strong>: 1997<\/p>\n

Principal\/President\/CEO<\/strong>: Tarek Hafiz<\/p>\n

Number of Employees<\/strong>: 107<\/p>\n

Primary Vendors<\/strong>: Sharp, Ricoh, Canon, Samsung, Francotyp-Postalia<\/p>\n

Primary Solutions Offerings<\/strong>: Equitrac, Print Audit, Webiplex, Docupeak, SuCopia, Laserfiche, Prism<\/p>\n

Software, Objectif Lune, Nuance, Notable Solutions, Ecopy, uniFLOW, PaperCut<\/p>\n

Primary Supplies Vendors<\/strong>: Sharp, Ricoh, Canon, and Samsung imaging supplies; Francotyp-Postalia<\/p>\n

Mailing Equipment ink and supplies<\/p>\n

Primary Leasing Partners<\/strong>: GE Capital, DLL, US Bank, Everbank<\/p>\n

Approximate Yearly Revenues<\/strong>: $25+ million<\/p>\n

Fastest Growing Segments of CBE\u2019s Business<\/strong>: By rarely mentioning new equipment, CBE has been able<\/p>\n

to increase its profitable solution sales, managed print and document management services.<\/p>\n

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year<\/strong>: Opening its fourth branch in the Ontario area has enabled a<\/p>\n

26 percent growth in sales in the Inland Empire areas of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.<\/p>\n

5 Reasons We Consider CBE Elite<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> It increased staff by 23 percent last year.<\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> Its periodic, creative sales promotions. CBE\u2019s planned marketing program in 2013 was<\/p>\n

implemented when owner Tarek Hafiz approached Apple to make a custom iPad that has the<\/p>\n

CBE logo designed into the cover and a photo of the CBE staff with the caption: \u201cFrom all of us<\/p>\n

at CBE, THANK YOU.\u201d The iPad sales promotion give-away has been a huge success with<\/p>\n

customers and the sales reps. This has generated instant referrals, which have been the catalyst<\/p>\n

for many new clients becoming part of the CBE family of satisfied clients.<\/p>\n

3.<\/strong> It sponsors local children\u2019s athletic groups, donates to local charities, and donates office<\/p>\n

equipment to nonprofit organizations.<\/p>\n

4.<\/strong> There is a rich mixture of socio-economic background, race, religion, ethnicity, age, culture and<\/p>\n

country of birth among the employees at CBE and in the greater Southern California population.<\/p>\n

5.<\/strong> It has consistently been honored by its vendors, Sharp and Ricoh, and has been recognized by<\/p>\n

Inc. magazine and the Orange County Business Journal for its rapid growth, as well as by ITEX for<\/p>\n

its sales expertise, its website, and its community involvement.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Rick<\/a>

Rick Bastinelli, Centric’s CEO.<\/p><\/div>\n

Centric Business Systems<\/strong><\/p>\n

Owing Mills, MD<\/p>\n

www.centricbiz.com<\/p>\n

Year Founded<\/strong>: 1990<\/p>\n

Principal\/President\/CEO<\/strong>: Rick Bastinelli<\/p>\n

Number of Employees<\/strong>: 165<\/p>\n

Primary Vendors<\/strong>: Sharp, Ricoh, Kyocera, HP<\/p>\n

Primary Solutions Offerings<\/strong>: A variety of software to transition companies to digital workflow, to<\/p>\n

control output costs, to control usage, and to provide rules-based authorization. Fax server solutions<\/p>\n

and print for pay solutions.<\/p>\n

Primary Supplies Vendors<\/strong>: Ricoh, Sharp, West Point<\/p>\n

Primary Leasing Partners<\/strong>: DLL, US Bank<\/p>\n

Approximate Yearly Revenues<\/strong>: $40-$45 million<\/p>\n

Fastest Growing Segments of Centric\u2019s Business<\/strong>: Combining organic growth, new products, and<\/p>\n

services, geographic expansion and acquisitions, Centric has experienced a 57% increase in revenue over<\/p>\n

the past three years.<\/p>\n

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year<\/strong>: Its ability to maintain significant growth in all aspects of the<\/p>\n

dealership, including revenue ($40,000,000+), staff (exceeded 165 employees), customers (exceeded<\/p>\n

20,000 devices under contract), and pages serviced (exceeded 100,000,000 pages per month).<\/p>\n

5 Reasons We Consider Centric Elite<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> To fuel growth and maintain staffing for all five offices, Centric hired three full-time recruiters.<\/p>\n

This has reduced the dealership\u2019s dependency on employment agencies, hired better candidates<\/p>\n

that match its culture, and reduced turnover.<\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> The growth of its MPS clients; during the past three years Centric has doubled the number of<\/p>\n

printers under contract.<\/p>\n

3.<\/strong> Its vertical market approach to developing net new business in the marketplace. Centric has<\/p>\n

recruited, hired, and trained members of its sales staff to become experts and focus on specific<\/p>\n

vertical markets. All its efforts are directed to prospecting, presenting, supporting and building<\/p>\n

business relationships in their vertical assignments. Key areas of vertical market focus are<\/p>\n

healthcare, legal, religious, government, education, and production.<\/p>\n

4.<\/strong> A company culture based on commitment to customer satisfaction. Named the CustomerFIRST<\/p>\n

program, it consists of three major principles: responsiveness, communication, and ownership.<\/p>\n

These programs have been very successful because Centric\u2019s employees are motivated by them<\/p>\n

and they benefit customers with outstanding service.<\/p>\n

5.<\/strong> The creation of incentive recognition and motivational programs for all of its employees. Centric<\/p>\n

hosts several company functions per year to thank staff and their families for their dedication to<\/p>\n

Centric. Its CustomerFIRST philosophy promotes a company culture based on commitment to<\/p>\n

customer satisfaction. Incentives built into the CustomerFIRST program include employee<\/p>\n

awards, monetary gifts, and trips. Employees are motivated to follow the philosophy and the<\/p>\n

customers benefit from their commitment. Additionally, Centric provides a corporate culture<\/p>\n

that is centered on employee satisfaction. An internal rewards program, called Caught In Action,<\/p>\n

allows peers to award each other for a job well done.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Edwards'<\/a>

Edwards’ headquarters in Bethlehem, PA.<\/p><\/div>\n

Edwards Business Systems, Inc.\/Virginia Business Systems, Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bethlehem, PA<\/p>\n

www.edwardsbusiness.com, www.virginiabusinesssystems.com<\/p>\n

Year Founded<\/strong>: 1954<\/p>\n

Principal\/President\/CEO<\/strong>: James B. Edwards, Chairman of Edwards Business Systems\/Virginia Business<\/p>\n

Systems\/ Raymond Fuentes, President of Edwards Business Systems, Inc. (EBS)\/James Dotter, President<\/p>\n

of Virginia Business Systems, Inc. (VBS)<\/p>\n

Number of Employees<\/strong>: 164<\/p>\n

Primary Vendors<\/strong>: Konica Minolta, Xerox, Ricoh, Muratec, HP, Supplies Network<\/p>\n

Primary Solutions Offerings<\/strong>: Square 9, Objectif Lunes, Adobe Systems, Nuance, NSi<\/p>\n

Primary Supplies Vendors<\/strong>: Supplies Network<\/p>\n

Approximate Yearly Revenues<\/strong>: $36 million<\/p>\n

Fastest Growing Segments of EBS\u2019s & VBS\u2019s Business: MPS, Solution Software, and Production Print.<\/p>\n

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year<\/strong>: Its continued growth and profitability.<\/p>\n

5 Reasons We Consider EBS & VBS Elite<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> As EBS\/VBS celebrates its 60th year it will enjoy a 10 percent increase in business in 2014 over<\/p>\n

the previous year as it becomes a $36-million dealership.<\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> Its Fast Forward Document Solutions tag line, which succinctly explains what the dealership<\/p>\n

offers its customers.<\/p>\n

3.<\/strong> Its proactive client account reviews not only review service performance, but help the<\/p>\n

dealership understand what changes are going on with clients and their businesses. This process<\/p>\n

allows EBS\/VBS to make recommendations and provide solutions that best suit their customers\u2019<\/p>\n

needs.<\/p>\n

4.<\/strong> The growth in MPS, Solution Software, and Production Print. EBS\/VBS offers specialized teams<\/p>\n

of professional service and support to evaluate, implement, and manage successful software<\/p>\n

solutions for its clients.<\/p>\n

5.<\/strong> Becoming an Approved Partner in the Xerox Authorized Dealer Program. This is one of the most<\/p>\n

important changes that the company has encountered this year. Adding the new line of<\/p>\n

products from printers, to MFPs, to light production products, required the team at VBS to<\/p>\n

quickly ramp-up their training, knowledge, and service. Within the first month of being a Xerox<\/p>\n

Dealer, VBS landed a major government agency and was able to deliver, install and service over<\/p>\n

120 machines in two months.<\/p>\n

\"Frank<\/a>

Frank Gaspari, founder of FlexPrint.<\/p><\/div>\n

FlexPrint, Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mesa, AZ<\/strong><\/p>\n

Year Founded: 2005<\/strong><\/p>\n

Principal\/President\/CEO: <\/strong>Frank Gaspari<\/p>\n

Number of Employees: 190<\/strong><\/p>\n

Primary Vendors:<\/strong> Brother, Dell, HP, Lexmark, OKI, Ricoh Family (Lanier, Ricoh, Savin, Gestetner), Sharp, Xerox XPPS<\/p>\n

Primary Solutions Offerings:<\/strong> \u00a0FM Audit, ROI Print Manager, PaperCut, National Managed Print Program<\/p>\n

Primary Supplies Vendors: <\/strong>MSE, Clover Technologies, West Point Products Azerty, Supplies Network<\/p>\n

Primary Leasing Partners:<\/strong> GE, GreatAmerica, US Bank, Wells Fargo<\/p>\n

Approximate Yearly Revenues<\/strong>: $38 million<\/p>\n

Fastest Growing Segments of FlexPrint\u2019s Business:<\/strong> For the past three years, its MPS business has grown more than 96 percent, year over year.<\/p>\n

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year<\/strong>: Recognized in the Inc. 500|5000 list for the 5th consecutive year for organic growth.<\/p>\n

5 Reasons We Consider FlexPrint Elite: <\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. It\u2019s success with MPS with fully 100 percent of its customers under an MPS contract.<\/li>\n
  2. Its founding business principal of providing strategic management of its clients\u2019 existing document output environments rather than services as an afterthought or support for hardware sales, which is the primary area of FlexPrint\u2019s organic growth.<\/li>\n
  3. The effectiveness of its 1 to 1 marketing efforts, particularly this past year. One successful example is a \u201cSurvivor Pack\u201d created for C-level executives attending a national conference, which had a response rate of 95 percent.<\/li>\n
  4. The way FlexPrint takes great pride in providing excellent benefits and unusual perks to keep employees engaged and motivated in taking care of\u00a0its customers. The company sincerely believes that Happy Employees = Happy Customers. Some of the interesting incentive programs FlexPrint provides include: Flex10 Incentive Awards \u2013 60 employees receive $300 gift cards to places of choice, in addition to being eligible for a vacation to Cabo San Lucas and $10,000 in paid bills (awarded to top 10 employees at the end of the year); dream vacations of choice to 10 employees and their families; car payments for a full year to 20 employees.<\/li>\n
  5. National and industry recognition, including the Inc. 500\/5000 list for the fifth time, a nine-time winner of the \u2018Best Place to Work\u201d award (the latest for the Chicago marketplace), Perfect Image Award for Best MPS Program, and inclusion in the CRN 500 list as a top technology integrator.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"Leo<\/a>

    Leo Bonetti, President, Flo-Tech.<\/p><\/div>\n

    Flo-Tech<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Middletown, CT<\/p>\n

    www.flotech.net<\/p>\n

    Year Founded<\/strong>: 1992<\/p>\n

    Principal\/President\/CEO<\/strong>: Leo Bonetti<\/p>\n

    Number of Employees<\/strong>: 162+<\/p>\n

    Primary Vendors<\/strong>: HP, Canon, Xerox, Lexmark, Dell, Zebra<\/p>\n

    Primary Solutions Offerings<\/strong>: MPS, Nuance eCopy Sharescan, HP Access Control Intelligent Print<\/p>\n

    Manager, HP ePrint Enterprise<\/p>\n

    Primary Leasing Partners<\/strong>: Canon Financial, US Bank, Great America<\/p>\n

    Approximate Yearly Revenues<\/strong>: $30+ million<\/p>\n

    Fastest Growing Segments of Flo-Tech\u2019s Business<\/strong>: MFP placements, and MPS with more than 30,000<\/p>\n

    devices under contract and managing 1.5 billion pages and growing.<\/p>\n

    Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year<\/strong>: For the second year in a row, Flo-Tech was selected for the<\/p>\n

    Photizo MPS Leaders Index\u2014one of only 14 companies worldwide noted as the \u201cgold standard\u201d in MPS.<\/p>\n

    5 Reasons We Consider Flo-Tech Elite<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

    1.<\/strong> Its unique positioning in the industry. Flo-Tech is smaller than the large OEMs, but larger than<\/p>\n

    the average copier dealers and resellers. With a \u201cright-sized\u201d company like Flo-Tech, it is nimble<\/p>\n

    enough to provide clients with personal attention, work with them to resolve key issues, and<\/p>\n

    provide flexibility that other organizations can\u2019t offer. On the flip side, Flo-Tech is large enough<\/p>\n

    to have the resources, infrastructure, and technology to provide innovative solutions and<\/p>\n

    support millions and millions of transactions on a monthly basis, while providing personal<\/p>\n

    attention and innovative solutions.<\/p>\n

    2.<\/strong> Flo-Tech\u2019s Alert Management Software\u2122 (AMS), a unique remote monitoring application for its<\/p>\n

    customers\u2019 printing and imaging infrastructure. This patent-pending Flo-Tech developed system<\/p>\n

    manages thousands of alerts generated by customer printing and imaging devices with<\/p>\n

    automated, intelligent alert handling capabilities to improve the availability and productivity of<\/p>\n

    their output-infrastructure while reducing the support requirements. This can be used to<\/p>\n

    monitor devices across the country from a central location. AMS is also a platform for predictive<\/p>\n

    service and the basis for Flo-Tech\u2019s recognition as a CIO100 Award Winner presented by CIO<\/p>\n

    Magazine.<\/p>\n

    3.<\/strong> Its Activity Based Cleaning (ABC) Program\u2122, a strategic preventative maintenance program<\/p>\n

    designed to optimize fleet performance, minimize downtime, and maximize the useful life of<\/p>\n

    devices. With Activity Based Cleaning\u2122, preventative maintenance is performed based on actual<\/p>\n

    page volumes and device utilization measured against a set of predetermined thresholds. Flo-<\/p>\n

    Tech\u2019s program, which also includes proactive parts replacement, was designed to maximize the<\/p>\n

    effectiveness of preventative maintenance cleanings and to keep devices consistently operating<\/p>\n

    at peak performance.<\/p>\n

    4.<\/strong> Its Referral Rewards program. In 2013, Flo-Tech introduced a new referral program called<\/p>\n

    Referral Rewards that leverages social media and includes a charitable contribution component.<\/p>\n

    For participants in the program providing qualified referrals, Flo-Tech will make a donation to<\/p>\n

    one of four selected charities (American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, The Make<\/p>\n

    a Wish Foundation and St. Jude\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital) or to a charity of the participant\u2019s<\/p>\n

    choosing.<\/p>\n

    5.<\/strong> It employs people with disabilities in conjunction with the Arc of Meriden-Wallingford, a local<\/p>\n

    non-profit organization that provides advocacy, residential, recreational, community and<\/p>\n

    employment services to adults with intellectual, developmental and cognitive disabilities. Under<\/p>\n

    this program, Flo-Tech works with ARC to gainfully employ people that take advantage of the<\/p>\n

    service they provide. Based on the success of this program, Flo-Tech has also been honored by<\/p>\n

    the Arc of Meriden-Wallingford as \u201cEmployer of the Year.\u201d<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"fraser_logo\"<\/a>Fraser-AIS<\/strong><\/p>\n

    West Reading, PA<\/p>\n

    www.fraser-ais.com<\/p>\n

    Year Founded<\/strong>: 1971<\/p>\n

    Principal\/President\/CEO<\/strong>: Bill Fraser<\/p>\n

    Number of Employees<\/strong>: 132<\/p>\n

    Primary Vendors<\/strong>: Sharp, Canon, Canon Oc\u00e9, 3D Systems, HP, Microsoft, VMware, Intel, N-able,<\/p>\n

    ConnectWise, Intact Document Management Software, Axcient<\/p>\n

    Primary Solutions Offerings<\/strong>: Prisma Software, N-able, Connectwise, VMware, MaaS 360, Equitrac,<\/p>\n

    Papercut, Kodak Capture Pro, ScanShare, Print Fleet, PDF Pro, Sharpdesk Mobile, SharePlus, Fingerprint,<\/p>\n

    Sharp AIP (Authorized Integrator Program) Suite, Intact Document Management Suite, Axcient<\/p>\n

    Approximate Yearly Revenues<\/strong>: $27-$31 million<\/p>\n

    Fastest Growing Segments of Fraser\u2019s Business<\/strong>: Managed Network Services. Fraser has invested in the<\/p>\n

    transition from a stand-alone copier dealer to a full IT strategy provider, integrating the sales and IT<\/p>\n

    forces together into one unified team providing document management, MPS, software solutions, and<\/p>\n

    IT and network support to develop the paths of the company and the careers of the employees. With its<\/p>\n

    sales force getting a better understanding of the IT world, Fraser is able to pursue a higher quality of<\/p>\n

    technology support systems and adapt new processes that have been streamlined the past year.<\/p>\n

    Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year<\/strong>: Adding 3D printing to its lineup of tools and its company<\/p>\n

    culture.<\/p>\n

    5 Reasons We Consider Fraser-AIS Elite<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

    1. <\/strong>Revenue for the first six months of 2014 is up by 16.67 percent while net operating income is up<\/p>\n

    10.9%.<\/p>\n

    2.<\/strong> Its focus on getting customers in the door to receive an educational experience of what the<\/p>\n

    dealership can provide. Its demo and showroom is split into five areas: Global Support, Disaster<\/p>\n

    Recovery, Document Management, 3D Printing, and Production & Graphics equipment. This has<\/p>\n

    helped Fraser become successful in building relationships with IT professionals by getting them<\/p>\n

    in its offices and providing them with a hands-on experience with what Fraser has to offer.<\/p>\n

    3.<\/strong> Customer Appreciation. Fraser prides itself in thanking their customers. Throughout the year it<\/p>\n

    holds many customer appreciation nights or networking events focused solely on customers.<\/p>\n

    These events are co-sponsored with Fraser\u2019s vendors and provide a great way to get its vendors<\/p>\n

    some face to face time with the people that use their products every day. These events build<\/p>\n

    personal and professional relationships that last between Fraser and its customers for 30+ years.<\/p>\n

    4.<\/strong> The various programs and committees in place that promote change and new ideas, which are<\/p>\n

    then brought to the leadership team. One of its biggest successes was the creation of the FAST<\/p>\n

    Team, Formative Action for Successful Teamwork. This team is made up of employees from<\/p>\n

    accounting, billing, customer support, and the leadership team who meet quarterly to discuss<\/p>\n

    problems as well as ideas to help streamline all aspects of the workflow that they handle every<\/p>\n

    day.<\/p>\n

    5.<\/strong> Fraser\u2019s Global Support Center. The Global Support Center and Virtual Intelligence Software<\/p>\n

    (VIS) continue to evolve and provides an unmatched level of service to Fraser\u2019s customers. To<\/p>\n

    keep its service one step ahead of the competition, Fraser has created an internal position for a<\/p>\n

    VIS Specialist. This person is responsible for setting up new customers, creating and reporting on<\/p>\n

    service and supply alerts. She works closely with the Global Support Center team to provide<\/p>\n

    great support for our customers.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"Frank<\/a>

    Frank Cucco, President, Impact Networking, LLC.<\/p><\/div>\n

    Impact Networking LLC<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Waukegan, IL<\/p>\n

    www.impactnetworking.com<\/p>\n

    Year Founded<\/strong>: 1999<\/p>\n

    Principal\/President\/CEO<\/strong>: Frank Cucco<\/p>\n

    Number of Employees<\/strong>: 182<\/p>\n

    Primary Vendors<\/strong>: Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Riso, KIP, Muratec<\/p>\n

    Primary Solutions Offerings<\/strong>: DocuWare, ObjectifLune, NSi, PaperCut, ViaWorks, Square 9, Kofax, MPS<\/p>\n

    Primary Supplies Vendors<\/strong>: Konica Minolta, Kyocera<\/p>\n

    Primary Leasing Partners<\/strong>: GE, Key Leasing, Everbank<\/p>\n

    Approximate Yearly Revenues<\/strong>: $45 million<\/p>\n

    Fastest Growing Segments of Impact Networking\u2019s Business<\/strong>: Document Management (30%),<\/p>\n

    MPS (25% year-over-year growth rate for overall MPS service revenue, 90% in new monthly billings),<\/p>\n

    Online Marketing (175%), Production Print (10%)<\/p>\n

    Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year<\/strong>: Breaking ground on its new flagship corporate headquarters.<\/p>\n

    This was a true symbol of the dealership\u2019s growth and success.<\/p>\n

    5 Reasons We Consider Impact Elite<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

    1.<\/strong> Integrations with Out-of-the Box Software. A unique service Impact offers is custom solutions<\/p>\n

    tied into off-the-shelf software. As a result Impact has seen a substantial opportunity to cross-<\/p>\n

    collaborate strategic service offerings (Document Management software\u2014PaperCut,<\/p>\n

    PlanetPress and ViaWorks, etc.) with its Creative Services Group\u2019s custom application<\/p>\n

    development skills. Recently, it\u2019s been leveraging this collaboration between the Document<\/p>\n

    Management team and Creative Services Group to focus on automating office workflow tasks.<\/p>\n

    While the bulk of its engagements have been focused on lowering cost and increasing efficiency<\/p>\n

    with its document management and MPS hardware solutions, this collaboration takes these<\/p>\n

    ideas even further. Impact will assess business workflow scenarios, such as payroll processing,<\/p>\n

    invoicing, taking orders or packing inventory, and identify redundancies and replace them with<\/p>\n

    cost saving automation. Impact\u2019s team of software developers can write custom applications to<\/p>\n

    allow for the sharing of data across multiple software suites: a client\u2019s ERP system can talk to its<\/p>\n

    payroll system and their in-the-field sales people can place real-time orders into the ERP using<\/p>\n

    tablet-based web apps. These integrations can eliminate redundant data entry and streamline a<\/p>\n

    clunky out-of-date business process. Having this staff in-house adds a level of expertise not<\/p>\n

    commonly seen in this industry.<\/p>\n

    2.<\/strong> Its Updated Showrooms. This year, Impact focused on upgrading its showrooms to enhance this<\/p>\n

    experience because 60 percent of customers who come in for a demo become customers. The<\/p>\n

    dealership has moved its Chicago office to a new space on Michigan Ave, spacious enough for an<\/p>\n

    additional sales team. The office is state-of-the-art with new Impact branded displays and<\/p>\n

    technology. It added new formal conference meeting spaces with upgraded technology for<\/p>\n

    presentations, and the Chicago office has a caf\u00e9 for less formal and casual client meetings.<\/p>\n

    Impact also completely gutted and renovated its Brookfield office to accommodate a bigger<\/p>\n

    showroom with upgraded technology.<\/p>\n

    3.<\/strong> Impact has one of the most comprehensive mentorship programs and on-going sales and<\/p>\n

    equipment training in the industry, allowing it to continually refine employee skills and give<\/p>\n

    them the tools they need for success. Employees undergo a rigorous two-week training program<\/p>\n

    and are encouraged to use part of their workday for research and education, such as reading the<\/p>\n

    latest industry news, trends, and strategies. The majority of its branch managers began as entry-<\/p>\n

    level sales reps and worked through the ranks. This practice of promotion from within has<\/p>\n

    maintained a high percentage of employee retention in senior level positions.<\/p>\n

    4.<\/strong> Its Creative Services Group. This Group supports other Impact departments with custom client<\/p>\n

    solutions in addition to offering direct services to Impact\u2019s customers, including branding,<\/p>\n

    marketing collateral creation, custom website design and development as well as CRM and<\/p>\n

    backend database development. Impact\u2019s Creative Services Group also recently began offering<\/p>\n

    online marketing and social media management services to help strengthen its clients\u2019 brands<\/p>\n

    across the web.<\/p>\n

    5.<\/strong> Its charitable efforts. Impact is involved with several organizations, and since the dealership<\/p>\n

    stresses how important community involvement is to its employees, each region supports their<\/p>\n

    own charity. The dealership currently has four organizations that it works with, the largest being<\/p>\n

    its Letters to Santa program that is supported by Impact\u2019s Illinois branches. Last year, Impact<\/p>\n

    employees raised $14,760.50 for its Letters to Santa Program.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"MOM\u2019s<\/a>

    MOM\u2019s headquarters in Cincinnati, OH.<\/p><\/div>\n

    Modern Office Methods (MOM)<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Cincinnati, OH<\/p>\n

    www.momnet.com<\/p>\n

    Year Founded<\/strong>: 1957<\/p>\n

    Principal\/President\/CEO<\/strong>: Kevin McCarthy<\/p>\n

    Number of Employees<\/strong>: 185<\/p>\n

    Primary Vendors<\/strong>: Canon, Lanier\/Ricoh, Samsung, HP<\/p>\n

    Primary Solutions Offerings<\/strong>: Managed Print Services, Document Management, Mobile Workforce &<\/p>\n

    Cloud Printing, Production Print Solutions, Document Capture Solutions, Cost Recovery & Security<\/p>\n

    Software, Electronic Form Solutions<\/p>\n

    Primary Supplies Vendors<\/strong>: Supplies Network, LMI<\/p>\n

    Primary Leasing Partners<\/strong>: US Bank, Wells Fargo, DLL<\/p>\n

    Approximate Yearly Revenues<\/strong>: $40 million<\/p>\n

    Fastest Growing Segments of MOM\u2019s Business<\/strong>: The strategy and focus on the MPS program has paid off<\/p>\n

    and MOM grew this area of the business by 145 percent in 2012. Devices under contract grew by over<\/p>\n

    110 percent in 2011 vs. 2010, and annual clicks under contract grew by more than 130 percent.<\/p>\n

    Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: For the second time in four years, MOM was named the 2013<\/p>\n

    Image Source Magazine Outstanding Service Program. MOM also was the back-to-back winner in 2012<\/p>\n

    and 2013 for Community Involvement from the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce.<\/p>\n

    5 Reasons We Consider MOM Elite<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

    1.<\/strong> Its FleetCare Managed Print Services (MPS) program, which has been a key driver of future<\/p>\n

    growth.<\/p>\n

    2.<\/strong> Its aggressive growth strategy has been fueled by the acquisition of two separate document<\/p>\n

    solutions companies, both former Xerox office equipment dealers. Both companies brought<\/p>\n

    different strengths to the table from production print to rural market relationships. These<\/p>\n

    acquisitions have taken MOM into an industry sector where it did not previously have a<\/p>\n

    presence.<\/p>\n

    3.<\/strong> Being awarded the 2014 Corporate Community Service Award at the Blue Ash Awards. Through<\/p>\n

    its efforts with the Jump START Your Nonprofit contest and MOM Live Well \u2013 Work Well<\/p>\n

    Wellness Team, the dealership has become a leader in Community Involvement in the markets it<\/p>\n

    serves.<\/p>\n

    4.<\/strong> The four-step process that MOM\u2019s sales reps follow when they become engaged with a new<\/p>\n

    prospect. The four key words that are associated with this process are \u201cCLARIFY, SIMPLIFY,<\/p>\n

    IMPLEMENT, REVIEW. MOM\u2019s approach is consultative, so it must first CLARIFY the needs of<\/p>\n

    each specific client because they are all different. Sales reps then work to SIMPLIFY the client\u2019s<\/p>\n

    current state. Next, MOM IMPLEMENTs its strategy to fit the client\u2019s culture and takes<\/p>\n

    advantage of the new technology they are investing in. The final step of the process is an<\/p>\n

    ongoing REVIEW schedule. Reviews vary from client to client and may be scheduled for every<\/p>\n

    month, quarter, or bi-annually. These reviews are strategy sessions to encourage a partnership<\/p>\n

    feel with clients and find out if there have been any changes to the way they are doing business.<\/p>\n

    By holding these reviews, MOM is able to adapt its offerings to the clients and reallocate any<\/p>\n

    equipment to better serve their needs.<\/p>\n

    5.<\/strong> To make its offices a more enjoyable place to work, the dealership recently developed the Live<\/p>\n

    Well \u2013 Work Well wellness committee. The committee has already been responsible for the<\/p>\n

    2013 Holiday Season \u201cMaintain, Don\u2019t Gain\u201d contest, the \u201cThin It to Win It\u201d contest, and the<\/p>\n

    \u201cJump START Your Walking\u201d contest that will coincide with MOM\u2019s Jump START Your Nonprofit<\/p>\n

    contest. The wellness committee has also opened MOM Fresh Markets in all of its branches.<\/p>\n

    Committee members stock the Fresh Market with healthy and affordable foods.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Advance Cockeysville, MD www.advancestuff.com Year Founded: 1964 Principal\/President\/CEO: Jeff Elkin Number of Employees: 170 Primary Vendors: Ricoh\/Savin, Canon, KIP, Kyocera, Samsung, Panasonic Primary Solutions Offerings: DocuWare, eCopy, LincWare, Objectif Lune, Managed Print Services Document Management, Managed IT Services, Production Print Primary Supplies Vendors: Savin, Ricoh, Canon Primary Leasing Partners: Advance Business Systems & Supply Company (Advance\u2019s in-house leasing company), GreatAmerica Financial Services Corp, CIT, DLL, Marlin Finance Approximate Yearly Revenues: $35-$40 million Fastest Growing Segments of Advance\u2019s Business: Advance continues to thrive in both its traditional hardware and professional service portfolio offerings. Specifically, remote support and mobile solutions continue to grow, with a recent upsurge in production print, and managed IT services. It continues to give customers the option of our Onsite and Online program for pre-configuration of their new devices enabling plug and play capability upon delivery. Last year, the program saw another increase in participation (7%) resulting in 78% of all Advance network installations completed prior to arrival at the customer\u2019s site using remote network tools. Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Achieving its 50th year in business this past July. 5 Reasons We Consider Advance Elite: 1. Surviving and thriving 50 years in the office imaging industry while leveraging that longevity with customers and prospects through a series of vertically-targeted events in its new production showroom. 2. Reactivation of its referral program where customers are rewarded with a gift for submitting qualified referrals to Advance. 3. The \u201cSmart Choices\u201d campaign. As one of the largest independently owned and operated dealers in Maryland, Advance has deep roots within the communities it serves. One particular strategy has been to partner with many of the region\u2019s premiere organizations, such as the Baltimore Ravens, Maryland Athletics, National Aquarium in Baltimore, and the Maryland Zoo, to not only support their office efficiencies, but to collaborate on philanthropic efforts. All of the organizations that it has partnered with have charitable entities in which Advance is actively involved. One way that it continues to promote these relationships is through a television and web campaign, \u201cSmart Choices.\u201d The primary objective of the campaign is to differentiate Advance by promoting these relationships and further showing its commitment to the local community. Each spot features a creature related to the organization and culminates with the statement that \u201c[the name of the partner]\u2026chose Advance as their official document solutions provider.\u201d followed by the creature affirming, \u201cSmart Choice. They\u2019re good people.\u201d All of the spots can be viewed on our YouTube channel: http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/advanceTDS 4. In support of its commitment to the production space, Advance unveiled a new, state-of-the-art, production center devoted to showcasing the latest innovations in digital print. 5. A commitment to its employees through a caring and nurturing work culture. To ensure this positive culture extends well into the next 50 years, recruitment and retention continues to be a primary focus. Advance is committed to developing each and every one of its employees. It prefers to promote from within and has a dedicated management development program for individuals looking for the opportunity to grow. Applied Imaging Grand Rapids, MI www.appliedimaging.com Year Founded: 1987 Principal\/President\/CEO: John Lowery Number of Employees: 210 Primary Vendors: Ricoh, Canon, Samsung, Kyocera, Oc\u00e9 Primary Solutions Offerings: Hyland, Microsoft, Square 9 Primary Leasing Partners: US Bank Approximate Yearly Revenues: $47 million Fastest Growing Segments of Applied Imaging\u2019s Business: All areas of the business have grown significantly in the past few years, most notably the MPS (PrintSmart) and document imaging divisions (DocSmart). In addition, the dealership\u2019s new facilities management (BizSmart) and high-production printer (ProTeam) divisions have established traction and are poised for exponential growth over the next few years. Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Applied Imaging solidified its presence in Detroit and is preparing to open two additional branches in the metropolitan area over the next year or two. 5 Reasons We Consider Applied Imaging Elite: 1. It has an established brand in West Michigan and is beginning to create one in the Eastern portion of the state, which includes Detroit. Part of this brand includes labeling everything it does, positioning the Applied brand as unique and apart from its competition. In addition to labeling all its solutions groups, Applied labeled its off-site service center the Customer Loyalty Center while Applied\u2019s training center is labeled Get Smart University. 2. It has aggressive marketing and advertising campaigns. This has not only solidified its brand and communicates its expanding services and capabilities, it gives Applied\u2019s employees instant recognition in business and social situations. 3. President John Lowery has established a culture in which employees not only understand what they do, but why they do it. Several steps he takes to ensure this passion for service, people, and business include four all-employee meetings per year with themes, motivational speakers, and employee recognitions, a monthly Breakfast with the President with small groups of employees, recreational staff outings and annual customer events that both customers and employees eagerly anticipate in each year. 4. Its \u201cApplied Chemistry\u201d label that is used to describe its work culture. This has 11 Elements to guide employees through their daily professional and personal lives. The 11 Elements are BTU (Build Team Unity), HTN (Hit the Number), Community (Pay it Forward), Creativity, Dream, Family, Humility, Integrity, SBS (Selection by Success), Service and, most importantly, Fun. 5. It supports a different charity each month. Employees are encouraged to donate at least $5 dollars each week in exchange for the opportunity to wear jeans on Wednesday. Employees are also invited to volunteer 10 paid hours per calendar year at an organization they are interested in. This allows employees devote their time to the causes that are dearest to them, so they are able to thoroughly enjoy the time they spend volunteering. Cell Business Equipment (CBE) Irvine, CA www.kopiers.com Year Founded: 1997 Principal\/President\/CEO: Tarek Hafiz Number of Employees: 107 Primary Vendors: Sharp, Ricoh, Canon, Samsung, Francotyp-Postalia Primary Solutions Offerings: Equitrac, Print Audit, Webiplex, Docupeak, SuCopia, Laserfiche, Prism Software, Objectif Lune, Nuance, Notable Solutions, Ecopy, uniFLOW, PaperCut Primary Supplies […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[81,82],"tags":[2407,1948],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10429"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10429"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10429\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10713,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10429\/revisions\/10713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}