Dateline USA

Office World News, Sep 1998

LAKE SUCCESS, NY-With what may be the most sought after accreditation program of its kind in the office equipment industry, Canon USA's Association of Technical Service Professionals (ATSP) program continues to acknowledge and recognize outstanding achievement. The names of nine dealer service technicians who have reached Gold Level Master Technical Specialist status were recently announced. To date, a total of 59 dealer technicians have completed the little under six years of work and study required to reach this pinnacle of the program.

Over 10,000 technicians have participated in the ATSP program since its inception in 1991.

"As we move into the digital office arena, these technicians will play an increasingly important role in meeting the higher levels of service quality required by today's customers. The ATSP program's goal is to develop technicians into customer-focused, product-knowledgeable specialists with criticalthinking skills that can find creative approaches to the delivery of technical services and customer support," said Robert Bryson, executive vice president and general manager, Canon Imaging Systems Group.

The newest Gold Level members are:

Bill Gorby, Gordon Flesch Co., Inc., Columbus, OH;

Eric Einhorn, Gordon Flesch Co., Inc., Madison, WI;

Steven Hall, Ambassador Business Solutions, Downers Grove, IL;

Paul Ouellette, IKON Office Solutions, Waterbury, CT;

Mike Shey, IKON Office Solutions, Tukwila, WA;

Paul Dison, Astro Business Solutions, Gardena, CA;

Bruce Nephew, McGrath Whalen Office Solutions,Inc., Bradley IL;

Darrell Dudley, Lakeland Office Systems, Inc., Miami, OK;

Martin Lee, IKON Office Solutions, Boise, ID.

"The ATSP program is longer than, and at least as intense as, most university advanced business degree programs," added Jerry Perrone, director and general manager of the service division. "These nine technicians not only met the technical proficiency standards required by the ATSP program, but also demonstrated their dedication, determination and loyalty to their respective dealerships."

EAST HARTFORD, CT-BKM Total Office of Connecticut has earned the prestigious Exemplary Performance Award from Steelcase, Inc., a designer and manufacturer of office furniture. This award recognizes continuous improvement efforts and business practices.

"This is the highest honor Steelcase gives to its dealers with outstanding business practices in support of continuous improvement and customer satisfaction," said Nancy Hickey, vice president, Dealer and Customer Alliances, Steelcase. "It goes to those who demonstrate this commitment in all phases of their operations."

BKM Total Office of Connecticut is one of approximately 450 Steelcase dealerships in North America. The company was chosen from among 13 finalists.

Dealerships must first apply for the award. The applications are scored, and the highest scoring dealers receive a "site visit." A team of four, consisting of two dealer CEOs and two Steelcase representatives, then audit each finalist, evaluating eight areas of their businesses, from business planning through market position and business performance measures.

BKM Total Office of Connecticut is a full-service total office solution provider with sales offices in East Hartford, Milford and Stamford, CT that service the Greater Connecticut and Westchester County markets. Their focus is to provide everything from interior construction to office furniture. The parent company, BKM Enterprises, has locations in California, Texas, Washington and Virginia.

CLEVELAND, OH-Northcoast Business Systems (NBS) and Northcoast Duplicating, Inc. (NDI), one of Ohio's largest and fastest growing office systems dealers for Lanier Worldwide and Riso Duplicating equipment, has moved to a new 42,000 square foot headquarters building in Valley View.

The one-story sales, service and warehousing facility employs more than 130 people who provide copying, facsimile systems, multifunctional devices, high-speed laser printing, digital color copying systems and digital duplicating systems to over 6,500 customers across a large portion of the state.

"In opening this new building, we are setting new standards to service our customers," said president Sonny Kumar, who, along with three others, founded the company in 1985. "It reflects the tremendous growth we have enjoyed each year that we have been in business."

With annual sales exceeding $14 million, NBS/NDI has now combined forecasted sales of $20 million. The NBS/NDI Hub Park building features a large demonstration room that showcases state-of-the-- art technology in office solution systems, large and small conference rooms, a new print shop, an expanded dispatch center, service and training centers, and a 14,900 square foot warehouse. To honor the opening of the new facility, employees planted a 13-foot-high tree to celebrate each year since the company's founding.