Capture the Magic 2023 Sessions

Building Unstoppable Teams

June 9, 8:30 to 9:45 a.m.

Curt Cronin, former Navy SEAL & CEO, Ridgeline Partners

During more than a decade of combat operations to 18 countries, Cronin led the nation's premier SEAL assault force, maximizing its effectiveness by forming unique and unlikely alliances. These experiences reinforced his fundamental belief that the competitive edge for any organization in the information age is neither technology nor information; rather, it is the unparalleled power of an aligned team. In this keynote address, Cronin will outline his five-step plan to building a proactive, unified team with complimentary skill sets. He will use anecdotes from his naval tours to draw parallels between his combat experience and the objectives of his audience. Cronin believes that the solution to every problem, whether in a combat arena or in the board room, lies within people, and he inspires audiences to execute flawlessly.

During his 19-year career as a Navy SEAL, Cronin deployed 13 times and spent more than four years overseas. In that time, living and working in an environment where milliseconds made the difference between life and death and winning and losing, he honed his talent as a catalyst for transformation and rose to eventually lead the nation's premier SEAL assault force. As a SEAL leader, Cronin maximized his team's effectiveness by forging unique and unlikely alliances. He transformed an offensive unit of Navy SEALs into a defensive presidential protection unit in the midst of combat and single-handedly created the model for multidisciplinary counterterrorism operations out of a widely disparate patchwork of organizations as part of an embassy team in the Middle East. His experiences as a SEAL reinforced his fundamental belief that the competitive edge for any organization in the information age is neither technology nor information, but the unparalleled power of an aligned team. Cronin addresses the art of leadership, organizational change for the information age, and the talent of harnessing your own courage and heroism to inspire and empower individuals and teams.

Cronin's passion is to engage each person, team or organization's highest aspirations, and help them connect to the 'hero within.' He has counseled organizations including AIG, Disney, HP and the Miami Dolphins, and is an expert at maximizing human potential and synthesizing the strengths of a team to create unprecedented results in any context.

In addition to his combat experience, Cronin is an entrepreneur and innovator. Currently CEO of Ridgeline Partners, he leverages his combined experiences and lessons from the military, academic and business worlds to advise numerous organizations, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to niche startups on how to catalyze an exponential culture of execution and innovation. Prior to Ridgeline Partners, Cronin co-founded Mastery Technologies Inc., a global talent solutions firm, and before that, began his entrepreneurial career with General Stan McChrystal and the McChrystal Group, where he served as a managing partner in transformational consulting.

Cronin received his MBA at combined programs from the London School of Economics, New York University's Stern School of Business and the HEC School of Management in Paris. He graduated fifth in his class from the United States Naval Academy and has been awarded two Bronze Star medals for combat valor and three Distinguished Meritorious Service Medals.

Optimizing Your Dealership's Sales Team

June 9, 9:45 to 10:30 a.m.

Moderated by Mark Spears, president, Amplified Solutions

At every office technology dealership, sales managers and reps are collectively the engine that drives the company forward. The lack of success in sales brings significant anxiety and uncertainty. In this breakout session, dealership principals/executives will discuss how their companies are finding the right people, preparing them to succeed and motivating them to continually reach new heights.

After attending Texas Tech University, Spears began his career at Minolta Business Systems in Dallas, Texas, and spent the next 25 years in the office technology industry. He is currently the president of Amplified Solutions, where he works daily to promote the industry through partnerships and education. Spears has lived in Dallas for more than 30 years and currently lives with his wife, Lindy, in the downtown area. He has two adult daughters and enjoys cooking for his family, traveling and playing golf.

June 9 Panelists:

Mike Ardry is president of Automated Business Solutions (ABS), headquartered in Warwick, Rhode Island, with five locations throughout New England. Ardry was the former president and owner of Office Equipment Center (OEC), based in Plantsville, Connecticut. He started at OEC as a service technician and purchased the business in 1988. Ardry's business model and the company's ongoing growth came to fruition in 2017 when OEC was acquired by ABS. Ardry personally handles all sales, logistics and administrative duties in support of one of the country's largest retailers. His success and influence as the general manager within the Connecticut market led to Ardry's promotion to executive vice president, effective April 2020. In his current role, Ardry oversees all major functions of the organization including, but not limited to: sales, IT, administration, marketing and operations.

Jose Lopez is president of Barlop Inc., Miami, Florida. In the industry since 1972, Lopez worked as a national parts manager for Saxon Industries. When the company was bought out and moved to New Jersey in the 1980s, he decided to take a leap of faith and venture into building his own business with his partner. In May 1983, Barlop became a corporation. Lopez has been part of the IBPI board, a longtime member of BTA, as well as past president of the PRO Dealer Group. He is a longtime contributor and partner of the industry and continues to lead his daughters and the Barlop team.

Carol Mitschke is the president of Frontier Business Products, Aurora, Colorado. She has been in the office technology industry since 1975, when she was attending college in Madison, Wisconsin, and working for A. B Dick Company. There, Mitschke met her husband, who was also working for A. B. Dick. Their careers took them to A. B. Dick in Denver, Colorado, in 1977, which led to them starting their own A.B. Dick dealership in Boulder, Colorado, in 1979. Since that time, they have grown their business to one of the largest Colorado-based, independently owned office technology companies in the state. Frontier has have five offices throughout the front range of Colorado selling products from Brother, HP, Lexmark, Ricoh, Riso and Sharp. It also has a managed technology services division.

Why Mailing Is a Good Fit for BTA Dealers

June 9, 9:45 to 10:30 a.m.

Moderated by Jim D'Emidio, independent consultant

During this panel discussion, three successful BTA dealers will explain why they got into selling mailing equipment and how it has had a positive impact to their sales and margin. If you have not thought of selling mailing equipment, this panel of distinguished dealers may change your mind about the mailing industry.

Panelists:

Scott Brenton is the director of mailing, security cameras and electric vehicle charging services at Pacific Office Automation, Beaverton, Oregon.



Will Champlin is the director of mailing operations at All Copy Products (ACP), Denver, Colorado.




Patrick Cunningham is the president and CEO of Cunningham Business Systems, Alexandria, Louisiana. Born and raised in Louisiana, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard after high school graduation and served four years. After leaving the service, Cunningham attended college for two years before taking a sales position with Sharp Office Systems in Tarpon Springs, Florida. In 1993, he returned to Louisiana and opened Cunningham Business Systems in his hometown of Alexandria. The company has grown and thrived over the past 30 years, and its staff members work together to ensure customers get the best service possible.

Key Metrics for Service Managers

June 9, 9:45 to 10:30 a.m.

Gary Lavin, partner & Michael Kirkpatrick, partner, CEO Juice

While there are many data points a service manager will focus on, the typical high-priority ones are the number of service calls per day, number of reschedules, number of call-backs and total working hours. CEO Juice has had this type of reporting since it was established in 2009. Today, dealers are embracing dashboards, in particular Microsoft Power BI Dashboards, which start at $10 per month and are affordable for all. CEO Juice recently added Power BI dashboards, which allow for report trends over time. If a service manager wants to sit down to review a technician's performance over the last two years and see how his (or her) first-call fix rate has changed, there has been no easy way to do this in the past. During this session, Lavin and Kirkpatrick will walk attendees through CEO Juice's service manager's dashboard.

Born and raised in Ireland, Lavin started selling copiers for Xerox in 1983. He moved to San Diego, California, in 1993 where he founded Color Systems, a dealership focused on the color copier/MFP marketplace with a separate division called Internetworking Innovations focused on IT services. Lavin grew it from zero to $10 million revenue in five years, and added locations in Los Angeles and the Bay Area before selling the company in 1999. In 2003, he started Imaging Technologies, focused on CPC contracts including copier/MFPs and printers bundled together. Lavin grew this business to $6 million in just over four years before selling it to KMA in 2008. He invested in e-automate back when it was known as Cash Ops, installing version 1 and became an avid fan of Digital Task Force (DTF) shortly after it was launched by Kirkpatrick. Passionate about using technology to solve problems and understanding the need for process in a successful business, Lavin connected with Kirkpatrick at the e-automate User Group where they discussed the potential DTF had and the challenges in implementing it. They formed CEO Juice together in 2009 to overcome those challenges.

Kirkpatrick started working with computers/software/networks in 1982 and has always focused on the office technology and service industry. He was IT director at AEG Olympia during the early 1990s for a few years and learned a lot about the manufacturing side of the industry. Kirkpatrick was then a partner in Critical Network Technologies, reselling and troubleshooting 500- to 1,000-plus-user Novell networks across the country to Fortune 500 companies. He decided to get off the road when Bryan Ammons at SOS offered him an opportunity that has been an incredible blessing for the last 17 years, allowing him to continue to work at SOS while partnering with Lavin to build CEO Juice.

Exhibitor Table Discussions

June 9, 9:45 to 10:55 a.m.

Don't want to attend a breakout session? Schedule time with exhibitors to speak one-on-one within small groups. BTA will reach out two weeks prior to the event to finalize the list of exhibitors you'd like to schedule.

Positioning Your Dealership for Greatness

June 9, 11 a.m. to Noon

Moderated by Dan Bombard, BTA West representative, BTA Board of Directors & branch manager, Yuma Office Equipment, a Fruth Group Company

It is often stated that the fastest track to failure in today's office technology industry is to only sell imaging devices. Yes, these mainstay products remain a key component of essentially every dealership's product lineup. However, today, dealers need to ensure they are striving to be the trusted advisors for technology in the workplace for their customers. During this panel, three dealership principals will share how they have diversified their product and services portfolios to ensure continued success now and into the future.

Bombard is branch manager of Yuma Office Equipment, a Fruth Group Company, located in Yuma, Arizona. He began his career in 1985 as a copier technician specializing in Canon equipment. He started his career with Yuma Office Equipment in early 2002 and worked as a technician before becoming a controller specialist and, ultimately, IT director and service manager. In 2013, Bombard became the owner of Yuma Office Equipment and Mountain View Corp. In 2022, Yuma Office Equipment became a Fruth Group Company and Bombard became branch manager. He has been a member of the OKI Data Americas Dealer Council and is currently in Optimists International and the Yuma Rotary Club.

Panelists:

Chelsey Bode is CEO of Pearson-Kelly Technology, Springfield, Missouri. After graduating college, she joined her father in his startup office technology dealership as its sixth employee. In 2011, Bode became partner and president, and was able to grow the company 10 times over in 10 years. In 2021, she purchased the remaining shares from her father and become one of the youngest office technology dealership owners. Bode is active in her local and national community, including involvement in the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Association of IT Professionals, Springfield Tech Council, Southeast Rotary, US Bank Board of Directors, Institutional Review Board of Directors, Intermedia's Advisory Council, ACDI's Advisory Council and ConnectWise's Advisory Council. She has been labeled one of Go Magazine's 20 Under 30, a Difference Maker by ENX Magazine, a Young Influencer by The Cannata Report, SBJ's Most Influential Women, Biz 417's 10 for the Next 10, SBJ's Trusted Advisors and SBJ's 40 Under 40.

Stephanie Keating Phillips is director of solutions at Advanced Imaging Solutions (AIS), a family-owned office technology dealership in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has been in the office technology industry for 25 years, working alongside her dad and two brothers at AIS. Keating Phillips has garnered widespread recognition beyond her role as director of solutions for the Minnesota-based firm, speaking at various industry events on a variety of subjects aimed at helping dealers find new avenues for growth in production print, managed services and software solutions. She has been a two-time ENX Magazine Difference Maker and is an active member of The Consortium. Keating Phillips has also been featured in The Cannata Report, ENX Magazine and Industry Analysts.

Brad Knepper, president and CEO of All Copy Products (ACP), located in Denver, Colorado, acquired the company in 1999 when it was a single location with seven employees. In the 24 years since, he has grown ACP more than 400 employees across six states and 13 locations. An avid golfer, Knepper is the owner of Denali's golf course and restaurant in Iowa, and earned a degree in business administration and management from Iowa State University. As a devoted leader, he is always focused on the continued growth and culture of ACP, as well as spending time with his wife, three kids and two dogs.

Tim Renegar is president and co-owner of Kelly Office Solutions, a Konica Minolta and Savin dealership located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with branches in Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina. He has 35-plus years of management experience in the industry. Renegar has worked in corporate environments such as IKON and Sharp Electronics, where he served as president of North Carolina, and in dealerships such as Charlotte Copy Data and Triad Business Systems, where Renegar was executive vice president and co-owner. He has also served on various manufacturing and leasing company advisory councils, and his dealership has been a BTA member for 20-plus years.

Preparing for the Future: Key Strategies for Success

June 9, 2 to 2:55 p.m.

Anthony Sci, president & CEO, Keypoint Intelligence

The changes within the office technology industry, including declining page volumes, were accelerated by the monumental challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the trajectory of the industry has forever changed. Today, there are many compelling reasons for dealers to take a close look at the mix of products and services they offer, and the way they do business. Drawing on his experience in the industry, research findings at Keypoint Intelligence and analysts' projections for the future of the workplace, Sci will share how he would be preparing for a successful future if he owned an office technology dealership.

Sci comes to Keypoint Intelligence with a unique blend of experience working for both dealers and manufacturers. With more than 30 years of experience in the office technology industry, he started his career working for a Sharp and Panasonic dealership. Working his way up through the industry, Sci was most recently the senior vice president for LDI, leading the sales organization. Prior to LDI, he held senior leadership roles for Sharp and Xerox Corp. Sci has a passion for the office technology industry and knows the challenges facing owners, corporations and sales reps in today's changing environment. He begins his tenure at Keypoint Intelligence ready to tackle the issues of today and tomorrow, and growing the organization while adding new products and services to best serve customers. Sci is a graduate of St. John's University and he lives in New Jersey.

Demystifying AI: Practical Insights & Tools for Business Growth

June 9, 4 to 4:45 p.m.

West McDonald, owner, West McDonald Co. & chief noise maker, Tigerpaw Software

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the confusing world of artificial intelligence (AI)? In this session, industry thought-leader McDonald will help demystify the landscape and provide practical insights and tools for leveraging AI to drive business growth. Attendees will learn about current and upcoming AI tool sets, and discover real-world examples of companies that have successfully used AI to drive marketing, customer support and sales. By the end of the session, attendees will have a better understanding of the potential of AI, and will be equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to start using AI in their own organizations. Do not miss this opportunity to learn from one of the industry's leading experts on AI and business growth.

In this session, attendees will:

• Get a better understanding of the potential of AI and how it can be used to drive business growth.
• Learn about current and upcoming AI tool sets and how to choose the right ones for their organizations.
• Discover real-world examples of companies that have successfully leveraged AI to drive marketing, customer support and sales.
• Walk away with practical tips and strategies for implementing AI in your own organization.

With nearly 20 years of experience in the office technology industry, McDonald is passionate about supporting colleagues and partners in their quests for growth and innovation. He excels in guiding businesses through channel convergence, generative AI applications and challenger marketing strategies. As chief noise maker at Tigerpaw Software and founder of West McDonald Co., McDonald has made a significant impact on the industry. He also serves as president of the Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) and coordinator of the AI Explorers group and newsletter. A respected speaker and passionate teacher, McDonald shares his knack for innovation and growth, and helps his connections to foster a spirit of learning and business excellence.

I Heard It Through the Grapevine

June 10, 8:15 to 9 a.m.

Bob Goldberg, general counsel, Business Technology Association

The BTA Legal Hotline is at the epicenter for industry issues. During this session, hear the latest dealer concerns, how they affect the channel and possible solutions from BTA General Counsel Bob Goldberg. Goldberg has spent more than 40 years assisting dealers and will share the solutions needed to grow and prosper in this changing environment. Employee issues, non-compete agreements, maintaining confidentiality of dealer customers, preparing a business for sale, supplier agreements, supplier pricing, updated transactional documents, business culture, hybrid workers, ESG opportunities, web-based sales, ransomware, proper insurance and negative posting will all be addressed. There will also be ample time for questions.

Goldberg has 43 years of industry experience. Upon graduation from law school in 1973, he joined the Antitrust Division of the Illinois Attorney General's Office. Goldberg's government career continued with the Federal Trade Commission until 1977, when he transitioned to private practice. He was a partner with the firm of Freeman, Atkins & Coleman, where he specialized in antitrust and trade regulation matters. Goldberg then joined the law firm Schoenberg Finkel Newman & Rosenberg LLC (now Schoenberg Finkel Beederman Bell & Glazer LLC), and was a partner with the firm from 1984 to 2008. In 2008, he became of counsel to the firm, continuing to collaborate and mentor with the firm's attorneys and staff. Since 1977, he has provided BTA members with no-fee advice and guidance on a diverse range of topics.

Optimizing Your Dealership's Sales Team

June 10, 10 to 10:45 a.m.

Moderated by Mark Spears, president, Amplified Solutions

At every office technology dealership, sales managers and reps are collectively the engine that drives the company forward. The lack of success in sales brings significant anxiety and uncertainty. In this breakout session, dealership principals/executives will discuss how their companies are finding the right people, preparing them to succeed and motivating them to continually reach new heights.

After attending Texas Tech University, Spears began his career at Minolta Business Systems in Dallas, Texas, and spent the next 25 years in the office technology industry. He is currently the president of Amplified Solutions, where he works daily to promote the industry through partnerships and education. Spears has lived in Dallas for more than 30 years and currently lives with his wife, Lindy, in the downtown area. He has two adult daughters and enjoys cooking for his family, traveling and playing golf.

June 10 Panelists:

Scott Flaherty is the COO of Altek Business Systems, an MSP and document management company based in Telford, Pennsylvania. Prior to working for Altek, he spent seven years in the automotive industry managing luxury dealership groups, with a focus on marketing, customer acquisition and business development. Flaherty holds certifications in digital marketing, SEO, Google Ads, Google Analytics and email marketing.

Jim George, president of Donnellon McCarthy Enterprises, Cincinnati, Ohio, has been in the office technology industry for more than 20 years. His interests include spending time with his family, fishing, traveling, watching sports and skydiving. George is involved in his church and giving back to the veteran community. He served in the U.S. Navy during Operation Desert Shield and Storm. George is fluent in German and spent a total of 17 years in Europe.

Tim Stanley is problem solver/owner at Total Document Solutions Inc. (TDS) DBA TDSiT, Lowell, Arkansas. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in journalism on a full ride athletic football scholarship. Stanley started his document management career in 1988, serving on the sales and national account team for Eastman Kodak. In 1996, Stanley quit his successful, full-time job to start his own business where he would not have to relocate every few years. TDS Inc. outgrew the sole-source Xerox agency program and became a true multiline dealership in 2020. It now can sell, service and provide supplies for Xerox, Epson and Lexmark technologies. In 2021, TDS began doing business as TDSiT and relocated to Lowell.

Mailing Equipment Decertification & Its Opportunities

June 10, 10 to 10:45 a.m.

Phil Landriault, mailing meters decertification expert & Carrie Witham, regional director of sales, GreatAmerica Financial Services Corp.

In the first half of this session, Landriault will give an update on the changes in mailing meter decertification. He will explain what decertification means to your dealership and your customers. In the second half, Landriault and Witham will share ideas and strategies that can be used to sell more products and services as you update mailing meters.

Landriault is a mailing meters decertification expert and product manager at FP Mailing Solutions. Prior to FP, he was a major market sales executive at Paycor in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Witham is regional director of sales at GreatAmerica Financial Services Corp. Prior to her current role, she served in several additional positions at GreatAmerica: vice president of sales, director of vendor relationship management and vendor relationship manager.

Key Metrics for Service Managers

June 10, 10 to 10:45 a.m.

Gary Lavin, partner & Michael Kirkpatrick, partner, CEO Juice

While there are many data points a service manager will focus on, the typical high-priority ones are the number of service calls per day, number of reschedules, number of call-backs and total working hours. CEO Juice has had this type of reporting since it was established in 2009. Today, dealers are embracing dashboards, in particular Microsoft Power BI Dashboards, which start at $10 per month and are affordable for all. CEO Juice recently added Power BI dashboards, which allow for report trends over time. If a service manager wants to sit down to review a technician's performance over the last two years and see how his (or her) first-call fix rate has changed, there has been no easy way to do this in the past. During this session, Lavin and Kirkpatrick will walk attendees through CEO Juice's service manager's dashboard.

Born and raised in Ireland, Lavin started selling copiers for Xerox in 1983. He moved to San Diego, California, in 1993 where he founded Color Systems, a dealership focused on the color copier/MFP marketplace with a separate division called Internetworking Innovations focused on IT services. Lavin grew it from zero to $10 million revenue in five years, and added locations in Los Angeles and the Bay Area before selling the company in 1999. In 2003, he started Imaging Technologies, focused on CPC contracts including copier/MFPs and printers bundled together. Lavin grew this business to $6 million in just over four years before selling it to KMA in 2008. He invested in e-automate back when it was known as Cash Ops, installing version 1 and became an avid fan of Digital Task Force (DTF) shortly after it was launched by Kirkpatrick. Passionate about using technology to solve problems and understanding the need for process in a successful business, Lavin connected with Kirkpatrick at the e-automate User Group where they discussed the potential DTF had and the challenges in implementing it. They formed CEO Juice together in 2009 to overcome those challenges.

Kirkpatrick started working with computers/software/networks in 1982 and has always focused on the office technology and service industry. He was IT director at AEG Olympia during the early 1990s for a few years and learned a lot about the manufacturing side of the industry. Kirkpatrick was then a partner in Critical Network Technologies, reselling and troubleshooting 500- to 1,000-plus-user Novell networks across the country to Fortune 500 companies. He decided to get off the road when Bryan Ammons at SOS offered him an opportunity that has been an incredible blessing for the last 17 years, allowing him to continue to work at SOS while partnering with Lavin to build CEO Juice.

Exhibitor Table Discussions

June 10, 10 to 11 a.m.

Don't want to attend a breakout session? Schedule time with exhibitors to speak one-on-one within small groups. BTA will reach out two weeks prior to the event to finalize the list of exhibitors you'd like to schedule.

Meeting the Challenges Faced by Today’s Service Departments

June 10, 11 a.m. to Noon

Moderated by Kevin Marshall, BTA West president & president, Copy Link Inc.

Ask a dealer, “What is your most predominant source of revenue?” and the answer will undoubtedly be, “'My service department.” The dealer will likely then add, “But that doesn't come without its challenges — especially these days.” Finding new techs to replace those who are retiring, keeping all techs busy with customers printing less and monitoring performance are among the many challenges. In this dealer panel, three service leaders will share what they are doing to ensure their service teams are at their best.

Marshall is the president and co-founder of Copy Link Inc., Chula Vista, California. His passion for business and his community lead him to become a founding member of BTA's Select Dealer Group (SDG), board chair for the YMCA and president of the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce. The opportunity to work alongside some of the greatest men and women in his community has helped shape Marshall both personally and professionally. He lives by the motto: “Become a hunter of blessings.” His optimistic point of view and passion to help others has been described as a breath of fresh air. Marshall's mission is to inspire, empower and motivate people to see the blessings in life and reach their full potential.

Panelists:

Wendy Hagerstrand is director of service at Imagine Technology Group (ITG), Chandler, Arizona. She has 22 years of industry experience, with 12 of those years in leadership positions. Hagerstrand started off her career in California as a field service technician and served in several other roles there, including product specialist, director of service training, director of service and, finally, vice president of service for an organization generating $51 million in annual revenue. Hagerstrand moved from California to Arizona three years ago and worked as a sales manager before being promoted to sales director. She joined the ITG team in June 2021 as director of service.

Juan Maldonado is vice president of service at UBEO Business Services, San Antonio, Texas. He has been in the industry since 1984, starting out as a service tech for a local Austin, Texas, dealership and working his way through the roles of tech specialist and supervisor. Maldonado became a service manager for IKON in 2000 and joined the UBEO team in 2006. He was promoted to the role of vice president of service for the central region in 2017, supporting all service and logistics for the Texas and Louisiana markets. Maldonado attended the University of Texas at Austin studying business management.

Dale Scheuerman has been director of service at All Copy Products (ACP), Denver, Colorado, for more than 20 years. He started his career in the industry as a service tech for Ricoh, where he worked for 18 years before starting his journey at ACP. Scheuerman has an associate's degree in electronics and is passionate about helping his team of technicians and customers. In his spare time, Scheuerman loves doing handy work such as drywall, electrical work, plumbing and much more. He also enjoys golfing and spending time with his wife, two daughters and their dog.