BTA member dealership Carolina Business Equipment (CBE) has announced that it has been awarded the Lexington Chamber of Commerce's "Large Business of the Year" award. This is a highly respected award because the Lexington Chamber is one of fastest-growing counties in the state and is comprised of some of South Carolina's most recognized companies. This recognition was presented to John Eckstrom, president and CEO of CBE, for the company's success, which has continued despite many of the challenges that businesses have faced in recent years. While many of CBE's competitors have either contracted or plateaued in response to external factors like the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation or supply-chain issues, CBE continues to thrive year after year. The leadership of the company attributes its staggering growth to their bedrock of strong values and elite team of employees.

"It's always a privilege to receive recognition, especially amongst so many other fantastic companies whom we respect deeply," Eckstrom said. "However, we never focus on winning awards, but instead focus on enriching the lives and businesses of our customers at every opportunity that presents itself. When we're focused on elevating the lives of everyone we come into contact with, great things happen. This is true across all areas of life. We believe that our core values — 'Faith, Family and Work' — explain our propensity for achievement, and by focusing on those principles, in that specific order of priority, we've found a recipe for success that we believe will help our company, the individuals inside it and the customers we serve for years to come."

CBE's contributions to the community extend beyond its IT and technical expertise, in that it is highly engaged in supporting many charitable organizations. In other words, while CBE prides itself on being an exemplary small to mid-sized business (SMB) first, the company goes far beyond that as well. In fact, many CBE employees have chaired the boards for several organizations including Sharing God's Love, the Better Business Bureau and SCOA Cares. Additionally, they have teamed up with direct-impact organizations including Welvista, SC Center for Fathers and Families, Providence Home, Columbia Women's Shelter, American Cancer Society, Young Life, SOAR Columbia and The Blood Connection, to name a few. The correlation between selfless community involvement and increased organizational growth may demystify how the company continues to perform at such a high level year over year. In other words, it seems that the more employees give to others, the more the company grows. This is one of the company's core principles and it seems to be paying off.

While many businesses recognize the power that efficient managed technology can have on productivity, efficiency and growth, many businesses do not have the on-staff resources or expertise necessary to develop their own internal IT strategy. CBE's leadership team makes it a practice to use technology to deliver customers solutions that ultimately boost their productivity and, in so doing, provides a competitive advantage to that customer.

"Our team is packed with some of the highest-caliber employees you could ever hope to work alongside," Eckstrom said. "While we pride ourselves on our ability to identify, master and seamlessly integrate managed technology into businesses, our truest competitive advantage is our people. It's remarkable to be a part of an organization like CBE. When everyone at your organization exhibits such a high level of dedication, concern for our customers' well-being and unrelenting commitment to excellence, it makes life thrilling. While we still work very hard, I can't help but feel blessed to be surrounded by such inspiring talent."

Perhaps CBE's success is a consequence of the company culture it has created, the values each employee embodies and their ability to align everyone around a compelling, rewarding collective mission.