It takes a lot of gumption and strong core values for a company to grow and flourish for sixty years in a competitive market that has seen dramatic changes over the decades. In 1956, Gordon Flesch was a pioneer in bringing modern business technology to businesses in Southern Wisconsin. Of course, at that time modern technology meant typewriters and thermofax photocopiers. Today it means digital imaging products, technology planning, IT consulting, and customer technology integration.
When he started his company, Gordon Flesch set out to help businesses become more efficient and profitable. He gained a reputation for his business solutions expertise and commitment to providing excellent customer service. Over the years, these values helped the company stand up to competition from giants like Xerox. And in the 1980s, when the family business’s second generation leaders faced mass consolidation in the copier industry, they redoubled their efforts, strengthening relationships with manufacturers and entering new market segments.
Gordon’s three sons, Tom, John and Bill Flesch, now own the company, with Tom serving as president. And Gordon’s grandsons, Patrick and Mark, now work for the company also. Like the second generation, they worked at the company during college breaks, learning first hand what makes the company tick. And like their fathers, after college, they were told they needed to work elsewhere for a time before deciding whether they wanted to enter the family business.
The family created the Gordon Flesch Charitable Foundation to carry on the founder’s spirit of generosity and his belief that businesses have a responsibility to help the communities around them. The Foundation contributes up to $125,000 annually to nonprofits in the communities where customers and associates live. The Gordon J. Flesch Scholarship Program helps employees’ children who want to pursue a post-secondary education.
From its humble beginnings in a 350-square-foot office in Madison, with two employees, the Gordon Flesch Company has grown to one of the largest independent providers of office equipment and business technology solutions in the nation. Its nearly 600 employees serve customers in 18 locations throughout the Midwest.
What the judges found remarkable about this company was their rock solid performance over sixty years in a very competitive industry. They also noted the founder’s wisdom in having his sons learn the business from the ground up and then designating three broad regions for his three sons to manage, thus giving each of them autonomy and the ability to expand the company’s reach.
This Special Award titled “Wired for Success” goes to The Gordon Flesch Company, of Madison.