A Two-Family Affair (from left to right): Patrick Flesch (VP, Sales, Western Region), CJ Cannata, Bill Flesch (EVP), Frank Cannata, Tom Flesch (President/CEO), Mark Flesch (VP, Sales, Eastern Region)
Past and Present Converge During a Visit to Gordon Flesch Company
In 2016, CJ and I began a mission to tour the country and visit with as many dealers as we could over the course of the following three years. We started with MT Business in Mansfield, Ohio, and Datamax, Inc. in Little Rock, Arkansas, last year. In January 2017, we traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, to meet with Les Olson Company, and followed that with a trip to Gordon Flesch Company in Madison, Wisconsin.
This trip to Madison took me full circle and rekindled many fond memories. In 1973, I was branch manager for Saxon Industries in New York City. That year, I asked to be transferred to the dealer division and thanks to Joe Castrianni, Saxon’s vice president of Dealer Sales, it was granted.
My territory covered Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. Paul Fox contacted me and welcomed me to my new role. As my regional manager, he asked that I fly into Madison and begin my training. The first dealership I visited was Gordon Flesch Company (GFC).
We pulled up to the office in our rental car, and I was immediately impressed. It was clear we were visiting a 3M dealer and as we entered the building, Gordon Flesch came out into the lobby to personally greet us. He was a well-dressed and imposing man. Flesch was kind enough to give me a tour of the building before sitting down with us in his office. Paul did his sales thing, and I listened to the questions Mr. Flesch posed and how Paul responded. I remember thinking about Mr. Flesch, “This is one sharp cookie.”
I was a young, brash guy out of Brooklyn, New York, and this was all new to me. I had a total misconception of what a dealer was. If they were even remotely anything like Mr. Flesch, this was going to be one hell of a ride.
That night, Paul and I had dinner and discussed our visit. I recall telling Paul how impressed I was with this businessman from Madison with whom we had just met. Paul looked at me and said, “The problem with you, Frank, is that you think everything west of the Hudson River is California.”
He nailed it.
The next morning, Paul told me that the Saxon rep from New Jersey had resigned and as Carol and I were living in New Jersey, he thought the best thing to do was for me to take that position rather than move the family across the country.
That made sense to me, and that is how I started my dealer career.
Flashback to today… Here I was in February 2017, back where I was in 1973, visiting a company that was founded by one of the office equipment industry’s pioneers back in 1956.
Without a question, Gordon Flesch was a pioneer in bringing modern business technology to businesses in the greater Madison, Wisconsin, area. His reputation in the industry was impeccable not only for his ability to represent the vendors that were his suppliers with a great deal of integrity, but also for how he approached his customers. He clearly believed the best way he could succeed in this business was by helping his customers become more efficient and profitable. GFC came to be known for its business solutions expertise and service that’s second-to-none. Every manufacturer calling on dealers wanted GFC to carry their products, and it was very clear to me as to why that was the case. If I were in their position back then, or today, I certainly would.
I am confident that if Gordon Flesch walked into his old company today and saw what his three sons, Bill, John, and Tom, have built, he would smile and say to them, “You have done it well.”
Today, GFC has 16 locations, which are spread over four states””Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. The company is Canon’s leading imaging dealer and by our estimation, it is the fourth-largest reseller in our industry. I cannot think of any manufacturer that wouldn’t be proud to have them as one of its dealers.
CJ and I were received in a very gracious manner upon our arrival. CEO Tom Flesch gave us a tour of the company’s headquarters and shared with us the GFC story. We also learned about the current state of the business.
During our visit with the GFC senior team, CJ noted to Tom and his team that the modular sales GP (general presentation) they presented to us was more professional and comprehensive than he had ever encountered while working in senior positions for major New York and Los Angeles-based major media companies like Time Warner and Martha Stewart Living over the course of his 18-year tenure in New York’s media and entertainment business. On the trip home, CJ also told me, “I learned a great deal and look forward to building the kind of relationship you have with Tom and Bill with Tom’s sons, Mark and Patrick, as well as [SVP of Sales and Marketing] Kelly Moran.”
GFC understands where the opportunities are, as the Flesch family takes a long-term view. The company’s success in managed services, both print and network, are to be envied. On a personal note, we are proud and grateful to have them as one of our charter subscribers. For 35 consecutive years, they have subscribed to our reports.
It was an honor to visit the company in 1973 and meet the company’s founder and a privilege to return again 44 years later to meet the second and third generation of family members who are keeping the Gordon Flesch Company legacy alive.
