IBSA's Four Key Challenges

1. Reach/Geography. IBSA wants to attain full national manufacturing coverage, including more commercial printing vendors and more vendors in the West. This will be a necessity for IBSA to win contracts from large corporations with offices nationwide. Also, the organization ensures that current affiliates are told when other potential affiliates in their cities want to join. "We recognize that some areas require or can support more coverage than others, and we're working on plans that will address this issue in a way that benefits all parties," says Paul Keith, IBSA's president and CEO.
   
   
2. Profits. When IBSA rolls out its national account program in late July, affiliates will go after national accounts. When those distributorships win accounts, other IBSA affiliates will help fulfill those clients' needs nationwide. The organization is still working out how future profits from those accounts will be divided. "We expect to have a profit-sharing plan based on participation with IBSA suppliers," Keith says.
   
   
3. Marketing. IBSA managers often have to distinguish how the organization is different than franchises such as Proforma and distributorship networks such as American Solutions for Business. "Many conversations start with, 'We're not trying to buy your company. We're a marketing alliance," Keith says.
   
   
4. Momentum. If IBSA doesn't win some business from medical group purchasing organization Novation, affiliates and vendors will be disappointed. Will some leave the group?
   
   

IBSA's Five Managers

Paul Keith
Best Business Systems (www.bestbusinesssystems.com), Bowling Green, Ky.

Paul has built Best Business Systems into the largest forms and advertising specialty distributor in its market area. The company name, "Best Business Systems," reflects a business philosophy Paul has had since he started the company in 1984. Strive to be the Best at what you do and put all your emphasis on your customers' business systems. This approach develops solid customer relationships and a value beyond the cost of product. Best Business Systems is the second distributorship Paul has built from scratch. Three other times in his career Paul has developed territories from very little into robust sales assignments. IBSA is a concept developed over the last decade to help distributors compete in a changing forms industry. Paul's 25 years of planning and organizational skills are a valuable asset in building IBSA into a national sales organization. Paul is a member of NFIB, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce. He also is a member of PSDA, ASI and PPAI. Paul and his wife, Barbara, live in Bowling Green. They have two adult children and two grandchildren.

Mark McKinney
Celtic Marketing (www.celticmarketinginc.com), Centerville, Ohio

Mark founded Celtic Marketing in 1989 and has grown the business into a successful customer-driven distributorship that specializes in serving the health care industry. Mark holds a bachelor's degree from Ohio State University and earned an MBA from the University of Dayton. His educational background and on-the-job experience equip Mark with strategic planning and implementation skills that serve IBSA well. Mark is a member of the Centerville Rotary Club, Dayton Chamber of Commerce and Miami Valley Health Foundation. An avid golfer, Mark lives in Dayton and is an active father of two daughters.

Mark Musgrave
Promotek (www.promotek.net), Danville, Ill.

Mark has been in business as Promotek for about a year. He has 23 years of industry experience. Promotek sells printing of all types, computer supplies, stock copy and computer paper, data collection solutions, and ad specialties, and offers warehousing options, forms management and on-line order entry and order tracking.

John Heybach
Bold Business Graphics & Systems Inc. (www.boldbusinessgraphics.com), Danville, Ill.

John Heybach, a charter member of International Business Solutions Alliance (IBSA) is the president of Bold Business Graphics & Systems, Inc. an independent distributor of printed products, document solutions and related products and services for businesses. Bold has been in business for 20 years in the Chicago area and John has been president for the last 8 years. John has 20 plus years of experience in document and forms design, information management, sales and marketing in local, national and international markets. As a founding and charter member of IBSA John is very excited by and committed to the opportunity the IBSA, and its new business model, represents for independent distributors and their manufacturing partners to build their businesses and reduce their operating costs.

Mike Luckett
Luckett Communication Papers Inc. (www.luckettpapers.com), Columbus, Ohio

Mike is a founding member of the International Business Solutions Alliance (IBSA) and is president of Luckett Communication Papers, Inc. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. His experience in this industry dates back to 1973 when he began his career with Standard Register. After ten years he left Standard Register for a position with Bowater Computer Forms, where he remained until 1995, obtaining membership in Bowater’s President’s Club. He established Luckett Communication Papers, Inc., in April, 1995. A quality driven provider of paper, printing and promotional products, Luckett Communication Papers, Inc. specializes in print solutions that enhance the image of its clients. Luckett is a member of PSDA and the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, where he serves on the Small Business Council. He and his wife Aimee have four adult children.