MPSA News and Announcements

BELLEVUE, Neb. — Tigerpaw Software, creator of the technology industry’s first and most complete end-to-end business automation platform, has launched version 18 R3 of its award-winning software.

The latest release of its all-in-one software features several customer-requested enhancements, which sets Tigerpaw apart from other solution providers on the market.

“My team asks for and receives customer feedback all year long so that we can improve the Tigerpaw user experience going forward and incorporate feature requests into our product releases,” says Chris Owen, director of development at Tigerpaw Software. “Whether a long-time Tigerpaw customer or a newer user, 18 R3 has something that will simplify your work day.”

Highlights in version 18 R3 include:

•      Enhanced User Interface — As a follow up to the 18 R2 complete redesign of the Tigerpaw user interface, the software now ships with a new default color scheme that exceeds industry guidelines for color-blind UX design. In addition, toolbar icons now have labels, making the user experience more seamless. Users still have the ability to customize the look of Tigerpaw to fit their company or individual preferences.

•      QuickBooks Integration — The Tigerpaw integration with QuickBooks has been updated to support QuickBooks 2019.

•      Tigerpaw Mobile — More than 20 updates have been made in the Tigerpaw Mobile application, including an increased size limit for uploaded photos, new accessibility to account documents and stronger overall connectivity.

“Tigerpaw Mobile is already an amazing tool for our users, but we knew we could make it even better,” Owen says. “We invested the time on delivering many updates in one release in order to make a huge impact for users who are always on-the-go. And we’re not done yet.”

All of the 18 R3 updates and every other feature are included within the versatile business automation software Tigerpaw One that offers all of the best functions of a CRM, PSA, ERP and BPM. The only converged services-ready platform on the market, Tigerpaw One recently was named the top MPS Software Provider for the second consecutive year by the Managed Print Services Association.

Dallas Texas and Brno, Czech Republic – June 24, 2019 – Y Soft® Corporation, a leading enterprise office solution provider, todayannounced that Stephanie B. Kennard has joined
Y Soft as Executive Vice President of Sales, North America as of June 1, 2019. Ms. Kennard brings nearly twenty years of industry experience to lead channel sales teams and provide strategic engagements with channel partners.

Previously, Ms. Kennard held sales positions within the print and document capture industry with companies including Equitrac and X-Solutions before being acquired by Nuance Communications, and OpenText. Most recently, Ms. Kennard was VP of Sales for EveryonePrint.

Ms. Kennard will lead Y Soft’s U.S. based channel sales team, work with OEM partners, and develop new channel sales relationships for the YSoft SafeQ workflow solutions platform. The workflow platform offers solutions for print management, document capture and 3D print management.

“Our growth plans for North America require an experienced leader with strategic channel relationships. Stephanie brings that and much more to this new role and we are pleased to welcome her as the latest YSofter in the U.S.,” said Lukáš Maňásek, Chief Sales Officer, Y Soft.

Worldwide, IDC reported that Y Soft was the fastest growing print management supplier by revenue in 2018. The North American market, in addition to China and Western Europe, is a strategic growth region for the company.

“The opportunity in North America for Y Soft is significant. Y Soft’s existing products and services, the innovations coming from YSoft Labs and the culture of customer-first makes it a very exciting time to join this growing organization,” said Stephanie Kennard, Executive Vice President of Sales, Y Soft North America.

Ms. Kennard is based in Y Soft’s Grapevine, Texas office. She will work closely with Y Soft’s existing North America sales team, Y Soft North America’s Managing Director, Ondřej Krajiček, and the global sales leadership.

Austin, Texas, June 13, 2019 — The Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) is pleased to announce the winners of its2019 Global MPSA Managed Print Services Leadership Awards. Nine winners were announced for six categories at the 2019 BTA Gateway to Success event held in Austin, Texas June 13-14th at the Fairmont Hotel.   MPSA President, Tawnya Stone, emceed the ceremony. 

The MPSA Awards were established in 2010 to honor those companies that have excelled in various areas related to managed print. Winners serve as shining examples to the community regarding their commitment and expertise in MPS. The last Global MPSA MPS Leadership Awards were held in 2018 at the ITEX Expo Show in the MGM Grand Hotel located Las Vegas, Nevada.

An esteemed judging panel of industry leaders, chosen from the MPSA membership and led by members of the MPSA Executive Committee to ensure impartiality and adherence to guidelines, vetted and scored awards submissions. The company scoring highest in each category was deemed winner of the respective award.

“This year’s winners are great representatives of the high quality providers within the MPS community.  The MPSA is fortunate to have members focused on innovation, customer experience and consistency of service while delivering value.  We are proud to recognize their efforts,” stated Tawnya Stone. 

The 2019 Global MPSA MPS Leadership Awards winners are:

Best Independent MPS Provider

Scantron Corporation

This award recognizes an Organization selling managed print services, but not owned by a manufacturer. The Organization may also be offering additional solutions around document management, document workflow, and/or business document processes.  

Best MPS Industry Collaboration

Epson America, GreatAmerica Financial Services, PrintFleet, Synnex Corporation, Simac

Each year we see various companies in the industry work together to make advancements by developing new products, training or programs that further the advancement of Managed Print Services.  This award is intended to recognize the best collaborative effort by multiple organizations.   

Best MPS Infrastructure Provider

Supplies Network

This award recognizes an Organization that has no reseller agreement with end users, but provides necessary combination of components to create a successful program, e.g. Distribution, Parts, Supplies, and Break Fix Services, etc. 

Best MPS Innovation Award

Ingram Micro

Each year we see new developments and initiatives in MPS which have the potential to redefine the way we view the industry.  This award is intended to spotlight the individual, the company, the product or process which can genuinely be hailed an innovation for the industry.  

Best MPS Professional Services Provider

GreatAmerica Financial Services

This award recognizes an Organization with more than one full time employee providing training, research, financing or consultancy.  

Best MPS Software Provider

Tigerpaw Software

This award recognizes an Organization that develops software for the managed print services sector, whether sales management, device management, user management, service management, or billing

About the Managed Print Services Association

The Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that serves the MPS industry. Its focus is on the development of standards, education, and industry guidelines that unite the different segments of the industry and bring value to all those participating. For more information about benefits and memberships, visit http://yourmpsa.org/Membership or contact us at info@yourmpsa.org.

(CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA) March 28, 2019 — The Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) has announced it is now accepting nominations for the Global 2019 MPSA Managed Print Services (MPS) Leadership Awards. All 2019 nominations are due by Friday, April 19, 2019.  Nominations will be judged by a panel of MPSA leaders from a variety of backgrounds. The association plans to reveal the winners in each of nine categories at the Business Technology Association (BTA) 2019 Gateway to Success event in Austin, TX on June 13-14.

The MPSA MPS Awards were established in 2010 to honor those companies that have excelled in various areas related to managed print. Winners are recognized as leaders, innovators, and dedicated members of the managed print services community.

The 2019 Award Categories

The following nine categories of awards reflect the diversity of the managed print services industry. Each nomination form covers six areas, including the extent of the program or service, problem solved, and approaches used.

Once nominees have completed the submission form, they should save the document and email it to the 2019 Awards Committee by the April 5 deadline. Please use this form for all submissions. 

Best Independent MPS Provider – This award recognizes an Organization selling managed print services, but not owned by a manufacturer. The Organization may also be offering additional solutions around document management, document workflow, and/or business document processes.  

Best International MPS Provider – This award recognizes an Organization that provides managed print services excellence outside of North America. 

Best MPS Hardware – This award recognizes a product line that is specifically geared towards managed print service engagements. This product line incorporates specialized features and functionality to drive managed workflow, supplies fulfillment, serviceability and remote capabilities.

Best MPS Industry Collaboration – Each year we see various companies in the industry work together to make advancements by developing new products, training or programs that further the advancement of Managed Print Services.  This award is intended to recognize the best collaborative effort by multiple organizations.   

Best MPS Infrastructure Provider – This award recognizes an Organization that has no reseller agreement with end users, but provides necessary combination of components to create a successful program, e.g. Distribution, Parts, Supplies, and Break Fix Services, etc. 

Best MPS Innovation Award - Each year we see new developments and initiatives in MPS which have the potential to redefine the way we view the industry.  This award is intended to spotlight the individual, the company, the product or process which can genuinely be hailed an innovation for the industry.  

Best MPS Professional Services Provider – This award recognizes an Organization with more than one full time employee providing training, research, financing or consultancy.  

Best MPS Software Provider – This award recognizes an Organization that develops software for the managed print services sector, whether sales management, device management, user management, service management, or billing. 

Best MPS Support by an OEM – This award recognizes an OEM that supports their dealer channel that sells managed print services. The Organization may also offer support through pricing, programs or additional solutions around document management, document workflow, and/or business document processes. 

Nomination Deadline: April 19, 2019                                                            

The MPSA is seeking nomination for judges for the awards process. Current members of the MPSA who are interested in judging one or more award categories can email awards@yourmpsa.org.

About the Managed Print Services Association

The Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that serves the MPS industry. Its focus is on the development of standards, education, and industry guidelines that unite the different segments of the industry and bring value to all those participating. For more information about benefits and memberships, visit http://yourmpsa.org/Membership.

Existing MPSA members interested in getting more involved with the MPSA can find out more about the committees and the MPSA here or contact us at info@yourmpsa.org.

(Cedar Rapids, IA) -- The Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) announced today that Tawnya Stone, vice president, strategic technology, GreatAmerica Financial Services, serves as the association’s president, effective November 1, 2018. Stone replaces Doug Bies, who served as president since August 2017. Bies has resigned to increase his focus on responsibilities at his employer, CDS. Prior to November, Stone had served as vice president of the MPSA for just over a year. She is the first female president for the association.

“We are fortunate to have such a high caliber MPS professional in Tawnya Stone to step into the most important role at the MPSA,” said Ron Alphin, MPSA Board Chairman. “Tawnya has solid leadership skills, extensive experience in MPS, as well as a fresh technology perspective to help our association evolve in the digital era,” he added.

Stone is also an executive council member of CompTIA’s Technology Lifecycle Services Community and past chair of CompTIA’s Managed Print Services Community.

“I am honored to serve as the leader for the MPSA. We have an extraordinary group of experienced MPS leaders involved in the Board and Committees and I hope to increase that involvement and expand the MPS community,” said Stone. “Our Association is only as good as its membership activity and so I encourage those in the industry to get involved. I hope to hear from you,” she added.

For a list of the MPSA leadership, please visit the website.

About Tawnya Stone

In her role as VP, Strategic Technology, Stone is a member of the GreatAmerica Office of the CIO. The Office of the CIO makes decisions that set the technology direction of the company and include ideation, strategy, solution delivery, and operational decisions. In this role, Tawnya is responsible for customer-facing tools and products across various GreatAmerica business units. She works in close collaboration with business unit and functional leadership and external technology partners. Tawnya joined GreatAmerica in 2011 and since that time has served in a number of roles that have blended technology and customer facing activities. Prior to joining GreatAmerica she worked for Philips Electronics and Verizon Communications in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

Tawnya also is a member of the Technology and Operations committee within the ELFA. She was recognized by ENX as a Difference Maker in 2016 and 2018.

Tawnya is a Certified Lease and Finance Professional and earned her B.S. in Management Information Systems from Iowa State University in 1995 and her M.B.A. from Marymount University in 1999.

About the Managed Print Services Association

The Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that serves the MPS industry. Its focus is on the development of standards, education and industry guidelines that unite the different segments of the industry that bring value to all those participating. For more information about benefits and memberships, visit www.yourmpsa.org.

(Cedar Rapids, IA) -- Cannata Report presented GreatAmerica Financial Services with its 2018 Frank Award for “Best Leasing Company” during its 33rd Annual Awards & Charities Dinner at The Madison Hotel in Morristown, New Jersey on Thursday, November 8. The Frank Award winners were chosen by Office Equipment Dealers who responded to The Cannata Report 33rd Annual Survey. Winners were chosen in nine distinct categories.

This year the response to the survey hit an all-time record high of 338 participants, according to The Cannata Report. The Best Leasing Company Award recognizes the leasing companies who provide an outstanding mix of lease options, competitive rates, superior service, and effective dealer communication.

“Consistency in professional excellence speaks for itself. Dealers have ranked GreatAmerica Financial Services number one [in The Cannata Report Annual Dealer Survey] for nine out of the past 10 consecutive years,” said CJ Cannata, executive vice president/publisher, The Cannata Report. “I would also add that based upon several discussions with dealers, and observing GreatAmerica representatives in action, these are the types of professionals leaders refer to when advocating for ‘doing business with people you like’.”

Jennie Fisher, senior vice president and general manager of the Office Equipment Group at GreatAmerica says her team is motivated by this honor. “This Award reflects the passion our GreatAmericans have for our customers. They work to exceed the expectations of our office technology partners every day. We are grateful to our dealers who place their trust in us year after year.”

The 2018 Frank Award categories and winners are as follows:

Best A3 MFP Manufacturer:  Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America

Best A4 MFP Manufacturer:  Kyocera Document Solutions, Inc.;

Best Production Print Manufacturer: Canon U.S.A., Inc.;

Best-in-Class Manufacturer: Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America

Best Female Executive: Laura Blackmer*, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America;

Best Male Executive: Doug Albregts*, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America;

Best Software and Services Provider: ACDI

Best Leasing Company: GreatAmerica Financial Services Corp.

Best Marketing Strategy: Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.

An additional Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Tom Johnson at the dinner event. According to The Cannata Report, the event raised and pledged $180,000 for Tackle Kids Cancer, a philanthropic program benefitting the Children’s Cancer Institute at Hackensack Meridian Health, Hackensack University Medical Center.

*Best Female and Male Executive award nominees are based on leadership in the prior year—2017—and does not necessarily reflect their current role inside or outside of the industry. 

FAIRFIELD, NJ, May 18, 2018 — The Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) is pleased to announce the winners of its 2018 Global MPSA MPS Leadership Awards. Ten winners were announced for seven categories at the 2018 ITEX Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, the evening of Wednesday, May, 16 in room 105 of the MGM Grand Conference Hall.  MPSA Executive Committee member and Vice President, Tawnya Stone, emceed the ceremony.

The MPSA Awards were established in 2010 to honor those companies that have excelled in various areas related to managed print. Winners serve as shining examples to the community regarding their commitment and expertise in managed print services (MPS). The last Global MPSA MPS Leadership Awards were held in 2016 at CompTIA’s Channel Con event.

An esteemed judging panel of industry leaders, chosen from the MPSA membership and led by members of the MPSA Executive Committee to ensure impartiality and adherence to guidelines, vetted and scored awards submissions. The company scoring highest in each category was deemed winner of the respective award.

“The nominees this year were outstanding and should give everyone in our industry great confidence in the future of MPS,” said Doug Bies, President of the Managed Print Services Association. “Our winners are pushing the boundaries of MPS innovation and should be proud of their achievements.”

The 2018 Global MPSA MPS Leadership Awards winners are:

Best MPS Innovation Award – Clover Imaging Group, Print Audit and GreatAmerica Financial Services Corporation (one award for a collaborative approach)

Each year we see new developments and initiatives in MPS that have the potential to redefine the way we view the industry. This award is intended to single out the individual, company, product, or process that can be genuinely hailed an innovation for the industry. This year, there was a novel approach to the submissions, with three member companies collaborating together to provide a solution to the industry around Seat Based Billing.

Independent MPS Plus Provider  – Guy Brown Diverse Business Solutions

An organization selling Basic managed print services (supply fulfillment, break/fix service, and  equipment services), independent from a manufacturer of printer/MFP equipment or supplies and offers MPS Plus solutions such as document management, document workflow, and/or business document processes. Services and value proposition may be targeted to specific vertical markets or be horizontal in application. Sales/delivery model may be direct to end-customers and/or through channel partners. Size/scope of organization may be local, regional, or national.  

Managed Print Infrastructure Provider – Supplies Network

An organization providing the necessary component structure to MPS Services. Providers that provide MPS to end-user customers. This organization is not owned, directly or indirectly, by a manufacturer (including branches and subsidiaries).  

Regional Managed Print Services Provider – Xtandit

A local or regional organization that provides all or any aspects of managed print services in one or more countries of the following regions; Asia Pacific, Europe/Russia, India/Middle East/Africa, and South America, whether directly or indirectly.  

MPS Software Provider – Tigerpaw

An organization that develops software for the managed print services sector, whether sales management, device management, user management, service management, or billing.

MPS Professional Services Provider – GreatAmerica Financial Services

An organization with more than one full-time employee providing training, research, or consultancy.

Outstanding MPS Contribution by an Individual

An individual who has made a significant contribution to the industry and the MPSA organization.

• Ron Alphin, ABM Federal and MPSA Board Member
• Josie Heskje, GreatAmerica Financial Services and MPSA Marketing & Communications Committee Chairperson
• Kevin Campbell, Independent Senior Executive Consultant and MPSA Education Committee Chairperson

About the Managed Print Services Association

The Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that serves the MPS industry. Its focus is on the development of standards, education, and industry guidelines that unite the different segments of the industry and bring value to all those participating. For more information about benefits and memberships, visit http://yourmpsa.org/Membership or contact us at info@yourmpsa.org.

Phoenix, AZ  May 14, 2018 – LMI SOLUTIONS announced today that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Annie Willert, Vice President of Sales and Marketing,  to its prestigious 2018 Women of the Channel list. The executives who comprise this annual list span the IT channel, representing vendors, distributors, solution providers and other organizations that figure prominently in the channel ecosystem. Each is recognized for her outstanding leadership, vision and unique role in driving channel growth and innovation.

CRN editors select the Women of the Channel honorees based on their professional accomplishments, demonstrated expertise and ongoing dedication to the IT channel.

“This accomplished group of leaders is steadily guiding the IT channel into a prosperous new era of services-led business models and deep, strategic partnerships,” said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. “CRN’s 2018 Women of the Channel list honors executives who are driving channel progress through a number of achievements—exemplary partner programs, innovative product development and marketing, effective team-building, visionary leadership and accelerated sales growth—as well as advocacy for the next generation of women channel executives.”

Annie’s wealth of knowledge and experience, having grown up in the industry, has melded well with a position in which she can leverage her expertise into a consultative approach to Managed Services.  Thanks to her experience managing the Customer Service department, Annie possesses a solid understanding of customer’s pain points, which has provided added insight to her sales consultations. 

Her appointment to the Board of Directors for the MPSA (Managed Print Services Association) highlights Annie’s continued dedication to growing and learning within the channel. In further recognition of her success, LMI Solutions recently promoted Annie to Vice President of Sales and Marketing.  Each of these factors contributed to Annie’s recognition as a leader of the channel by CRN.

“There is no one more deserving of this honor than Annie,” commented Roger King, President & Chief Operating Officer, Retired of EO Johnson, “her dedication to the channel, hard work and innovative approach to Managed Services, makes her the perfect candidate for a recognition such as this.  I have known Annie’s father, Gary Willert, for many years, and as a second-generation businessperson in the channel, she has inherited her father’s qualities of honesty and fairness, and is an absolute pleasure to do business with.  She is passionate, energetic, and talented, and I know I speak for many when I enthusiastically extend my congratulations to her for this honor.”

The 2018 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/wotc

(Cedar Rapids, IA) – CEO Juice, a provider of automated best practices for copier dealers, and GreatAmerica Financial Corporation jointly announce a new technology integration allowing office technology dealers who use e-automate to securely and easily import their lease information from GreatAmerica into CEO Juice for better, more timely business decision making. The tool also enables detailed portfolio management and reporting, ensuring all leases are managed by the sales team properly.

“Our integration road map is a top priority to help our dealers create efficiencies and better serve their customers; connecting systems with an innovator like CEO Juice was a no-brainer for GreatAmerica,” said Jennie Fisher, SVP and GM for GreatAmerica Financial Services. “Dealers will now be able to proactively manage their portfolio with actionable data. They’ll miss fewer opportunities to keep and upgrade customers with less effort since the technology does the heavy lifting for them.”

Gary Lavin, Partner, CEO Juice, is pleased GreatAmerica is making lease data available via this technology integration, “It’s great to see GreatAmerica take the lead and give partners like CEO Juice access. Being able to pull real-time data from GreatAmerica really helps us ensure there is accurate data in e-automate for our joint clients.”

The CEO Juice and GreatAmerica reporting tool allows users to immediately identify which leases are not actively being managed and which leases are at a heightened risk, due to lack of activity, in order to take proactive action. Items such as upgrade information, delinquency data, vendor buyout and remaining term for the contract can now be proactively viewed and reported on using data automatically updated daily for timely insights. Previously, office equipment dealers had to manually import spreadsheet data, which was often out of date, causing salespeople to make decisions using inaccurate information.

CEO Juice and GreatAmerica have plans to continue enhancing their integration, including the addition of subscription data alerts and the ability to access lease data in other tools such as Compass Sherpa.

Office equipment dealers interested in using this integration should contact GreatAmerica at integrations@greatamerica.comto get an authentication key which will grant permission for portfolio data to be pulled by CEO Juice. Click here for more information on other GreatAmerica integrations.

About GreatAmerica Financial Services Corporation
GreatAmerica is one of the largest independent small ticket national commercial equipment finance companies in the U.S. and is dedicated to helping manufacturers, vendors, and dealers be more successful and keep their customers for a lifetime. A family-owned business, GreatAmerica was established in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1992 and today is organized into seven business units. It has a staff of over 500 employees with offices in Georgia, Minnesota, and Missouri. Our commitment to understand the office equipment industry has positioned us as the unparalleled leader in single invoice solutions (MPS, Managed IT, and other specialized billing options). We also offer innovative non-financial services to help our dealers evolve their businesses.www.greatamerica.com

About CEO Juice
CEO Juice provides automated processes and best practice sharing for copier dealers running e-automate. We are industry experts and we share best practices learned from working only in this industry and from the 85% of large copier dealers who use us. We help them with managing and motivating sales, to service performance and communicating with customers. Juice ensures nothing falls through the cracks. www.ceojuice.com

Fort Lauderdale, Florida [March 6, 2018] – ITEX has confirmed the educational courses that will be offered at the show in May 2018. Since ITEX began in 2001, the Imaging and Technology Education Exposition (ITEX) has provided top-notch, vendor-neutral education. Attendees who register for the Conference or Certificate Pass will have access to 25 education courses led by industry experts spanning from Managed IT to VoIP.

The educational tracks offered at ITEX 2018 will be divided into 5 tracks:  Marketing & Lead Generation, Managed IT & Cloud, MSP Strategies, MPS/Print, and Security. New this year, the MSP Expo will be leading education on the MSP Strategies track. This education line-up exemplifies this year’s slogan: Own the Office, Piece by Piece. There will be courses for each member of an organization: Dealer Principals, CIO, Sales, Marketing & Service Managers.

Marc Spring founded ITEX in 2001. After re-acquiring the show in 2016, Spring is proud to offer courses hosted by industry leaders, and led by successful resellers. He notes, “ITEX education is presented by industry experts, vendors and Successful dealers. We emphasize that vendors and industry experts must present vendor-neutral education - always co-presented with Business Solution Providers, (BSPs), - so that the audience can get real world stories from dealers, rather than a vendor presentation masquerading as education. Our education is designed and shared by the innovators, movers and shakers in our space.”

ITEX 2018 will be held at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, on May 15^th through May 17^th. Educational courses will be offered from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on May 16^th, and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on May 17^th, with allocated breaks for attendees to explore the show floor. ITEX is anticipating hundreds of exhibitors with expertise in various areas while offering networking opportunities, face-to-face meetings with vendors, co-located events, and educational sessions discussing the latest products. For more information about the show, please visit www.itexshow.com. For more information about ITEX 2018 education, please visit www.itexshow.com/education.