Homewood Business Imaging Dealer Brings Home Gold Award

BIRMINGHAM – The Alabama Retail Association (ARA) in cooperation with the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Business today recognized 19 outstanding Alabama retailers representing 13 retail businesses as “Retailers of the Year.” The presentations were made at The Club in Birmingham during the 2011 Retail Day Luncheon. This marked the 12th presentation of the Retailer of the Year Awards since 1999.

ChapmanTerry Chapman, president and co-founder of Business Electronics Corp., a Homewood business that sells state-of-the-art printing, copying and imaging equipment, won the Gold Award in the Annual Sales $1 Million to $5 Million Category. “Business Electronics is a business partner that will help you analyze your business’s processes and workflows,” said Tricia Ford, executive director of the Homewood Chamber of Commerce, who nominated Chapman for the award.

In the past year, the company aggressively sought out software partners to enhance electronic filing routines, e-document routing and support document approval workflows that result in a “paperless office” for its customers. The software products integrate directly with the company’s business imaging systems to enable users to scan, file-name, route for approval and store in PDF or similar electronic formats in one step. Business Electronics doesn’t just sell and service, its goal is to “make our business customers more effective at producing, storing, distributing and retrieving their documents,” according to Chapman’s Retailer of the Year entry.

The Retailer of the Year judges were most impressed with the 22-year-old business’ close-to-perfect customer satisfaction ratings, its incredible business strategy and excellent marketing strategy.

Ford noted in her nomination that besides running a cutting-edge business, “Terry Chapman is a very civic-minded person who gives of his time to many worthwhile organizations.” Chapman is president of the Jefferson/Shelby Chapter of the American Cancer Society; has served as vice president of the Camp Smile-A-Mile board, which oversees the children’s oncology camping program; and he is co-chair of the Red Mountain Theatre Company’s leading 2012 fundraiser.

Business Electronics’ 15 full-time employees have put together company teams for Junior Achievement bowl-a-thons, the Exceptional Foundation’s Chili Cook-Off and Episcopal Place’s Gumbo Gala. Chapman serves on the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce board of directors and two other team members, David Jones and Rhett McCreight, serve as ambassadors for local chambers. Business Electronics Corp is a member of the Birmingham Business Alliance as well as the Greater Shelby, Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook and Trussville chambers of commerce.

Chapman and Business Electronics also provide leadership for the imaging industry. The company is a member of the Birmingham Area Technology Leadership Alliance, a nonprofit that supports the start-up and development of technology-based businesses and champions investments and job growth in this sector. In July 2012, Chapman will begin a one-year term as president of the national Business Technology Association. He has served as president for the association’s Southeast Region and was named as the region’s 2008 Volunteer of the Year.

Alabama Retail Association President Rick Brown said, “Terry Chapman is a retailer of the year EVERY year to his customers, employees, his industry and the Homewood and Jefferson County communities.”

>> Full list of 2011 Retailers of the Year
>> Previous Retailers of the Year

Media Contacts
Terry Chapman, Business Electronics Corp. | 205.942.6007
Nancy Dennis, Alabama Retail Association | 334.263.5757 Ext. 101 | 800.239.5423