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This is Chris Redgrave for Zions Bank Speaking on Business.
In the competitive business world, it's not surprising to see the fittest companies survive. That's one of the reasons Les Olson Company is going strong and is heading into their fourth generation of family ownership. They now have almost 200 employees in seven branches from Logan to Las Vegas.
Les Olson Company has come a long way from their humble beginnings when founder Les Olson decided to start a family business to provide for his 12 children. All the children were invited to open their piggy banks and donate funds to the new business venture. Les and his wife, Reva, believed service was key to a successful company and said, "Anyone can sell a machine, but if you can't provide service, you're out of business. Service is our backbone." This year they've experienced double-digit growth.
It's the reputation Les Olson Company has worked hard to live up to, and it shows. The company is best known for providing software solutions and printer support for business clients. By the way, growth in their Managed Print Services division in 2011 was up almost 115 percent and in electronic storage and Docuware/Solutions Department is up almost 250 percent.
In meeting to Troy Olson, who took over as the third generation president of Les Olson Company this month, he said that next to their clients, they consider employees as their best asset. That's probably one of the reasons the company has grown enough to hire 23 new employees this year. This is critical in increasing Utah's employment base and helping us lead out in the nation. In the last 12 months Utah's workforce expanded 2.5 percent, adding over 30,000 jobs. Job growth is what Utah is looking for.
In addition to 11 Olson families, the company is also made up of 17 other families within their business who have been with the company for consecutive generations. That says a lot about their commitment to employees. Les Olson Company is another example of why Forbes Magazine has named Utah as the Best State for Business and Careers.
For Zions Bank, I'm Chris Redgrave, speaking on business.
Les Olson Company 3244 S. 300 West Salt Lake City, UT 84115 1-801-486-7431 www.lesolson.com
