General

Designer and creator of Item411, Market Xpert, Supply411, GOPD, DB2/DBx, OPSoftware and the Phone Order Entry (P O E) System, I have worked independently for over 30 years in various facets of the Office Products Industry developing specialized programs and databases for OP Dealers.

Before working independently, I worked as a lead programmer for Consolidated Computer, one of the first OP Industry computer systems vendors. From 1974 to 1979 I held a variety of positions at North DeKalb Office Supply where I worked my way up through product delivery, procurement, and IT operations.

First Chain Database

In 2002, I created the first chain data database cross-referencing SP Richards item numbers to Office Depot item numbers. Office Depot was then the largest office supply chain in the United States.

In 2003, as the Internet and Internet ordering became more stable, I added web scraped pricing to the database. It was then I added both the up and coming Staples and Office Max to my database.

State of Georgia

Because of my unique knowledge, experience and skills I was enlisted by a group of Georgia OP Dealers to analyze the State of Georgia contract. This analysis uncovered multiple irregularities and pricing errors which eventually resulted in the cancellation of the Office Depot contract on February 8, 2008. DepotDebarmentLetter

State of California

After Office Depot was debarred in Georgia, I was contacted by a group of California OP dealers to perform a similar investigation. Again, pricing irregularities were uncovered and Office Depot was back in the hot seat when the San Jose Mercury News published a front page story on the State of California office supply contract. Mercury News 4-6-08

Atlanta Public Schools

In December, 2009, another local Atlanta dealer contacted me regarding the Office Depot contract with the Atlanta public school system. Once again, I was able to prove conclusively that the City of Atlanta was being overcharged. This time a local Atlanta TV station took up the story and ran it for several weeks.

Unfortunately for Office Depot, Atlanta is the headquarters of many large corporations and my phone rang off the hook for months. Buyers for these comapnies were asking, “Am I being cheated? What about the other chain stores?”

Going Forward

We are all the sum of our life experiences and my experience is that way too many people in this industry take and take and take and never give anything back. All they do is look at what’s in it for them. This is not only self-centered, it’s a really stupid way to run a business or your life.

When the news of Office Depot being kicked out of the state of Georgia broke, my phone started ringing. People were thanking me, asking how could they ever repay me? I was floored.

You put my kids through college, you pay my mortgage, and all because you trust me enough to buy my software. I am paying you back.