RAMSEY, N.J. and KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 13, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA, Inc. one of the world's leaders in information management focused on enterprise content, technology optimization and cloud service was recently presented with two awards including the 2015 Inventory performance category as well as an award in the three-way tie in the Corporate Support performance category by the Business Technology Association (BTA; www.bta.org). Rick Taylor, president and COO for Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA, In. and the keynote presenter at the Cruise to Success event, accepted the awards. The event, hosted by BTA Mid-America was held at the Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota on May 8, 2015.
"BTA's annual Channel's Choice awards program, which began in 1989, provides dealers with a means of recognizing and honoring those vendors that are the most supportive of the dealer channel," said 2014-15 BTA President Ron Hulett. "Through the years, we have honored a number of deserving vendors for their outstanding product lines, exceptional levels of performance and dealer support. As one of our 2015 Channel's Choice winners, we congratulate Konica Minolta and express our sincere thanks for its exceptional support of the BTA Channel."
Earlier this year, BTA emailed a link to the online ballot to all of its dealer members and a number of dealers outside of its membership. The association also encouraged industry vendors to provide the ballot link to dealers. The ballot asked dealers to rate their primary- and secondary-line hardware vendors in key performance categories, as well as to rate vendors in the two additional award categories — remanufactured cartridges and third-party leasing. The balloting results determined the Channel's Choice award winners. BTA received 343 completed ballots.
At the end of his speech, Taylor announced the recent $10,000 donation to the BTA Scholarship Foundation in honor of Bob Goldberg. Goldberg, who has served as general counsel for the association since 1977, was recently presented with a new award that is named in his honor, the Bob Goldberg Legacy Award. The award was intended to thank him for his many years of service to the industry and the association. This will endure many years into the future in the form of college scholarships to help defray the high cost of education for future generations, some of the students ultimately pursuing a career in the office technology industry.
"The Inventory performance and Corporate Support performance awards from BTA are important because they bring to light Konica Minolta as being a predictable, reliable partner in helping our dealers grow their business," says Kevin Kern, senior vice president, Marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA, Inc. "Konica Minolta and BTA have a shared mission of improving access to technology and we're delighted to support the BTA Scholarship Foundation with this in-kind donation."
The Foundation provides $1,000 and $1,500 college scholarships to the sons and daughters of employees of BTA member dealerships. The scholarships are awarded based on an application process. The winners each year are selected by an independent evaluator, a dean at a Kansas City university. While the program began in the late 1960s, the records of scholarships awarded go back to the 1984-85 school year. Since that time, BTA has awarded scholarships to 1,327 deserving students totaling $1,495,500. You can read more about the BTA Scholarship Foundation here:www.bta.org/Scholarships. To see photos of some of the winners for the current 2014-15 school year, click here: http://bta.site-ym.com/?Scholarships2014.
About BTA
Founded in 1926, the Business Technology Association serves office technology dealerships, resellers, manufacturers, distributors and service companies. Its core members — office technology dealerships — consult, sell and service hardware, software and supplies with the primary goal of helping businesses optimize business document and information workflows. Through the association's various educational programs, information, research, legal services, publications and guidance, BTA member dealerships are positioned to be the premier source of the office technology used by businesses throughout the United States every day. For more information on BTA, see its Web site at www.bta.org or call (800) 505-2821. The fax number is (816) 941-4838. You may also write to: BTA, 12411 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64145.
Kristina Marchitto