2008 Dynamic Dozen, No. 10: Protel Systems & Supplies Inc.

Big changes lie ahead for Springfield-based Protel Systems & Supplies Inc., but they certainly aren’t hampering the company’s growth.

Founder and President Steve Thompson is retiring in June, and three senior managers will complete a buyout that comes after a three-year transition.

General Manager Bruce Jones will be the company president come July 1; Senior Call Center Director Shane Taylor will be vice president of call center operations; and Senior Service Manager Randy Harris will be vice president of service.

Thompson said in the beginning, the buyout was kept secret from employees because the parties wanted to ensure a smooth changeover.

“We announced (it) in the second year,” Thompson said. “I took one day off a week. Now I’m working three days a week.”

The three-year transition period was designed to prepare the trio for their new roles, but Thompson’s quick to point out that the company’s new owners are responsible for much of Protel’s recent growth.

“I wasn’t around for a big portion of that time,” Thompson said.

Protel’s 2007 revenues were $4.8 million, up from $3.6 million in 2006 and $2.5 million in 2005.

In 2001, the company was honored with an Economic Impact Award from Springfield Business Journal.

Jones said Thompson gets credit for the company’s success, too.

“Part of our growth has to be attributed to the vision of Steve Thompson over the years that in communications, things change,” Jones said. “If you are not out there looking and planning for changes and looking for those new innovative products to bring to your customer base to help innovate them, you are not going to grow.”

Jones said satisfying large customers, such as the city of Springfield, the state of Missouri and Missouri State University, has contributed to the reputation that leads to growth. According to Jones, another client, Bass Pro Shops, is a good example and cornerstone of Protel’s growth.

“Bass Pro Shops is really key,” he said. “We’re focused on improving skills and service to them.”

Bass Pro Telecommunications Senior Analyst Kathy Voepel has seen Protel’s relationship with the outdoor retailer evolve for 21 years, and she said Protel is essential in helping to open new Bass Pro locations.

“They provide the phone system for us,” Voepel said. “They do the cabling for us. They provide the voicemail, the data cables. Practically anything that involves communications, they provide for us.”

Beyond technology, Voepel said Protel also provides support and ideas that fuel Bass Pro’s growth. As a customer, she said Bass Pro is completely comfortable with the coming management change, given that the retailer has been working with Jones, Taylor and Harris for years.

Going forward, Protel plans to build more relationships like the one it has with Bass Pro.

“We’re not selling phone systems as much as communications solutions,” Jones said. “We have one customer that has a remote office in China.”

Still, Protel’s new leaders aren’t expecting future growth to be easy.

“It has been a lot of hard work,” Jones said, noting that some growth has come from expanding the company’s call-center operations. “We want to focus on really increasing our presence in the marketplace, increasing revenue and developing new opportunities.”

Information accurate at the time of the honor.[[In-content Ad]]