Ozarks Profile

Founder and owner of Integrated Rollout Solutions, 3886 E. Eagle's Cliff Drive. The company is made up of a mobile work force that installs telephone and cable systems, mostly for the retail industry. Moore started the company 2 1/2 years ago, after seeing a need for such a service while he worked for IBM. Some of Integrated Rollout Solutions' clients include Polo, American Stores (recently merged with Albertson's, this company owns Osco Drug Stores), Hank's Fine Furniture and National Tire and Battery. The company employs 12 people and Moore said he wants to double the work force this December. The employees are spread across the country; about one-third are in California, and the others are in Arkansas, Missouri, New York and other states. Moore started the business in Springfield because he said he plans to make Springfield his home. Moore lived in Springfield once before and ran an art gallery, Graphic Concepts, before going to work for the Rolm Corporation, which IBM later purchased.

Age: 43.

No. of years in Springfield/area: Two years since returning; lived here once before, about 15 years ago, for a period of about two years. Has spent most of his life in Alaska.

Education: Educated in Alaska, where he received a bachelor's degree in business from LaSalle University.

Early career: Began working at a pet shop while he was in high school in the 1970s. It was through that job that Moore discovered his interest in tropical fish, which then became a hobby for him for a number of years. He worked for the public school district in Alaska, and then became a union journeyman telephone lineman, joining the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and spending 10 years as a journeyman lineman. "I traveled around and saw a lot of the state, but eventually I got tired of the snow and moved to Springfield," Moore said. Moore's parents call Springfield home, and when he moved here, Moore opened Graphic Concepts before joining the Rolm Corporation. Once IBM purchased Rolm, Moore spent the next 13 years traveling around the country, making career moves with IBM. He began as a service technician with IBM, then became service manager, branch service manager and eventually project manager. "I was one of IBM's few certified project managers at the time," Moore said. From Springfield, his starting point, Moore moved to Wichita, Kan.; Cleveland, Ohio; Chicago, Ill.; and then Tulsa, Okla. While he was a project manager, Moore said, he did a lot of traveling, spending six or 10 months at a time in a location that was usually far from his home base. "That was influential in my decision to start my own company, also. Although I still travel quite a bit, I am not gone for extended periods of time," Moore said. About 2 1/2 years ago, Moore left IBM and started his own company. During its first year, Integrated Rollout Systems had about $700,000 in sales. This year the company's sales will be $1.5 million.

Current projects: The company is working on systems for eight American Stores, a Polo location in Florida, and three locations for DialAmerica, a telephone soliciting company.

Management philosophy: "I have very high expectations. If I give someone a schedule I assume they will meet that schedule, and they can assume I am the focal point," Moore said.

Spare-time pursuits: Moore is a bass fisherman and participates in fishing tournaments when he gets a chance. He has also taken up golf again and is looking forward to hiring another project manager for his company so he can get a little more free time.

Family data: Is married to Ann Moore, who also works in the business, and has a son, Chris, who lives in Elgin, Ill., a suburb of Chicago.

[[In-content Ad]]