Finalist
Information Technology Services
Before Ed Kenty arrived at Park Place International as its president and CEO, the company operated primarily as a hardware reseller.
Kenty, along with the company’s founders, decided to take PPI to a new level, so in 2004, it shifted its position in the marketplace by offering post-warranty hardware maintenance services and becoming a multiplatform service provider, selling complex multivendor solutions. Doing this has allowed PPI to sell hardware made by a variety of vendors, such as IBM, Dell, HP/Compaq and Sun, and then convert its customers into service clients by servicing that hardware once the original equipment manufacturers’ warranties expire.
By making these shifts in the company’s focus, Kenty and PPI’s founders have been able to take the company to a new level of excellence. Sales doubled between 2005 and 2008, and its growth shows no signs of slowing, as the company has recently secured new accounts with AOL and Boston Financial Services. In addition, PPI has taken advantage of the current market conditions by offering a more cost-effective solution than direct OEM service providers offer, and it has done this without sacrificing quality or expertise. Its reputation for quality has encouraged and enabled IT executives across the country to invest in PPI’s service model.
The only thing limiting the company’s growth is its ability to hire and train quality professionals, but Kenty is on top of that. Last year, he made a number of key changes so that PPI could more effectively respond to demand for growth. He realized that the company could more effectively serve clients if it employed top engineers to respond to the most complex and technical issues, allowing it to do away with third-party specialists. Doing this increased customer satisfaction and team communications, and it also saved the organization more than $3 million in support costs.
The company’s ability to listen to its customers, provide quality solutions and focus on the success of its employees ensures its ability to continue to quickly react to marketplace opportunities.
How to reach: Park Place International, (800) 931-3366 or www.parkplaceintl.com