As the founding partner of Thunder Bay Xerox, Dave Grady has a simple philosophy: put people first and they will deliver for you.

“Not only do I say I put people first, I actually do,” he declares. “From surrounding myself with the greatest people, I am able to deliver greatness. Simple, but very true.”

After graduating from Lakehead University in 2003, Dave went to work for Xerox Canada as a sales rep. Three years later was born a business for the sale and service of Xerox equipment in the city and across the region. With three employees initially, TBXI has diversified into a full IT, technology and services company and now employs 20 people.

“I wanted to create an environment for employees that was second to none and to have a positive impact on the community,” Dave states.

Two of those people are the other managing partners, James Tomlinson and Mark Elgie. All are proud Thunder Bay post-secondary graduates and they share an easygoing relationship.

Asked about their roles, they explain that Mark runs all sales for TBXI and James looks after corporate IT solutions. “Dave does basically everything else,” they say. “We are still fine-tuning his title.”

To prove the point, James explains how he joined the business. “Dave offered me a job out of the blue and I said No,” he relates. “Here we are nine years later.”

Mark is more serious about his history. “I was fortunate enough to find a great opportunity with TBXI and partners who allowed me to move further into the company,” he states.

With outlets in Dryden and Terrace Bay, TBXI has access to the full line of Xerox Canada products. They recently announced a partnership with Hamster, bringing Canada’s largest and most innovative selection of office supply, furniture and design centre services to Northern Ontario workplaces.

TBXI has partnered with leading technology companies such as Lenovo, Dell and WatchGuard to deliver server solutions and corporate security as well as training on how to use leading-edge products.

Keeping customers current with technology means they can compete with other major city centres, which allows TBXI to grow.

“We strive to show customers and non-customers alike our solutions and help them create a more efficient and profitable business,” Dave says.

The latest innovation at TBXI was implementing a new management system for the sales staff to ensure that customer data and conversations were saved in a central repository. This 360-degree view of has allowed TBXI to deliver a consistent message to its customers, has allowed it to be more productive in administrative duties, and has ensured higher customer satisfaction.

“There is always a change in technology and customer need,” Dave notes. “We do our best to grow and stay ahead of the curve. We feel that TBXI is always able to offer the most cutting-edge solutions that are specific to each customer’s need.”

Giving back to the community is also a priority. TBXI supports numerous organizations and events, such as the Bearskin Airlines Hope Classic, George Jeffrey Children’s Centre and the Young Professionals Network of Ontario (YPNO).