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KEN STEINBACK
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
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By Christine Imbs
“Go the extra mile and keep your nose clean. I know it sounds trite, but it’s the best advice I can give.”
Trite or not, coming from Ken Steinback this advice is worth taking. As chairman,
CEO and co-founder of Computer Sales International, Steinback has built one of the largest independent IT leasing companies in the world with over $800 million in assets. And in the 30 plus years CSI has existed, they’ve never experienced a layoff or loss.
“I think the major thing that I contribute this to is that we take care of our customers,” he explains. “If you don’t, you won’t survive.”
This is a simple philosophy to be sure, but one that works, especially when you have the right people to back you up. And according to Steinback, the right people mean everything.
“The absolute secret to success is people,” he continues. “We have some of the very best working for us. And I’ve been doing business with some of the same people since the beginning, for instance the same lawyers, bankers, and insurance people. It’s something I learned from my uncle.”
Steinback says his father died when he was still very young, so his uncle was a big influence in his life, particularly when it came to business.
“My uncle was a very smart businessman,” he says. “He taught me a lot about the business world, about integrity and consistency. I had a lot of respect for him.”
That respect shows in the way Steinback runs his operation. He treats people the way he himself would want to be treated. And with an attitude like that, success is inevitable.
“I’m confident that no one walks around saying it’s miserable doing business with CSI,” he comments. “I’m sure there are companies that have that reputation, but I don’t want to be one of them. I would sacrifice dollars any time for integrity and goodwill.”
If it’s true that a man reaps what he sows, then Steinback’s harvest is indeed bountiful. Just how much came to light when he was diagnosed with cancer. Not only did his family and friends rally around him, but so did his business colleagues.
“I went through some bad stuff, but my support system was there for me,” he says. “They kept my spirits up and kept me going. Of course, being told you have cancer puts a level of what’s important on the table. I spent more time with family and friends, and I stayed away from the business for about year. It was hard, but because of the caliber of people I do business with, I was able to walk away knowing everything was under control.”
With “the bad stuff” hopefully behind him, the sixty-one-year-old Steinback says he’d like to eventually double the size of CSI. “It’s the easiest way to grow in this business,” he says. “We’re one of the leaders in this industry. And as the industry evolves and new technologies are introduced, we’re going to have to be there to provide something to our customers or we aren’t going to retain our market share.”
As for his proudest accomplishment, without missing a beat he says, “That I’ve built a company with great people, great customers, and with terrific integrity. Sure, I’ve obviously been rewarded for some of this stuff, but that doesn’t mean as much to me as what this company stands for. If a customer calls with a problem we resolve it. And that’s easy for me. I’m
not a fighter. I’m
a lover.”
TalkingPOINTS
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BORN: St. Louis
FAMILY: Wife, Marilyn; 2 grown children, 2 grandchildren
EDUCATION: B.S. in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis
ARMED FORCES: Army veteran who served as a first lieutenant in charge of the Berlin data center.
AWARDS: 2004 Greater St. Louis Top 50 Companies Award; 1999 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the St. Louis Region
HOBBIES: “Fishing, golf, and time with my family. I’m also an avid baseball fan which makes me a little crazy.”
FAVORITE BOOKS: “Anything that makes me laugh.”
FAVORITE MOVIES: See “Books.” |
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