Company: eCommerce Industries (ECi), Fort Worth, TX
Company Description: ECi is a leading provider of business management & e-commerce software for growing & mid-size companies in niche markets. ECi solutions are known for a combination of technological innovation & top-ranked customer support; these strengths fuel the efficiency and expansion of companies in retail & distribution-oriented industries such as hardware, janitorial/sanitation & office supplies.
Nomination Category: Management Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Executive - Computer Software

Nomination Title: Ron Books: A Case Study in Effective Leadership

1. Tell the story about what this nominee achieved since January 1 2007 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

   If a man is judged by his effects, then consider the resume of Ron Books, COO 
   for eCommerce Industries (ECi). In his 9-year tenure, Mr. Books has transformed 
   ECi:
   
   • From a company whose development department was housed in a barn, to an IT 
   conglomerate with subsidiaries in five countries and customers on four 
   continents
   • From 50 employees to over 1200
   • From a company whose operating budget consisted of whatever was in the 
   owner’s pocket, to a technology property that last year sparked a three-way 
   bidding war between high-profile capital groups
   • From a software start-up, to an undeniable force in the dozen industries we 
   serve — overall, a company poised to become the SAP of the specialty business 
   world
   
   It is a change that is undeniable, and one that many in this company attribute 
   primarily to the soft-spoken, engaged leadership of Mr. Books. For in a results-
   driven world, Mr. Books was the chief architect of a growth strategy that has 
   steadily increased ECi market share throughout the last decade. Ron Books and 
   his team led ECi to a banner year in 2007, with more than double the sales of 
   our nearest competitor.1
   
   ECi’s growth strategy is this: seek out and acquire industry-specific software 
   properties with untapped potential. But through acquisitions that act more as 
   supportive partnerships, ECi shifts the focus of these companies from mere 
   survival to a higher aspiration: to become the best technology provider in 
   their industry.2 In terms of the software itself, this means a massive influx 
   of capital, doubling and often tripling development budgets to bring next-
   generation systems to market swiftly. ECi also enhances current systems with 
   the best that modern technology has to offer: e-commerce,3 business 
   intelligence, mobile logistics,4 etc.
   
   But more than just capital backing, ECi offers its subsidiaries the guidance of 
   a world leader in technology. Where management practices were lacking, Mr. 
   Books carried out top-to-bottom review of operations, personally ushering them 
   into efficiency. Where technical support teams lacked accountability, ECi 
   instituted customer feedback programs that have steadily improved customer 
   satisfaction.5
   
   And where promotional campaigns were low quality and sporadic, Mr. Books has 
   lent these companies the full force of ECi’s marketing division. ECi 
   subsidiaries benefit from intensely targeted coverage of all relevant print 
   media, industry events, direct mail, out-bound telemarketing, webinar 
   resources, and training conferences that consistently yield after-market 
   prospects. And because a technology company cannot afford to lag in high-tech 
   marketing, ECi aggressively pursues early-adopters through paid search and 
   targeted dialogue email — all streamlined by a Web-based lead qualification 
   system.
   
   And all of it achieved through the initiative of Mr. Books.
   
   His effects are undeniable. As Mr. Books coordinated the management of 
   four new subsidiaries last year, ECi revenues more than doubled since 2006. 
   And, as the lynchpin of a leadership team that carried this company through the 
   depths of the dot-com bust, ECi’s growth horizon remains strong, now and for 
   decades to come.
   

2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

   1: http://www.ofdmag.com/NewsLetterStory.asp?
   ID=5929&TYPE=NL&NLID=5012&ENID=522
   2: http://www.idealercentral.com/archives/id_mar08.pdf
   3: http://www.eci2.com/company/news/pressrel/prdetail.asp?id=157
   4: http://www.imagesourcemag.com/article.asp?id=2000&type=article
   5: http://www.eci2.com/assets/support/supportsurveyreport.mht

3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the nominee:

   As Chief Operating Officer of ECi, Ron oversees internal operations, management 
   and development. Previously with Lucent Technologies, Ron joined ECi‘s Online 
   Office Supplies business unit in late 1999. Ron was promoted to President of 
   OOSC in 2000 before successfully selling off that unit in 2001. He served as 
   Vice President of Sales for ECi, and was promoted to Senior Vice President of 
   Operations in 2003. Ron holds a B.A. in Accounting from University of Dayton.