Debra Dellaposta, President of WPS Office Solutions, has achieved what every business leader should aspire to: She runs a highly successful business that is also considered a great place to work. In fact, WPS Office Solutions has been recognized repeatedly as a “great workplace” by the independent analysts at Great Place to Work.
Debra Dellaposta
That isn’t it for the accolades though. She has been listed as one of the Top 100 people by Pennsylvania Business Central for 2014 and 2015 and has won the Managed Print Services Association Leadership Award 2010, Savin Savvy, Elite Dealer Award, and Chamber Innovation Award.
In recognizing Dellaposta as a Difference Maker, her peers cited her business acumen, community and charity work as well as the fact that she is well respected and liked by all.
A ‘normal’ work day for Dellaposta usually entails visiting one of her four locations. She said that she typically schedules a visit or talk with at least one client and her senior leadership team. She also engages with their manufacturers, strategizes on specific accounts, provides updates on social media or follows up on customer surveys.
Dellaposta said that she felt humbled when she learned she was recognized by such a great group of people and joked that she “feels the pressure is on to make sure I make a positive impact in our profession.” She also wanted to recognize some special people who had a profound influence on her life.
“My parents, Ann and Vince Dellaposta, have played such a huge role in all areas of my life,” she said. “They have handed me the keys to their kingdom and I promise to maintain a culture of family and open door leadership as we continue to grow the organization. Being a member of the Select Dealer Group, I am also blessed to have several mentors in our group.”
Asked what she hoped to accomplish this year, she said she would like to see her employees achieve their goals for annual profit sharing.
She added: “We are also looking to expand and I am hopeful we will have an acquisition finalized before the end of the year.”
Although Dellaposta acknowledges that the office technology industry can be complex and competitive, she believes it remains healthy. The best advice she ever received was to stay focused on your core competencies and avoid the shiny stuff. For her, a crucial key to success is investment in people.
“Top talent is required for both taking care of our customers and finding innovative ways to improve their businesses,” she advised.
Dellaposta said that the best thing about her job is that she truly enjoys the people.
“Our employees are fun and caring,” she said. “Our customers are demanding and appreciative. Our manufacturers are committed to our success and are very supportive.”
She added: “I love making those one-on-one connections, because there is always something to be learned from everyone you meet.
