For far too many people, the objective of the work day is to hear that five o’clock alarm and head for the exits. That kind of thinking sticks in the craw of James Morrissey.
Jim Morrissey
Vice President, Document Technology Partners, U.S. Channels Unit, Xerox Corp.
The vice president, U.S. Channels Unit of Xerox prefers to surround himself with energized team members and feeds off the electricity he experiences from coworkers and customers alike. On the latter count, Morrissey enjoys interacting with the entrepreneurs who love making money and having fun in the process. Yet, he does not allow the pursuit of wealth to be a driving force in his life and values loyalty and happiness. Morrissey always brings his “A” game and is drawn to those who follow suit.
“At Xerox, I am leading what feels like a startup business,” he said. “Xerox has not focused on traditional dealers in the past and now it is a major focus. I feel like I am involved in something big. The brand of Xerox is so strong and we are looking for ways to address the changes in our industry and help dealers make that transition with us.”
Morrissey began his office technology journey straight out of college when he answered a job ad for selling computers. The company hired him to sell copiers instead, and Morrissey bolted out of the chute with stellar sales in the first three months. From there, he was hooked. He’s touched virtually every aspect of the ecosystem…owning a dealership, then taking executive roles with notables such as IKON Office Solutions and Ricoh. With Xerox, he is quarterbacking its dealer channel growth initiative into the SMB space.
This wealth of experience has helped Morrissey in his collaboration with the dealer channel. “I walk into companies like Edwards Business Systems, Proven IT, LDI Color ToolBox, Loffler Companies, Usherwood Office Technology, Kelley Imaging Systems or EDGE Business Systems and I can feel the electricity,” he said. “It really is a great opportunity to work with smart, successful people. They also know that I have years of experience doing exactly what they are doing, so we have a good deal in common.”
Morrissey follows a simple philosophy: People, Process and Execution. He follows the mantra of treating people as you would like to be treated, having a process and framework that everyone understands, and tracking your progress with KPIs that are the manual for driving your tactical actions.
Industry Influences
He’s been blessed through the years with several mentors who have helped shape his philosophy and approach to business. One was Ed Topar, who taught Morrissey the ins and outs of being a professional manager, emphasizing the importance of organization and planning in creating successful outcomes. Peter Shoemaker provided Morrissey with financial and discipline keys and shared his gift of number-crunching. Brian Edwards, who was both a peer and a boss for Morrissey, shared tremendous insight toward motivating people and capturing both hearts and minds.
Another key influence in Morrissey’s life is Jerry Blaine, whose caring nature and gentlemanly ways have earned him great respect among his business partners and rivals alike. “Jerry has a wonderful family and a successful business. To me, that is the ultimate success,” Morrissey observed.
Morrissey traces his core values to his mom and dad. Shoemaker gave him a copy of Steven Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and Morrissey saw many parallels between the author’s teachings and his parents’ guidance.
“My Dad told me that anyone can take your possessions, but only you can give away your integrity,” he said. “That has never left me and I rely on it when I am challenged with difficult decisions. In business, it’s work hard and do the right thing. People can see through a phony and they love to work with people who are genuine. I try to remember that no matter what your position, we are all equal at the end of the day.”
Genesis of Growth
Upon arriving at Xerox in February of 2017, Morrissey was tasked with outlining and constructing a foundation for growth in the dealer channel. Xerox changed the way it did business, and in the process increased sales by more than 50 percent. He is banking on continued success in 2019 and hopes to leverage his experience to enable Xerox to continue its transformation into a technology company and introduce the brand to a younger generation of customers.
“I know many more people than when I started, and I know how to press the right buttons to get quick action,” he said. “Leveraging that internal knowledge and relationships will add tremendous value in 2019.”
James and Jeanne Morrissey have been married for 34 years and have four adult children and a grandchild. Morrissey considers his kids to be his best friends, and the family does everything together. The family recently returned from a 10-day vacation in Italy, which he considers a trip of a lifetime.
“I have always had a great deal of energy, so anything that keeps me in motion, I enjoy,” he said. “Life is good.”
