In a 16-year career with Lexmark International, Phil Boatman established himself as a marquee player in the office technology industry and was a major cornerstone in developing the company’s Business Solutions Dealer (BSD) program in 2007. Last month, Konica Minolta sent ripples through the industry when it announced it had tabbed Boatman as vice president, dealer sales south.
We sat down with Boatman as he reflected on his time with Lexmark, the incredible opportunity he sees with Konica Minolta, and forging new and profitable relationships with its dealer community.
What intrigued you the most about the thought of working for Konica Minolta?
Boatman: The opportunity with Konica Minolta is a really good one. When I take a look at the companies that are well-positioned, I try to see what companies are going to be here for the long haul. Konica Minolta has done a lot over the last 10 years and has positioned itself to be one of the leaders. When you look at IDC reporting and who’s leading in digital transformation, it’s been easy to watch KM progress to a company that’s in a leadership position. Just recently, they were touted as one of the tops in the industry for digital transformation. I think a lot of that has to do with their All Covered acquisition. Those were important factors in my decision. I’ve known Rick Taylor for about 10 years, got to spend time with him at various dealer and industry events. I also got to know Sam Errigo over the last couple of years and he’s a heck of a leader as well. And Laura Blackmer is phenomenal; I got to work with her while I was at Lexmark, due to the relationship they had with Sharp. She’s a tremendous leader as well. The three of them make up a great part of the leadership team, and it made my decision easy.
What do you feel you bring to the table for Konica Minolta?
Boatman: I think I bring a wealth of energy, knowledge and relationships to Konica Minolta. I have an affinity for working with dealers and being able to understand how they think and operate, to learn what’s important to them, and really learn how dealers have changed and evolved over the last 10-15 years. That has provided me with a lot of great insight. I think my energy level is as high as anybody’s—I’m excited about what I do. I love the opportunity to help dealers grow and win business. All of those things, the energy, the enthusiasm, the knowledge of how dealers want to run their business, all help me jump into a position like this.
You’ve spent the past 16 years with Lexmark, and played a large role in developing its copier dealer program. What are your thoughts as you reflect on your time with Lexmark?
Boatman: I’ve built great relationships there and have friendships with so many. It’s never easy to make a change. They all wished me well and understood it was an opportunity I was very much interested in. Sixteen years at one company is a great duration that allows you to learn and grow in the role. I was very thankful that I got to be a part of starting that Lexmark BSD program back in 2007. It was gratifying to see how that program grew and changed over the years. When it started, it was just a small group of people. Today, it’s a pivotal piece of their business. Lexmark was great to me and gave me all of the opportunities that I had to build my career. I wouldn’t be here without that opportunity, so I’ve got nothing but great things to say for them.
Obviously, you’ve chosen a challenging business environment to enter with a new OEM. What will be the key to success in the short term?
Boatman: One thing that doesn’t change in our business is communication. A lot of us would really prefer face-to-face meetings, but thank goodness for all of the video conferencing tools that we have today. We’re leveraging Zoom, Google Meets and other tools dealers have. So that’s a plus. My goal is to reach out and introduce myself to dealers that I don’t know and make sure I’m communicating early and often so that we get to know each other. The funny thing is, there’s a Konica Minolta office about nine-tenths of a mile from my house, and I didn’t even know that. I set up a virtual office at my house, where I have two monitors, and my wife was gracious enough to move all of her stuff out. Just this week, I started trying on the KM branch office for size, and it’s quite lovely. It’s about a three-minute drive, and it’s quiet in here. That really facilitates good conversations, whether it’s video conferences or conference calls. I’m excited about being a part of the team. Konica Minolta has got quality products, leadership and dealers. It’s just a great organization. They’ve invested in a lot of areas and it’s really exciting to see how they’re moving toward the future. I’m happy to be here.
