The title on Marc Grégoire’s business card may read “chief information officer,” but in his day-to-day interactions at Seattle-based Copiers Northwest, his underlying thrust is to be a catalyst for meaningful change. With the knowledge that the solutions he and his team implement today can carve a path to future advancement, Grégoire is driven to play a significant role in the team’s growth and success.
“This focus on creating impactful, sustainable outcomes keeps me engaged and enthusiastic about each new project,” said Grégoire, a 2024 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “The most rewarding aspect of my current role is witnessing the tangible impact of my efforts on both client satisfaction and internal operational efficiency.”
Technology courses through Grégoire’s veins. Quarterbacking the dealer’s large-scale IT and office technology projects enables him to collaborate with cross-functional teams to solve complex challenges. When the projects successfully deliver the one-two punch of achieving business goals and delivering lasting value for clients, that checks off the satisfaction box for Grégoire.
A staunch believer in the value of proactive communication and transparency, Grégoire seeks to ensure every stakeholder feels informed, involved, and valued in the decision-making process. By employing this inclusive approach, it not only builds trust with team members, it also elicits insights that can yield innovative and effective solutions.
Grégoire feels he can bring more value by aligning IT strategies with broader business objectives. “I consistently focus on understanding the bigger picture, ensuring that technology initiatives directly support organizational goals and deliver measurable value,” he noted. “This alignment enables me to champion solutions that enhance operational efficiencies, strengthen security, and ultimately drive growth.”
A graduate of Loyola Marymount University with a degree in electrical engineering, Grégoire’s foray into the professional world coincided with a recession. The optimal verticals best suited to his desire to become an engineer—defense and space—were not actively recruiting, so Grégoire expanded his search field.
He landed a position with Pioneer Video Manufacturing, assisting with the robotics used in producing Laserdiscs. When the company acquired an in-house label production shop, Grégoire was tasked with updating the prepress equipment, his first exposure to graphic software, print languages and the various prepress technologies. When DVDs began to nudge out Laserdiscs, he saw the writing on the wall. Grégoire applied to Canon U.S.A., where his hands-on knowledge of graphic software like Photoshop, along with Postscript and color printing, helped win the gig.
Guiding Business Forward
Grégoire cites Arnold Tooma, his former manager at Canon, as his greatest industry influence and mentor. It was Tooma who saw great things in Grégoire and was pivotal in his technical and managerial development.
“Arnold’s guidance was instrumental in shaping my approach to leadership, helping me build a solid technical foundation while also teaching me how to inspire and manage teams effectively,” he said. “He showed me how to think beyond immediate technical solutions and instead focus on driving the business forward. This perspective taught me that successful IT leadership requires not only technical expertise but also a strategic mindset that aligns technology with broader business goals.”
It was at Canon where Grégoire helped map out and launch TechNet, a national seminar designed to elevate the technical expertise of the dealer channel’s technical resources. The project, which required months of meticulous planning and collaboration, refined the team’s technical skills and strengthened bonds as they worked closely to build an impactful program.
“This experience taught me the power of knowledge-sharing and community building in driving long-term impact and further fueled my commitment to fostering strong technical and interpersonal skills within my teams,” Grégoire said.
It would be tough to replicate the successes Grégoire and his team enjoyed in 2023. The company notched its highest-grossing year for software sales, surpassing the old mark by nearly 55%. While it reflected the team’s strategic focus and resilience, Grégoire believes the performance also spoke to the effectiveness of its approach to maximizing impact with limited resources.
Grégoire and his team developed three goals for 2024: enhancing operational efficiency, advancing customer-centric innovation and expanding team expertise. The team is on pace to eclipse last year’s record performance, which resets the performance bar.
“These objectives are designed to maximize impact, deliver exceptional results for our clients, and drive sustainable growth well into 2024 and beyond,” he added.
Driving Empowerment
A huge proponent of continuous improvement, Grégoire seeks to elevate his game through data-driven decision-making, team development and cross-functional collaboration. By refining key performance indicators and leveraging real-time dashboards, he can make adjustments that spark productivity, customer satisfaction and project efficiency.
“Empowering my team’s growth is another priority, with a focus on emerging skills in cloud integration, cybersecurity, and automation to keep us agile in a rapidly changing industry,” Grégoire noted. “Finally, by strengthening collaboration across departments, I ensure our projects align with strategic business goals, creating more impactful solutions and better outcomes overall. Together, these efforts allow us to deliver higher-value results and drive sustainable growth.”
On the home front, Grégoire and his wife, Lupe, have been married for 30-plus years, and the happy couple has two grown daughters. They’re food travelers who enjoy cultural festivals and traveling to experience various cultures.
One of his hobbies is serving as the technical producer and “whiskey aficionado” for TechTimeRadio, which delivers the latest in technology with a fun and light-hearted slant. The segments on whiskey tasting also help keep Grégoire abreast of cutting-edge tech in a unique and engaging format.
