In early October, Advanced Business Equipment (ABE) celebrated its 43rd anniversary by helping its friends, family and neighbors in Asheville, North Carolina, dig out from the devastation left by Hurricane Helene.
Leading the charge was ABE owner Kevin Jackson, who worked day and night to help his town bounce back from the Sept. 28 nightmare, which claimed the lives of more than 230 people in seven states. There were approximately 100 deaths in North Carolina alone, nearly half of which occurred in Buncombe County (Asheville is the county seat). As rescue personnel, volunteers and other first responders searched frantically in the hopes of finding survivors, Jackson and other good Samaritans were doing their best to help the community obtain the basic necessities for survival.
In the first of our series on the Best of 2024, the response by not just Jackson but also the office technology community as a whole makes it the Year’s Most Inspirational Story. Over the next couple of weeks, we will also chronicle other top news items that shaped 2024.
While there are undoubtedly countless stories of selfless sacrifice to emerge from the tragedy, we will focus on Jackson—who came to the aid of fellow Asheville citizens—and the industry at large, which rallied to collect more than $100,000 in donations to help keep ABE in business at a time when the dealer’s customers were in their own dire straits.
Jackson earns bonus points for his resourcefulness. He secured tanker trucks from Greensboro and filled them with gasoline to enable his employees to maintain mobility. With water also a commodity in short supply, he acquired water tanks that were housed at ABE. He also rented a bathroom trailer, the types used at parties and various events, to furnish running hot water and flushable toilets for team members.
Out in the community, Jackson aided in the efforts to clear roads and deliver supplies. He put out an all-points bulletin to acquire certain types of chain saw chains and other equipment to aid the restoration effort. He helped residents and employees during lean times, and with the help of Konica Minolta (ABE’s primary OEM) and Shore Business Solutions (Chris and Danielle Wolowitz), Jackson was able to take the out-of-town supplies they furnished and distribute them to those most in need.
The industry, meanwhile, had Jackson’s back. With many of ABE’s area clients either washed away or closed down indefinitely and unable to pay their bills (at least 35 client MFPs were destroyed), members of the Select Dealer Group and The Consortium rallied to raise tens of thousands of dollars—funds that enabled Jackson to pay his employees.
It’s long been said that when times get tough, you find out who are your real friends. This outpouring of support underscores the caring and closeness of our industry. If you would like to support ABE, click here.
