Paul Hanna loves sales, and what’s more, he’s good at it. In fact, the Purdue University product—who played football for the Boilermakers and did a two-year stint in the United States Football League—spent nine years with Ohio Business Machines, graduating to vice president of sales.
But while he possessed a deep passion for the industry, Hanna sensed a higher purpose. He could either carve out a long and successful career working for someone else, or he could hang his own shingle. The latter was more appealing.
When Hanna founded Blue Technologies in 1995 with three partners, he had almost everything he needed—a knack for sales, significant industry experience and a desire to win. All he lacked was an SBA loan to get moving, and that was no small consideration. Deep down, Hanna knew he needed to “make something big happen” to get that needed financing.
Enter American Greetings, which was exactly the big splash Hanna sought. He was able to hammer out a deal with the Cleveland-based greeting card giant, which put Blue Technologies on the map and helped secure the financing.
“That really helped establish Blue Technologies as a legit business player within the industry in Northeast Ohio,” said Hanna, a 2021 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “They are still a customer today and I am very proud of that.”
American Greetings may have provided the impetus Hanna needed to get his fledgling dealership in gear, but he credits his team with turning Blue Technologies into a high-end performer. Perhaps nothing excites him more than seeing employees grow and hone their own skill sets, and in the process garner the same passion as Hanna. Among the team members is Lauren Hanna, his daughter, who worked her way from the starting gate as an intern and grew to become the company’s vice president of sales. And her success story, according to Hanna, is but one of many.
Core Values
Hanna attributes much of his success to being disciplined, well-trained and highly motivated. “I have learned through my career that to succeed you need to possess honesty and integrity,” he said. “I use these principles to solve problems and deliver on all my promises. I tie these values into the training that all my employees go through so they too will have the skills to succeed in their professional careers.”
Along the way, Hanna has reaped the wisdom of numerous high-caliber players within the office technology circuit. He tapped into the philosophy of Richard Nelson and the old APECO model, which provided the foundation of operational excellence, including world-class service. Manufacturer professionals such as Konica Minolta’s Sam Errigo and Rick Taylor (the latter now a consultant) proved particularly invaluable as well.
Membership in the Copier Dealers Association also provided him access to the sharpest minds in the industry. But Hanna would be remiss in not crediting Blue Technologies’ font of knowledge developed by his team.
“My employees at Blue Technologies motivate me,” he said. “Seeing my employees progress from new and timid to driven and passionate drives me to continue to be my best every day.”
Hanna takes great pride in the company’s performance in 2020, especially seeing Lauren Hanna rally her sales unit to enjoy a record year in major accounts growth. Although 2021 has presented obstacles to Blue Technologies reaching all of its financial goals, the dealer has positioned itself to garner momentum on the backside of the pandemic, courtesy of the expansion into three new Ohio markets—Mansfield, Toledo and Youngstown.
Growth Drivers
The goal for Blue Technologies is to grow its revenue through existing product and service offerings, buoyed by its IT proficiency and Blue Technologies Smart Solutions (BTSS) services. “This pandemic has provided us an opportunity to create new solutions for our customers,” Hanna noted. “Our goal is to keep growing and delivering world-class customer service with our commitment to excellence.”
Part of that journey entails growing the dealer’s managers and team leads with younger professionals in a quest to bridge the generational gap. In learning from one another, Hanna believes it will enable Blue Technologies to forge a stronger team moving forward.
On the personal front, Hanna and his wife, Margo, have been married for 26 years. He has four children: Lauren and her husband, Chase, have two girls (Audriana and Anastasia); daughter Jessica and her husband, Rob, recently welcomed daughter Diana; son Paul Jr. is married to Kayla; and Hanna’s youngest, Elizabeth, is currently in graduate school.
Hanna loves to spend time at his hunting cabin in Northern Michigan. Hunting, fishing and farming are among his favorite pastimes, and he observed, “Basically, if I’m not at work, I want to be doing something outside.”
He is also involved in numerous charities, with an affinity toward helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed in life. “I was extremely fortunate to have been provided a good foundation in life by my parents,” Hanna said. “I believe every child deserves that same opportunity and make a point to do all I can to support this.”
