May 2, 2013, Baltimore, MD – The co-CEOs of Advance wake up this morning as the newest inductees into the Maryland Business Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.

Last evening, Lois and Alan Elkin were honored by the Chamber as two of four 2013 inductees into The Maryland Business Hall of Fame. Established in 2000, the Hall of Fame recognizes the accomplishments of entrepreneurs and business executives throughout Maryland whose contributions, in business and in the community, have gone over and above in improving the state.

“This honor not only recognizes them but also their body of work of close to 50 years,” says Jeff Elkin, president of Advance. “They are the founders and co-CEOs, as well as the mother and father of the Advance family, which shares their passion for customer service.”

The CEO couple started a copier sales and supplies business 49 years ago this July, in their Baltimore apartment after two years of marriage and they were expecting their first child. Little did they know where the business would be today: a regional print, copy and network solutions provider employing 160 sales, service and IT professionals and supporting four showrooms between Baltimore, Frederick and Annapolis.

“We are living the American dream and never envisioned this level of success,” says Lois. “Of course, we’ve had our obstacles, but to succeed, we focused on being a service business not a product business.”

Interweaving business with giving has always been important to the Elkins to develop deep roots in the communities they serve. They are long-time supporters of many local organizations such as the Maryland Zoo, Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation, Chimes Family of Services, The Maryland School for the Blind, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, The Arc organizations of Maryland, The Children’s Guild, The Associated Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore, and the Boy Scouts.

“We are humbled by this honor,” says Alan. “We try to be significant in our industry and the community, value our employees and always put our customers first.”

This summer Advance plans to expand its professional services offerings to include remote network monitoring and long-term IT strategy development.

The Hall of Fame honor places the Elkins among the company of such leaders as Freeman Hrabowski, III; Steve Geppi; Frank Perdue; Chip Mason; and, the late Walter Sondheim, Jr. For a complete list of inductees, visit http://mdchamber.org/programs/halloffame.asp

About Advance

As a total business solutions provider, Advance helps organizations tackle business problems by pairing best in class technology with the best support. Whether it’s network integration, multifunctional devices or a software application, Advance designs solutions for productivity so organizations can focus on their core business. The company serves all industries from legal, government, education, and construction to healthcare, religious, non-profit, and more. Service areas consist of Montgomery, Anne Arundel, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Harford, and Baltimore counties, as well as Baltimore City. With an annual revenue approaching $40 million, Advance continues to receive national recognition for its commitment to providing outstanding service, as well as sales awards, from the manufacturers its represents.