This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.

Max Torres purchased an old bus in the early 1960s and moved from county to county repairing old typewriters, adding machines and office equipment. He gained a reputation for his dependability and skill. Max soon opened a retail and repair shop in Cedar City and named it Southern Utah Office Machines and Supplies.

Southern Utah Office Supply now has two stores, the original in Cedar City and a large facility in St. George. I enjoyed my visit in St. George with Max's brother, Fred Torres, and Max's son, Richard. It was fascinating to listen to the story of this family business' success and growth.

Early on, Max began servicing office equipment for school districts in Southern Utah. In 1975, he secured the Savin dealership and became a representative for Epson, Hewlett-Packard and other well-known office machine lines. Southern Utah Office Supply soon added a wide inventory of office equipment, office supplies and office furniture, concentrating on desks and chairs.

Today, local school districts continue to be an important part of the business' success. The company serves school districts in Kane, Iron, Washington and Beaver counties and in Lincoln County, Nevada.

I was impressed with an idea the Torres family implemented that resulted in real savings to their customers. Instead of paying heavy freight charges for inbound purchases, they take regular trips to the Los Angeles area to pick up and deliver their own merchandise. This gives them complete control of transit time and charges, and the savings helps the company remain competitive.

Competitive factors have certainly changed in 45 years, including the rise of giant box stores that specialize in office supplies. But the Torres family recognizes that having a personal knowledge of their customers' needs and a dedication to complete customer satisfaction will continue to generate good business at Southern Utah Office Supply.

For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.

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