November 17, 2009 - Advance today announced that it was awarded the 2009 Small Business of the Year Award by the Carroll County Department of Economic Development and Chamber of Commerce.

The award was based upon several criteria, including Advance’s performance and growth, innovation and creativity, competitiveness and community involvement.

Despite a struggling economy, Advance was able to achieve growth in 2008 by repositioning itself as a total office solutions powerhouse with the launch of three new divisions, Hardware Solutions, Document Management and Managed Print Services.

“We are always striving to find creative ways to stay ahead of the curve in our industry and be a part of the communities that we serve,” says Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Elkin. “Now more than ever, our customers know they can count on Advance for so much more than just copiers.”

Three winners were chosen in each of three company size categories: 1-5 employees, 6-50 employees and 51-200 employees. Award recipients were announced at a reception at The Portico of St. John Catholic Church on November 5. All of the honorees will represent the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce in the state-wide Small Business of the Year Awards to be held in 2010.

“I was especially happy to see Advance win a 2009 Small Business Award because the chamber has been getting great service from the company for years,” says Carroll County Chamber of Commerce President, Richard Haddad.