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• 1981, Founded/Incorporated
We were founded and incorporated on May 11, 1981 as Louisiana Data Service, Inc. as a "captive service bureau" for eight to 10 companies using packaged software on an IBM System 34 (Midrange). We serviced five or so remote locations and provided services for applications covering general ledger, accounts payable, inventory, distribution, job costing, fixed assets, payroll, and others.
• 1984, IBM Business Partner & Expanded Markets
We became an IBM Business Partner about 1984 and were involved in the medical and government markets on the IBM Midrange platforms (S/34, S/36, S/38 and then AS/400 platforms).
• 1985-88, Medical Billing System & Goal Change
We developed a Medical Patient Billing System in the mid to late 1980’s. This package was sold regionally with IBM and nationally by another vendor in the mid 1980’s. Our goals were to serve our “owners” and to sell packaged software and services to other businesses. Our initial focus was to provide software services to companies in Louisiana. Originally, we had four owners who were the majority owners in the companies that we served. By the mid to late 1980’s, the goals and objectives of our company did not match the goals and objectives of the non-participating owners.
• 1989, Corporate Name Change
On December 15, 1989 we changed our name to Excel Software Professionals, Ltd.
• 1995, Ownership & Company Objective Change
After our name change, we bought out the original owners (this took a few years). By 1995, the ownership had completely changed to those of today; owners who are all active in our business. We set up our goals and objectives as a company to represent national software and to provide regional training and support services for their products and provide custom “add-ons” as additional value. We have represented over the years national and regional vendors/suppliers that were on par with our goals and objectives. Some of our key providers over the years have been IBM, NCS, and SEAS. Initially, we also had our own software for Louisiana governmental accounts (Sheriffs, Police Juries, Cities/Towns). We intended to expand our territory into surrounding states in both the education and government sectors.
• 1997, NCS Business Partner
In November of 1997, ESP officially expanded its contractual relationship with NCS to be the regional support company for products in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee.
• 1998, Expansion/New Facilities
In February of 1998 we officially opened our Mississippi office in Olive Branch, Miss. (a suburb of Memphis, TN). This expansion allowed us to have a presence in Mississippi where NCS had a significant customer base for its new PC based products and where contractual revenues demanded resources for this state for training and support. This office has become our main phone support site for our NCS PC products.
In August 1998, the main office moved into our current building at 6860 Exchequer Drive in Baton Rouge, La. In 1998, we also evaluated all of our products, evaluated our vision for the next 5 years, and created our Y2K plan for our software and our customers.
• 1999-2000, Y2K Compliance & Skills Expansion
In 1999-2000, ESP delivered as promised to its Louisiana governmental accounts on the transition to 2000 for the ESP software. We expanded our personnel skills to be certified in more NCS products so as to improve regional support and service abilities. ESP added personnel to expand its governmental marketing to Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama. We also sought and secured relationships with national vendors for governmental software for our expanded territory.
• 2005, Customer and Corporate Expansion
In May of 2005, ESP finalized contracts to support customers in Texas and Florida. This resulting workload created a necessity for more employees. Five additional employees were hired, our largest single-time employment spike. ESP has since recommitted itself to continued real-time support for all of its customers.
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