Wayne Beacham
CEO
S.P. Richards Company (Retired)
2018 Legends of the Industry Award Recipient

Wayne Beacham is one of those rare individuals who has spent his entire career in the office products industry with most of that time being with S.P. Richards Company. As a college student attending the University of Alabama-Birmingham he worked part-time for a local office products dealership. Upon graduation, he joined S.P. Richards as a sales representative in the Tampa, Florida Distribution Center.

During his initial 23-year tenure with S.P. Richards Company, Wayne was first promoted to General Manager of the Orlando Distribution Center, and later opened the Seattle and Sacramento Distribution Centers. Shortly thereafter, the SPR Western Division was formed and Wayne was named the Division Vice President. Under his leadership the division prospered and Wayne was promoted once again when he joined the SPR Headquarters Group as Senior Vice President of Sales. He was later given the opportunity to round out his experience when he was named Senior Vice President of Operations, a position he held until early 1997.  At that time, Wayne left S.P. Richards Company for a short period, holding several executive positions at Corporate Express. He spent a little over four years gaining valuable experience in the dealer side of the business and then in July of 2001, rejoined S.P. Richards as President and Chief Operating Officer. In 2004 he assumed the role of Chairman and CEO. Wayne held that position until his retirement in early 2017. Recently Wayne joined Office Depot in a strategic advisory role.

Wayne and his wife Lucy, live primarily in the Atlanta area with their teenage twins, Jack and Chloe. Wayne’s oldest son Jeff and his wife, Maribeth, and their kids, Josie and Beck, reside in the Phoenix area.

Over the years, in addition to being an active member of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, Wayne has served on a number of charitable boards including United Way, Avista Hospital as well as the Chairman of the National Office Products Industry Council for City of Hope.

 
Michael Rowsey
CEO / Managing Director
Harbinger National
2018 Leadership Award Recipient

Michael Rowsey began his career in the Office Products Industry in 1979 with Boise Cascade Office Products. Over the last 33 years Michael has held numerous high level management positions at such industry companies as Boise Cascade, Associated Stationers, United Stationers and most recently was President of Office Max – Contract Division overseeing all contract sales and operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australasia with combined revenue of 4.7 billion dollars. During his tenure at United Stationers and on United’s Board of Directors the company made industry changing acquisitions such as Lagasse and Azerty.

After leaving Office Max Michael started MCR Investments which focused primarily on small acquisitions in distribution and consumer products and also worked with numerous private equity groups looking at investments in and adjacent to the Office Products space. Michael is a graduate of Marshall University and Northwestern University – Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Advanced Executive Program and has been a guest lecturer at Northwestern and Miami University on Mergers and Acquisitions.

Michael is currently the CEO and Managing Director of Harbinger National, the first truly national Manufacturer’s Rep organization in the US.

On a personal note, Michael and his wife Cindy have been married for 36 years and have 5 children. They live in Aurora, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.

Joe Templet
Senior Vice President, Trade Development
Essendant
2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

Joe Templet was born and raised in a small town in Southeastern Kansas.  He graduated from Cherryvale High School, Cherryvale, Kansas, in 1964.  He earned a BSBA with a Major in Marketing, from Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas.

Joe was recruited right out of college in 1968, by Procter and Gamble, to work in the Consumer Paper Products business.  After a short stint, he was drafted and served 2 years in the United States Army.  He served in the infantry and was selected to attend the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy in Ft. Benning, Georgia.  He graduated from the academy and received the Leadership Award out of 440 attendees and the rank of Staff Sergeant E – 6, after completion of the academy.  Joe finished his tour of duty in 1970, and returned to work with Procter and Gamble, in South Carolina. 

Polaroid Corporation recruited Joe in 1973, to work in their Consumer Products Sales division, covering all of South Carolina, half of Georgia and North Carolina. He was promoted to West Central Region Manager for the Supermarket Sales division in 1975, and relocated to Chicago, Illinois. 

In 1982, Joe was recruited by The Parker Pen Company, in Janesville, Wisconsin, as National Sales Director.  He soon was promoted to General Manager, U. S. Operations, assuming responsibility for all U. S. Operations and Military Sales worldwide. 

United Stationers Supply Company recruited Joe in 1985, to serve as Vice President of Sales, Johnson & Staley, a large writing instrument, art supplies and college bookstore products company.  Through the years, he held various positions at United Stationers, which just recently rebranded as Essendant.  Joe’s current role is Senior Vice President, Trade Development. 

During his career at United Stationers/Essendant, he has been actively involved in industry associations as follows:

• Board of Directors – National Association of Writing Instrument Distributors
• Wholesale Stationers Association
• President & Board of Directors – Office Products Wholesalers Association
• President & Board of Directors – Business Solutions Association

Joe has been involved with and has supported the City of Hope for 30 years.  He has served as Co-chairman of the Friends for Hope campaign, and in 2013, he was the recipient of the first City of Hope Hall of Fame Award. In 2016, he received the prestigious Spirit of Life Award.

Joe and his beautiful wife, Vicki, have been married for 29 years and have three children – Cody (25), Parker (22) and Tori (18).  In addition, Joe has two older children, Scott & Robyn, and 4 grandchildren – Camryn, Paige, Ryley and Cole.

In his spare time, he enjoys time with his family, golf and cruises to interesting parts of the world.

Past BSA Honorees

To see a full list of past BSA honorees, visit here.