SAN FRANCISCO, May 18, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Who would have imagined a Midwest-based Cistercian monk, Fr. Bernard McCoy, O.Cist., sharing a podium at a San Francisco Internet marketing conference with a global director for Google, Inc., the world's largest search engine? At the recent Internet Marketing Association (IMA) conference, Fr. Bernard was one of seven speakers, including keynote speaker David Fischer, Global Director for AdWords, who presented to the more than 250 attendees at the event. Following the seminar, numerous attendees remarked that Fr. Bernard's commentary was both impressive and inspiring.
"It was very refreshing to see that there are still companies who are dedicated to bettering our society, both professionally and personally," said James Frederick, Manager of Regional Sales for 8e6 Technologies and an IMA attendee. "Too many businesses overlook the importance of taking good care of customers and giving back to the community. Fr. Bernard's leadership at LaserMonks is a true reminder that integrity can still be found in the corporate world."
While Fischer shared invaluable tips and insights into the current state of Internet marketing and its forecasted future growth, Fr. Bernard spoke of setting business ethics and purposes within a higher, more altruistic context.
"Although we pay serious attention to our bottom financial line, we're not about merely making a profit," explained Fr. Bernard. "Instead, we pay careful attention to how our customers are treated, to offering the best discount possible on office products, and to giving back to those in need."
Fr. Bernard speaks from in-the-trenches experience. As monk CEO of LaserMonks, Inc., the online provider of discounted premium imaging and office supplies, he has lead the company to explosive growth--from gross sales of $2,000 in 2002, to gross sales exceeding $2.3 million three years later (2004). The company, owned and run by a small community of Cistercian monks in Sparta, Wis., has also supported a vast array of charitable works including an overseas orphanage run by Tibetan monks, Angel Ranch, Inc. (an emergency shelter in Mississippi for abused, abandoned and neglected children), Camp Heartland (a Minnesota-based camp for children with AIDS) and a local family whose house was burned to the ground in an electrical fire.
With state-of-the-art technology, LaserMonks is equipped to compete with major discount office chains such as Office Max and Staples, and www.LaserMonks.com now offers these mainstream discounters some heavenly competition. If returns from the first half of 2005 are any indication, 2005 should be another banner year for the monks with estimated gross sales exceeding $8 million.
Even with such fast growth and success, Fr. Bernard assured San Francisco conference attendees that the bottom lines of "customer hospitality" and sharing profits to help others will remain the ultimate business mantra for LaserMonks--an unexpected business insight from an Internet marketing conference podium.
For more information about LaserMonks, go to www.LaserMonks.com.
About LaserMonks:
LaserMonks is a wholly owned imaging and office supplies subsidiary of the Cistercian Abbey, based in Sparta, Wisconsin. Founded in 2001 by a team of enterprising monks, the company follows in the tradition of monastic business endeavors, uniquely blending philanthropy, spirituality and enterprise to support a life of prayer and charitable service.
LaserMonks offers brand name, compatible and remanufactured supplies for offices and printers, having arranged significant purchasing discounts with top manufacturers and distributors of office products. Revenues from LaserMonks are used to cover the monks' modest living expenses. The rest is used for charitable works throughout the world. LaserMonks' tagline says it all: "Real Monks, Real Savings, Supporting Real People." For more information, visit www.LaserMonks.com.