Entrepreneurial Spirit:
Quincy L. Allen
President, Production Systems Group
Xerox Corporation
From his early beginnings, first selling appliances in his father’s store, then earning degrees in electrical engineering and business management, Quincy L. Allen crafted the business philosophy and leadership skills needed to become an entrepreneurial leader in the high volume transaction output (HVTO) industry. Even a paper route as a child helped provide early perspective and business acumen that has led Allen to become one of the most respected executives in the industry today. His story serves as a template for others to follow as they build their HVTO career in this dynamic and changing field.
“Every experience has a culture of its own and you adapt and learn from it,” says Allen. “As a result, I was able to get a wide range of experience and conquer different challenges.” Indeed he has. Allen is currently president of the Production Systems Group at Xerox Corporation and is responsible for the company’s high-end systems, including software and service offerings for the graphic communications industry as well as production publishing, transaction printing and enterprise-wide printing.
This is a tall order, but Allen’s experience establishing cost-competitive products for Xerox over the past 24 years has positioned him for success. He leads Xerox’s efforts to leverage the complementary power of digital printing in the offset printing market, targeting key growth opportunities in just-in-time printing, customized printing, and on-demand book publishing.
But learning from Allen’s success requires a look back prior to his start with Xerox. Born in Quonset Point, Rhode Island, Allen came from a family of six brothers and sisters. “I was the fourth child and my parents’ favorite,” says Allen. “My family was always competitive and my parents stressed education. Growing up, I was interested in how things worked, which is why I became an electrical engineer.” Allen eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Northeastern University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Rochester.
Prior to college, Allen was inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit. “My father was an entrepreneur. He owned an appliance/TV store,” explains Allen, “so he instilled in us his business philosophy and leadership skills.” But it took real-world experience to learn that building success in any industry requires a lot of hard work. “My first job lasted one week. It was a paper route and I had to get up early in the morning. My feet were swollen after a week and I gave it up.” Soon, Allen found his stride, however, working for his father selling appliances. “I was pretty good at it and this is where I learned my sales skills.”
Allen’s sales experience as well as his background in electrical engineering helped pave the way for his career. “At Xerox, I have held senior technical and management positions in sales and marketing, supply chain, and product development,” says Allen. “I was vice president of Worldwide Customer Services Strategy and was senior vice president of North American Services and Solutions. Most recently, before my current position, I was in charge of cost-competitiveness in Xerox’s Business Group Operations.”
“Every experience has a culture of its own and you adapt and learn from it,” says Allen. “As a result, I was able to get a wide range of experience and conquer different challenges.” Indeed he has. Allen is currently president of the Production Systems Group at Xerox Corporation and is responsible for the company’s high-end systems, including software and service offerings for the graphic communications industry as well as production publishing, transaction printing and enterprise-wide printing.
This is a tall order, but Allen’s experience establishing cost-competitive products for Xerox over the past 24 years has positioned him for success. He leads Xerox’s efforts to leverage the complementary power of digital printing in the offset printing market, targeting key growth opportunities in just-in-time printing, customized printing, and on-demand book publishing.
But learning from Allen’s success requires a look back prior to his start with Xerox. Born in Quonset Point, Rhode Island, Allen came from a family of six brothers and sisters. “I was the fourth child and my parents’ favorite,” says Allen. “My family was always competitive and my parents stressed education. Growing up, I was interested in how things worked, which is why I became an electrical engineer.” Allen eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Northeastern University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Rochester.
Prior to college, Allen was inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit. “My father was an entrepreneur. He owned an appliance/TV store,” explains Allen, “so he instilled in us his business philosophy and leadership skills.” But it took real-world experience to learn that building success in any industry requires a lot of hard work. “My first job lasted one week. It was a paper route and I had to get up early in the morning. My feet were swollen after a week and I gave it up.” Soon, Allen found his stride, however, working for his father selling appliances. “I was pretty good at it and this is where I learned my sales skills.”
Allen’s sales experience as well as his background in electrical engineering helped pave the way for his career. “At Xerox, I have held senior technical and management positions in sales and marketing, supply chain, and product development,” says Allen. “I was vice president of Worldwide Customer Services Strategy and was senior vice president of North American Services and Solutions. Most recently, before my current position, I was in charge of cost-competitiveness in Xerox’s Business Group Operations.”
