Allen Systems Group, Inc.

Clearly the business community of Southwest Florida is growing exponentially, and no one exemplifies the rapid evolution more than Arthur L. Allen, the founder and driving force of Allen Systems Group Inc., a $26 million international software-development company headquartered in Naples.

As Chairman of the Board and CEO, Art Allen has carved an impressive reputation globally for his suite of software products that empower over 2,200 Fortune 500-type companies around the world to enhance their business operations and glean a distinct competitive edge.

Allen Systems Group acquires, develops and markets software products that deliver innovative solutions for the mainframe, mid-range and PC marketplace. The company is considered one of the leading vendors in comprehensive data center management, including solutions for enterprise service management, CA-IDMS, data center automation, job control management, file transfer and data entry. ASG has sales support offices in North America; London, Paris, Singapore and Sydney.

Art Allen is a veritable success story representing the ultimate in entrepreneurial spirit, pushing the envelope with everything he does. A man of imposing stature, Allen has a down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach combined with an almost obsessive ambition. He is quick to articulate his ultimate goal "to be a $100 million company by the turn of the century."

Since 1986 when the company was founded with $2,000 from personal savings, Allen Systems Group has grown significantly through a combination of acquisitions and savvy in-house development. With the very recent addition of a French software company, IMPACT Software Technologies, Allen expects to reach $35 million this year.

"We're going to continue doing acquisitions," says Allen from his spacious new office overlooking the Gordon River Bridge on Naples Bay. "I'm looking at 20 of them right now."

Nonchalantly he mentions that he made an offer on one that very morning, which could catapult Allen Systems Group to an $80 million company by next year. Allen looks for one of two things for acquisitions.

"We either look to legacy systems that fit within our product families that have a large install base to increase our customer base worldwide..." Allen says. "Or we look for new, emerging technology like the one just acquired in France, which has huge upside potential."

According to Phillip C. Wilkerson, vice president of marketing and technical communications, the new product is "revolutionary." Called "ASG Vista Enterprise," the software provides a complete computer-generated visual picture of the elements within a computer system and how those elements relate to each other.

Traditionally such pictorial representations had to be produced by hand, which was extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive. Wilkerson makes the analogy of the introduction of the microwave oven versus the conventional oven.

Art Allen sees it as "something very special."

" We've hit a lot of singles, doubles and triples over the years," he says. "We think that this will be a home run."

Another industry trend that Allen has his finger on the pulse of is the "help yourself desk," which ASG has already implemented on the Internet.

The end-user enters into a Web browser and interacts with self-servicing applications.Thus an individual can go directly on line for help without needing any technician.

Plus the program can do some "pretty sexy things," says Allen excitedly, such as message notification in which one types a message along with a phone number and the computer will automatically call and speak the words to the person answering.

Allen is originally from Dayton, Ohio and was a systems analyst for General Motors' Frigidaire Division back in 1968.

To stay current with the fast-changing technologies, he constantly peruses the technical publications and researches the market.

"It's a horrendous task," he says. "It changes weekly."

Allen's newly constructed five-story headquarters just off Goodlette-Frank Road South and U.S. 41 in Naples reflects his passion for technology and his attention to detail.

As one enters the 60,000-square-foot facility, one has the distinct impression that this is like no other building in Naples. The elevators will not budge without activation by a smart card, part of a sophisticated access control system. Without an escort, a visitor cannot ascend past the lobby.

At the executive wing on the fifth floor, it gets even more interesting as Allen inserts his hand into a biometrics reader that recognizes his palm print and allows him entry. There's a distinct sensation of being with James Bond in some exotic location. It's hard to fathom that this is Naples!

Allen has masterminded one of the most technologically advanced structures in the country.

"First of all, we had the building designed, engineered and built to withstand a category 5 hurricane," says Allen. "Then we put four strands of fiber and four strands of category 5 copper in every office so we have unlimited capability for voice, data and video. We're going to do a lot of video conferencing probably around mid-year."

The offices were furnished and decorated in a comfortable homey style.

"We want to provide absolutely the best place for our employees to work so that they enjoy coming in," he says.

Allen puts a great deal of emphasis on employees, their well-being and maximizing personal contributions.

"Our business is somewhere between a mom-and-pop business and corporate America," says Allen.

But he also admits it is hard to find quality employees, adding: "it's getting much easier because Naples is growing."

Five years ago when Allen traveled around the world, no one had heard of Naples.Today, he finds, everyone has.

Allen finds employees in a myriad of ways such as on the Internet, through word of mouth, personal references or simply running "into people all over the globe," he says."I'm negotiating with an American living in Tokyo right now."

Plus Allen Systems Group provides a very competitive compensation package with full benefits.

It was in the early '70s that Art Allen discovered Naples and decided he had to find a way to live where "people actually smile in the winter time."

While he regularly travels all over the world, he feels "Naples for livability is number one. If I found someplace else I would live there. But I haven't."

The influence of Allen Systems Group on Naples has been dramatic in a variety of ways. With direct salaries of about $500,000 a month, the economic impact on the local community is about $4 million a month.

"When I look out in the parking lot and see all the new cars that really tells me how successful we are," he reflects.

Secondly, sponsorships of community activities have been a part of the marketing program, most importantly progra