E.J. Thomas Company Changes Ownership


COLUMBUS, OH--(Marketwire - September 27, 2010) - E.J. Thomas Company ("E.J. Thomas"), a leading regional dry cleaning and laundry supply distribution company, today announced it has completed the sale of the company to Randy Zimmerman and Matt Walter. Specific terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

John Eckhardt, former owner, E.J. Thomas, commented, "I am very pleased to have Randy Zimmerman lead the next phase of the company's growth. His broad-based experience, emphasis on communication and teamwork, and strategic vision are a perfect fit for E.J. Thomas. Randy and Matt each have a wealth of knowledge and a record of successful business achievements. I will remain involved with E.J. Thomas and am especially pleased that all of our employees will also be helping to create additional value for the company and continuing to provide exceptional service to our customers."

Randy Zimmerman said, "We look forward to building upon E.J. Thomas' strong foundation, which includes a full-line of products, many long-term customer relationships, and an outstanding team. The company achieved solid growth in sales and increased its market presence under John Eckhardt's leadership over the past three decades. John was integral in the transformation of the company from a local business to a leader in the Midwest region. Matt and I are committed to a smooth transition and maintaining the core values and culture that define E.J. Thomas as a company." 

Randy Zimmerman will be responsible for day-to-day leadership of E.J. Thomas. His professional background includes extensive management experience in other fulfillment/ logistics-based companies and a successful record of increasing revenue, profitability and customer satisfaction. 

Matt Walter will be providing advice, counsel and strategic direction to E.J. Thomas. Matt serves as Managing Partner of Talisman Capital Partners, a private equity partnership, and currently serves as Chairman of Sarnova, Inc., a leading specialty provider of healthcare products across the emergency medical services (EMS) and acute care continuum. 

E.J. Thomas Company, founded in Columbus, Ohio in 1936, distributes a full-line of dry cleaning and laundry supplies to customers throughout Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and West Virginia. 

Contact Information:

Contact:
Randy Zimmerman
(614) 294-3373 ext. 113