Certifications

We take pride in the fact that we are WBE Certified with the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, Chicago Housing Authority as well as the The Women's Business Development Center. As a full member of the Federation of Women Contractors, we are updated on all current and future projects.

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Kathy Lehnerer

A Vision

Kathy Lehnerer had a vision of owning her own business. While working for a small wholesale distributor she began planning a future that included a business of her own. She was already running a pizza supply company on a day-to-day basis. She maintained inventory levels, processed customer orders, handled billing and payments, and scheduled deliveries to and from the warehouse. She talked with customers daily regarding orders, stock and delivery. This experience made her realize that she was clearly capable of being a business owner.

Putting Her Degree to Work

Kathy decided to put her degree in Business Administration to work. At the time, the asbestos abatement field was growing. Contractors needed supplies for the scores of jobs they were receiving. Kathy decided to put her foot in the door. Using her garage as her warehouse, she bought a few basic products and got to work. One customer turned into two and then three and then four. The company was off and running!

Branching Out

At first, sales were only in the asbestos abatement industry, but Kathy quickly added lead paint removal supplies and equipment. Not long afterwards she branched out to add personal protection and safety products to broaden the range of products sold and the markets reached. A garage would no longer do— Kathy needed a warehouse and office. She rented space to keep inventory on-hand to be shipped to customers daily. Advanced Supply Company now services the entire Midwest from a warehouse and office located in Mokena, Illinois.

Personnel & Expertise

The quality of our work depends on the quality of our people. A full staff works with Kathy at Advanced Supply, and the majority of them have been with the company for five years or more. This includes outside sales, inside sales/customer service representatives, warehouse workers, a truck driver and office staff. All inside and outside sales people are trained on the products in order to be extremely knowledgeable. Various training methods include formal training onsite at the manufacturer, in office training by manufacturer’s representatives, and training by one employee to another. Customers consider Advanced Supply an extension of themselves because, “We do not sell part numbers or price. We help develop solutions to customer safety issues by giving realistic options as well as training and customer support after the sale.” Advanced Supply has two trucks giving us the flexibility to schedule deliveries without relying on outside sources.

The Future

It is clear that the “safety factor” is never going away. Kathy is confident that Advanced Supply will continue to grow right along with the demand, always staying focused on customer needs and goals.

“I feel that our quality products and competitive pricing usually gets us in the door, but it is our customer service that keeps us there,” Kathy says.

After all, success in business and customer service go hand in hand.

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