Mike Robson: cashing in on the ATM.

• Author: Kenny, Richard
• Position: People

IN 1996, MIKE ROBSON was a man possessed by a simple yet elegant idea that ultimately caused him to leave his job as a chemical engineer in pursuit of his dream.

He now is CEO of Salt Lake City-based ATA Services, a one-of-a-kind company that refurbishes ATMs and is among the fastest growing companies in the nation.

Robson grew up in Kearns and took the long road to an education. "I took night classes, was in and out of every college in Utah, mostly out," he says. He graduated with a degree in business in 1996 after 13 years of taking classes, but faced better job prospects in another industry: his college chemistry classes were enough to get him a job as a lab tech at Easton Aluminum. Subsequent engineering courses landed him at Zero Enclosures as a chemical engineer.

Robson entered the Executive MBA Program at BUY in 1996, getting his degree in 1998. While there, he met someone who sold ATMs to banks. "The guy told me the problem was he did not have toppers" because they were on backorder from his supplier, Robson says. A topper sits atop the ATM; it contains the modem and the familiar ATM insignia. "I decided to start a business making toppers," Robson says. "I got a second mortgage. I spent $20,000. I didn't sell a single topper." The problem was that few companies in the market had an ongoing supply issue. Undaunted, he talked to people at America First Credit Union. They didn't need toppers, but "told me their ATMs looked bad and showed me one in Kearns," Robson says. "I volunteered to paint it. When I finished, it looked new; they loved it. I got so busy painting ATMs, I couldn't work for Zero Enclosures anymore."

From a bare bones start with just a cell phone, a pager and a business run from his garage, Robson's ATA Services now employs 50 and occupies a 15,000 square-foot facility in South Salt Lake City. The company cleans ATMs contractually on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis; paints or refurbishes worn-out ATMs; and re-brands ATMs when banks merge. A secure Website makes it a snap for organizations to monitor ATM maintenance. Four sales reps cover the entire country, helping the company service more than 10,000 ATMs every year for over 150 financial institutions.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Managing people, something Robson had never done, was...