Best Electric and Hardware in Tulsa, Oklahoma was founded by Leroy and Sharon Welborn in 1977. Even though Leroy graduated from Texas A&M with an engineering degree, he decided that he didn't want to be an engineer. After graduation he went to work as an outside salesman with Square D com- pany. After ten years with Square D, he went to work for McGraw Edison, and other electrical company. After twenty years of sales experience in the electrical field, Leroy bought a small two-man shop in Tulsa known as Best Electric Company.

Five years after purchasing Best, another opportunity presented itself. The Welborns were able to pur- chase the Shakey's Pizza Parlor building, only one block north, which enable them to move from the original 1,500 square feet. Prior to 1991, Best Electric and Hardware was strictly retail. At that time an outside salesman was added t solicit business from industrial and commercial accounts, churches, etc. More outside salesman have been added to continue the company's growth in the commercial area. There are now a total of eighteen employees at Best Electric and Hardware.

Best Electric serves a relatively affluent area in the older part of Tulsa. The Brookside area has many, older, more expensive homes, and has remained a financially strong part of Tulsa. That means that Best caters to the upscale hardware needs of the area. They carry Baldwin Hardware and Hinkle brand cutlery from Germany. Both lines are high end products. When Handy Hardware came into Oklahoma in 1990, Best Electric and Hardware was one of the first to join. Handy's strategy was right in tune with what Best needed. Handy is their prime source for electrical merchandise, like boxes, light bulbs, the staple items in Best's inventory.

About thirteen years ago, Best Electric and Hardware bought their first computer system. After realizing the limitations of their original system, they switched over to Advantage in January, 1994. They had done a great deal of research before hand, because they didn't want to waste their computer investment dollars. According to Leroy "Advantage is great".

The reason Best chose Advantage first of all, is it's more versatile. Secondly, Leroy says, "It's a lot cheaper. You can get a lot more with less money, or the same money, than the others we looked at." But the greatest benefit and the reason it pays for itself, Leroy feels, is the inventory management.

Because it is fully integrated, the Advantage Computer System enables management to run as tight a ship as they desire. Leroy and Sharon attend every session of the Advantage Academy. They think it's great that Advantage has classes in Big Sandy which the can attend to help them learn more about what the program can do for their business.

Best Electric is a family business. Leroy serves as President of the company. Leroy's wife, Sharon, does and excellent job running the payroll and receivable she works almost as many hours as Leroy and Leroy declares, "without her there wouldn't even be a Best Hardware." Working together allows Leroy and Sharon to share ideas with each other. Since Sharon is crafty, decorative type person and Leroy is a technical; engineering type person, they see the different sides of the business. Their son, Greg, followed in his father's footsteps going to Texas A&M and getting an engineering degree. He is now in a five-year plan to buy the business.

Best Electric and Hardware maintains a policy of knowledgeable service to their customers, and has never hesitated to tackle new projects. These policies have allowed Best to grow and be a thriving business.