Short and Paulk has recently been honored as the winner of the 1999 Georgia Family Business of the Year award in medium-sized business category. Winning the Family Business of the Year award is a big honor for Short and Paulk Supply Co. It is not something that happened overnight.

Even though many things have changed in the last 58 years, including the original phone number, 97, their basic business philosophy is still the same: Sell quality products at competitive prices, provide unparalleled service, and treat folks right.

Short and Paulk currently operates three lumberyard/home centers in Tifton, Sylvester, and Fitzgerald, Georgia; a truss plant in Tifton, Georgia; and a rental/retail furniture and appliance store in Fernandina Beach, Florida. Keeping a business thriving and growing requires a computer system that can perform. Although Short and Paulk had been on their prior computer system since 1979, extended downtime, poor customer support, and concerns about Y2K readiness convinced them it was time for a change. After researching the Advantage System, Short and Paulk converted to Advantage in February of 1999.

The conversion was smooth and Advantage customer support has alleviated their downtime problems. They attended the March session of Advantage Academy and felt that it was an excellent experience. Jay Short says, "I was especially excited to learn how to use the Report Generator to write custom reports for myself." They have grown from 3 employees in 1941 to over 85 presently, and the third generation is about to take the reins of the company.

Vice President J.P. Short V will take over the business when his father, Jordan Short IV, president and CEO, retires, and Jay predicts that his sons will carry on in the future.