By Ed Avis
Julie Crisp, Doreen Valadez, and Gary Crisp
IRgA Member Crisp Imaging in Costa Mesa, California began its existence as a Copy Club franchise in 2001, and when owners Gary and Julie Crisp decided to enter the reprographics business a year later, they made a key hire: Doreen Valadez. Valadez was working for ARC at the time and helped the Crisps understand the reprographics market.
About a year later, Valadez left the company – which had changed its name to C2 Reprographics – and joined AAA Blueprint in Orange, California, a company founded in 1968. She bought that company in 2010 and built a strong, diverse customer base.
Now, the story has come full circle: Crisp Imaging (the company rebranded in 2017) has purchased AAA Blueprint from Valadez, making it the company’s 26th location. The acquisition closed on April 1.
"We are honored to welcome Doreen and the AAA Blueprint team to the Crisp Imaging family," says Gary Crisp, president and CEO of Crisp Imaging. “She really helped teach us the business when she came on board and we are forever grateful for Doreen. We are honored to come full circle and welcome AAA to the Crisp Family!”
Gary Crisp reports that Valadez will be retiring, but AAA’s deep reputation for outstanding customer service, technical expertise, and reliability will continue under Crisp’s ownership.
“Their dedication to quality and customer care aligns perfectly with our values, and we are excited to build on their incredible legacy together,” Crisp says.