Ken Watson is the owner of Copy Express at 11 N. Ocean St. With clients nationwide, the business, which opened at its new location almost three weeks ago, is actually three companies: Security First Document Services; a photo copy shop operated under Copy Express of Jacksonville and Document Imaging of Jacksonville. According to Watson, the business is the only one in the country to offer the three services under one roof.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION?
“Originally, we owned a piece of property on Pearl and Monroe streets, where they will be building the new courthouse. When we needed to find a new location, we gravitated to this one, not only from a visibility standpoint — coming off the Main Street Bridge, it’s very easy to see — but also because of the walk-in traffic we get here.”
WHAT, EXACTLY, DO YOU DO?
“I started Security First Document Services nine years ago. Basically, it provides outsourcing for document storage. Although our primary clients are attorneys, we also have clients in the medical and financial fields. Document Imaging of Jacksonville, which I just started, provides electronic media scanning or document management, both of which are services that have evolved as part of our becoming a paperless society.”
HOW ABOUT DIRECT COMPETITORS?
“Other businesses offer similar services, but we are the only one in Jacksonville that offers all three services under one roof. For that matter, I don’t know of any others in the country, that do what we do.”
COAST TO COAST?
“We work with clients from coast to coast, from California to New York, and on down to Miami. And since we’re connected through the Internet as well, our clients also have the option of e-mailing us.”
ANY PLANS TO OPEN ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS?
“Since we can either go pick up their documents or they can send them to us, there’s really no need for us to go anywhere else.”
A WORLD OF CHANGES
”In the past 15 years, the entire city has grown so much. Commercial development has taken place from Riverside to Ponte Vedra Beach . . . (But) I think the real catalyst was getting the Jaguars. That’s when we really took off.”
BIRTHPLACE
He’s a Jacksonville native. Born at St. Vincent’s Hospital, he’s lived here “since day one.”
AGE
40.
EDUCATION
He graduated from Robert E. Lee High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Florida.
FAMILY
He and his wife Karen have two sons, Benjamin, 4, and Caleb, 17 months.
RESIDES
Avondale.
HOBBIES
Fishing, golf.
— by Patti Connor