Meet LaVonn Berry, senior VP of business development for Versatex
LaVonn, Roxanne, Derek Ethan and Julian LaVonn
Meet LaVonn Berry, senior VP of business development for Versatex
LaVonn Berry got the job opportunity of a lifetime right out of college in what he called an “experimental position” for Federal Express.
At the time, Berry said, FedEx was only hiring salespeople who had put in five to 10 years in operations.
FedEx hired Berry and three other recent college graduates into a year-long training program “to see if they could make sales professionals straight out of undergrad,” he said.
Berry would go on to spend the next 10 to 11 years of his career with the delivery company, eventually achieving its highest sales position.
Since then, he has had an extensive career in sales leadership roles, and has moved seven times for work, including once to London.
Now, he spearheads growth as the senior vice president of business development for d.e. Foxx & Associates, the parent company of Versatex and two other brands, XLC Services and FX Facility Group.
Born and raised in Cincinnati, the married father of two sons said he took the job two years ago because it was an opportunity to lead an entire sales force with three distinct products and to have some freedom in spearheading their direction.
“I like the entrepreneurial bandwidth that senior leadership has allowed me, to develop the sales plan but within a corporate structure,” Berry said.
Specifically, he said he appreciated where Versatex was headed and that it offers a custom-tailored solution for its clients, something that is unique in the industry.
Versatex helps organizations save time and money by managing the 80 percent of transactions that make up 20 percent of their spending.
There are three misconceptions people have about the services Versatex provides, Berry said.
1. That it cannot integrate with their systems.
2. That its services cost too much.
3. That it takes too long to realize savings.
He said Versatex can operate in any system, it does not charge clients for services, and it can dramatically and positively affect an organization’s bottom line within a matter of six months.
Berry is a third-generation Buckeye, a proud Cincinnatian, an avid golfer and loves to fish to help him unwind.
“Fishing just provides me solace and quiet, to slow my mind down so that I can think,” Berry said.
Berry also enjoys spending time with his wife of 22 years, Roxanne; his son, Julian LaVonn, a sophomore at the University of Dayton; and his son, Derek Ethan, a freshman at Miami University, where Berry earned his bachelor’s degree in pre-med and sales and marketing.
When his sons were younger, Berry could be found cheering them on in the stands as they played football – just as he used to – at his alma mater, Archbishop Moeller.