Appogee - Adding Value in Greenville
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women comprise approximately 57% of the post-pandemic labor force but less than a quarter of the workforce in the technology sector. Statistics like these play a role in discouraging some women from pursuing careers in tech, but others use these indicators to fuel their trailblazing journey. Greenville is fortunate to have such a woman in its backyard – Kristie King, co-founder and co-owner of Appogee.
Kristie King, Appogee co-founder and co-ownerAppogee is a nationwide Value Added Reseller (VAR) for Apple, Inc. A VAR is an Apple expert that Apple has authorized to sell its products. Appogee integrates Apple technology into the workspaces of Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies, small/medium businesses, government entities, and higher education institutions. In addition to procurement, Appogee has a service division where they configure, kit, and warehouse devices for their clientele, providing secure mobile device management and including branding and break/fix for their clients’ fleet of devices. This provides the end user with a best-in-class experience and ready-to-use product. Amongst the small group of US Apple VARs, Appogee separates itself by being the sole VAR to focus solely on Apple and not offer other technology solutions.
Kristie has been in the Greenville community since 1986 and considers it home. She attended high school in Pitt County and graduated from East Carolina University (ECU) in 1995. She started working for another Apple VAR in 2001, with that company closing operations in 2008. With her passion for Apple products, she wanted to continue offering services to the network she and her business partner created, so she started Appogee with Tim Hassett in October 2008. Part of Appogee’s mission is to grow technology in the Greenville community and provide jobs locally. Having tech and innovation in Greenville is instrumental for progress, and local talent and ECU graduates should know that Appogee is providing these types of job opportunities right in their backyard.
Appogee is nationally certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) as a Women-Owned Business, and they are also an NC HUB Certified Firm and Small Business. They have earned recognition on the Inc. 5000 list for four consecutive years. The Inc. 5000 ranks the fastest-growing private companies in the United States.
In the community, Appogee is a member of the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce, a supporter of Uptown Greenville, and has been thankful to assist several local programs, such as NC MedAssist, Distinguished Young Woman of Pitt County/Greenville, Daughters for Dads, and the American Red Cross. And, of course, they love the ECU Pirates and have been involved in various ECU events throughout the years.
Among its many services, Appogee offers branding for devices and accessories.
In fact, it was at a community event in 2020 where Kristie met Allen Clayton, senior vice president and commercial banker at TowneBank. Shortly after, she moved Appogee’s banking relationship to TowneBank. Kristie shares, “I love that it’s a local bank. A big bank, but with a local, community feel.” Appogee uses TowneBank’s online business banking platform, and Towne Benefits provides the company’s health benefits. Kristie continues, “TowneBank is the best. The level of service is incomparable, and the people are honest and authentic. As we continue to grow revenue and add employees, I know I can rely on the TowneBank team to provide great guidance and protect our best interests.”
Kristie wants the Greenville community to know, “We appreciate your support. It means everything to us. You understand what it means to shop local, and that really makes a difference. If we have not yet met you, and you have Apple technology needs, we would be honored to be your Apple partner!” For more information, visit Appogee.com.