The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Sunryse Information Management’s founder was yesterday said to no longer be with the company he founded over two decades ago following its sale to a US-based provider.

An employee at the Fire Trail Road-based business confirmed to Tribune Business that Chris Sawyer did not work for the firm when it called to inquire about Sunryse’s sale to Vital Records Control (VRC), an information management company based out of Memphis, Tennessee. They answered the phone as “VRC”.

This newspaper was informed that senior management control now resides in Tennessee, and that there was no one available to speak on the acquisition in The Bahamas. A VRC official promised to get someone to call back, but no response was received before press time.

The deal was announced in a VRC press release earlier this week. Although it did not mention Sunryse by name, it referred to having “added its first international facility in The Bahamas”. The US firm describes itself as “the third-largest records and information management company in the US, with over 100 facilities coast-to-coast”.

Danny Palo, president and chief executive of Vital Records Control, said in a statement: “Despite the pandemic, we were extremely fortunate to expand into new markets in 2020 and continue to do so in 2021.

“At VRC, maintaining the protection and availability of our clients’ information while providing best-in-class service is at the core of our culture. By broadening our presence in key markets such as San Francisco, Columbus, Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and, most recently, The Bahamas, we are not only able to extend our geographic reach but support our commitment to deliver premier customer service locally.”

Mr Sawyer and his wife, Nadine, founded Sunryse in 2000 as a mobile shredding business in response to corporate client demand from ways to safely dispose of confidential files. Its operations subsequently expanded to additional information management solutions, including cataloging and storing physical files, plus scanning and imaging documents for digital access.

One of the Government-sponsored venture capital fund’s first big successes in terms of companies that it financed, Sunryse’s name changed in 2016 from Sunryse Shredding to Sunryse Information Management to reflect its new and expanded capabilities. Just last year it celebrated its 20th anniversary by moving into its 38,000 square foot Fire Trail Road headquarters.

In a 2018 interview with Tribune Business, Mr Sawyer explained: “We have our roots in shredding. We have been running shredding and document destruction for 17 years. Over the last five to six years, we’ve pretty much expanded into the information space. Document shredding is one component, one business to what we have. We’re managing people’s information, conducting database management for clients and document imaging.

“We have a few other solutions we provide for them, but that’s where we’ve been going. That’s what we intend to be: A one-stop shop to meet customers’ needs, and provide great service for whatever it is they require.”

Document storage and records management are other aspects of Sunryse’s business, and its services are sought by the likes of banks, accounting firms and other financial services providers who need to protect and maintain client confidentiality.

Sunryse’s website at that time touted that its business grew by an average of 32 per cent per year during its first decade in existence, as the demand for document shredding from corporate Bahamas enabled it to expand from one mobile destruction truck to three. It also spoke of Caribbean expansion possibilities.

“We have a very simple formula for success: We meet the customer’s needs, listen to their ‘pain points’, and provide solutions,” Mr Sawyer added at the time. “We adjust and adapt, and find solutions that are very palatable to them, and they receive benefits in cost savings and efficiencies. These factors have combined into the success we’ve had over the last several years.”

VRC, which boasts a 30-year history, appears to be a good fit for Sunryse Information Management. Founded in 1988 as a security lockbox business, it has expanded to include protecting, storing and providing secure access to to critical business documents, sensitive digital data, historical artifacts, medical records and specialty assets.

“Whether they’re in the healthcare, government or financial sector, most of our clients consider their information one of their most valuable assets,” said Mr Palo. “There is a strong need for business continuity in any market condition. The pandemic reminded us of the importance of having secure access to our critical information and providing our clients with exceptional service when they need it the most.”