120 Years in the Making
EDGE has a rich history, but our success over the years has always come down to one thing: our people. We are employee-owned, and our many talents drive us forward in collaboration. Each and every one of us understands what it takes to run a business, and it has been our mission through the years to address these needs for others.
Learn more about our history and our people!
Follow Along Our History
Allison Coupon Company Founded
Allison Coupon Company was founded by Noah S. Allison. The company began by printing coupon books for coal mine company stores, then later expanded into other similar markets including, but not limited to, printing railroad eating house vouchers, street railway tickets, and restaurant coupons.
James A. Allison Steps In
Following the death of founder, Noah S. Allison, his children became directors of the company, with son, James A. Allison — best known as one of the founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—being named Vice President. He later expanded their operations to include a variety of local and regionl merchants.
Company sells to Cummins Chicago
The Allison family sold the company to Cummins Chicago a manufacturer of document perforators that couple personalize any payment book. Even after this sale, the company remained in the check/voucher/bill printing business under the name- Allison Payment Systems.
Financial Document Software Developed
A University of Miami professor developed a software method of creating negotiable financial documents (checks). Using blank paper and a desktop laser printers that used special toner, the system was able to print magnetic characters (MICR) used on bank checks and documents that qualified under the guidelines of ANSI X9 and American Banking Association standards.
Electronic Document GEneration
The Allison Coupon Division of Cummins-Allison purchased this software package and copyrighted it. It became the basis for a range of laser-printed products that are sold under the name EDGE, an acronym for Electronic Document GEneration. The initial EDGE offerings were directed at small to mid-sized companies for accounts payable and payroll checks, linking the software to a myriad of financial system products that include Oracle, SAP and other top names in the financial software market.
EDGE Document Solutions, LLC founded
The management team of the EDGE business unit within Allison Payment Systems purchased ownership shares to create a wholly independent company, EDGE Document Solutions, LLC. With business partnerships created during the past several years that focus on education, EDGE Document Solutions, LLC has become a major contributor in software development to the financial business administration area as well as the student reporting administration areas of many school districts across the country.
WebEDGE Student Portfolio Introduced
The team introduced WebEDGE Student Portfolio, a solution that allows districts to digitally present important, confidential, parent reports and student documents.
Report(+) Created Using PowerSchool API
The team upgraded their previous reporting software to create Report(+), a revolutionary communication tool designed to produce any document, form, or report using PowerSchool API from concept to production, which paired with WebEdge and provided solutions for school districts that address their online needs for the 21st century.
Today
The EDGE product line now addresses a wide range of significant markets including legal firms, accounting, education, utilities, clothing, manufacturing, banking, not-for-profit foundations and may other industries.
EDGE has a diverse base of clients in 42 of 50 states, and several Canadian provinces. EDGE’s client bases ranges from multi-national corporations such as Rolls-Royce, Estee Lauder, and Kintetsu World Express, to school districts of every size from California to New York.
Allison Coupon Company Founded
Allison Coupon Company was founded by Noah S. Allison. The company began by printing coupon books for coal mine company stores, then later expanded into other similar markets including, but not limited to, printing railroad eating house vouchers, street railway tickets, and restaurant coupons.
James A. Allison Steps In
Following the death of founder, Noah S. Allison, his children became directors of the company, with son, James A. Allison — best known as one of the founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—being named Vice President. He later expanded their operations to include a variety of local and regionl merchants.
Company sells to Cummins Chicago
The Allison family sold the company to Cummins Chicago a manufacturer of document perforators that couple personalize any payment book. Even after this sale, the company remained in the check/voucher/bill printing business under the name- Allison Payment Systems.
Financial Document Software Developed
A University of Miami professor developed a software method of creating negotiable financial documents (checks). Using blank paper and a desktop laser printers that used special toner, the system was able to print magnetic characters (MICR) used on bank checks and documents that qualified under the guidelines of ANSI X9 and American Banking Association standards.
Electronic Document GEneration
The Allison Coupon Division of Cummins-Allison purchased this software package and copyrighted it. It became the basis for a range of laser-printed products that are sold under the name EDGE, an acronym for Electronic Document GEneration. The initial EDGE offerings were directed at small to mid-sized companies for accounts payable and payroll checks, linking the software to a myriad of financial system products that include Oracle, SAP and other top names in the financial software market.
EDGE Document Solutions, LLC founded
The management team of the EDGE business unit within Allison Payment Systems purchased ownership shares to create a wholly independent company, EDGE Document Solutions, LLC. With business partnerships created during the past several years that focus on education, EDGE Document Solutions, LLC has become a major contributor in software development to the financial business administration area as well as the student reporting administration areas of many school districts across the country.
WebEDGE Student Portfolio Introduced
The team introduced WebEDGE Student Portfolio, a solution that allows districts to digitally present important, confidential, parent reports and student documents.
Report(+) Created Using PowerSchool API
The team upgraded their previous reporting software to create Report(+), a revolutionary communication tool designed to produce any document, form, or report using PowerSchool API from concept to production, which paired with WebEdge and provided solutions for school districts that address their online needs for the 21st century.
Today
The EDGE product line now addresses a wide range of significant markets including legal firms, accounting, education, utilities, clothing, manufacturing, banking, not-for-profit foundations and may other industries.
EDGE has a diverse base of clients in 42 of 50 states, and several Canadian provinces. EDGE’s client bases ranges from multi-national corporations such as Rolls-Royce, Estee Lauder, and Kintetsu World Express, to school districts of every size from California to New York.
Management & Sales Team
Ben Bickham
Vice President, Administration
Ben joined the Edge team in 2000 as the overseer of the company’s software license agreements. He became an owner in 2005 when the company separated from Allison Payment Systems to become its own company. In 2013, Ben became Vice President of Administration.
Ed Simnick
Vice President, Technology
Ed started with Edge in 1992. Before coming to Edge, he spent 8 years in the Banking Industry where he developed and maintained a variety of application software and systems used to make processes more efficient. During this time, he also worked in the print and mail industry, generating software used to create various types of documents, mainly for financial institutions. He enjoys developing solutions that fit into existing client workflows and helping them to be more efficient with their time and resources.
Greg Peters
Vice President, Education Systems
Greg joined the Edge team in 1998 as a software developer. He later became the solution architect for the educational software product line. In 2012, Greg oversaw the development of a new online document presentation solution,and became product manager for both Educational products in 2013.Greg left Edge in 2016 to serve as a Senior Software Engineer on the eSchoolData Student Management System team, based on Long Island, NY. Greg later became the Engineering manager for the Illuminate Education Classroom product–which serves over a million students and parents in New York City.
Liz Watson
Programmer Analyst
Liz began her career in December 1981 with Cummins Allison as a Keypunch Operator. She was with the company when it became Allison Payment Systems in September 1991 and joined the EDGE team shortly after, becoming an owner when the company separated from APS in 2005. In her spare time, Liz enjoys gardening, planting flowers, spending time outdoors, and renovating her 100-year-old farmhouse.
Sherry Walden
Programming/Support
Sherry joined the EDGE team in 2003. Prior to her work with EDGE, she worked at Decatur High School performing tasks such as data entry, report card printing, scheduling, attendance, and later, worked as the school’s librarian. Sherry has a small family – one daughter and one brother. She enjoys family time with them, fishing and vacationing.
Alan Horton
Product Manager
Alan joined the Edge team in January of 2014. Prior to coming to Edge, he worked as a senior programmer and analyst for Freedom Staffing. In his spare time, he assists the local Boy Scouts as an assistant scoutmaster.
Walter Cole
Regional Sales Consultant
Walter joined the EDGE team in 2017, bringing with him extensive experience in the educational field, including 38 years in NYS public education, as a teacher, building and district administrator, with 10 years as SASI coordinator. Additionally, Walter was an adjunct professor at Long Island University, member of the Board of Education, Jericho (NY) School District, IPT PowerSchool trainer, and CEO, WCole Consulting. In each role, he has engaged with innumerable educational entities, and he has provided leadership and vision to advance the mission of the organizations.
Stephen Stark
Regional Sales Consultant
Stephen came to EDGE in December of 2016 as a sales consultant. Previously, he worked at Angie’s List as a sales consultant. He was also a Customer Service Engineer for 30 years with Decision One.