An Interview with Steven Robb, LaSalle Solutions President: ‘The Right Partner Changes Everything’

“Although significant technological and financial changes have determined our course, the true driver of our progress has been our company culture of service.”

Cloud computing has completely evolved business computing and software architectures, changing a rigid set of services into an iterative, scalable set of applications that constantly transform to meet the needs of companies and consumers.

In today’s fast-changing, hyper-competitive landscape, businesses need to offer superior flexibility and speed to ensure operational success and satisfy customer demand. Sticking to rigid solutions that cannot scale or deliver services at the speed at which consumers’ needs evolve can cause businesses to fail. Take, for example, the familiar story of websites crashing during the premiere of blockbuster shows or playoff games. This often occurs because their hosted platforms don’t have scalable technology to handle the sudden arrival of a large number of subscribers -- and it leaves many screens dark. Technology that doesn’t scale properly will ultimately crash, and the same can be said for the customer base if businesses don’t adapt and brace themselves for a necessary transformation.

Failing to embrace this shift can leave entire industries in the dark.

In light of the foregoing, we’re thrilled to present LaSalle Solutions, a division of Fifth Third Bank, National Association. The company is headquarted in Rosemont, IL.

Rewind: Changing Gears

Founded in June 1980 as LaSalle Computer Corporation, LaSalle originally specialized in the leasing of high-tech assets. In 1999, the company launched its solutions business, and soon thereafter LaSalle Computer Corporation was rebranded as LaSalle Solutions to reflect a broader range of offerings, which eventually came to include the industry-leading cloud-based information management platform: LAMP^SM.

What do customers look for in a trusted partner? Is it the right technology, the best financing, or the quickest delivery? Or is it instead a fundamental commitment to service, one that enables all three of those benefits to be delivered as part of a continuously improving business relationship?

For almost four decades, LaSalle Solutions has pursued the latter course, committing itself to mutually beneficial service for its customers.

“The history of LaSalle is one of nonstop evolution. Although significant technological and financial changes have determined our course, the true driver of our progress has been our company culture of service. Customer conversations have been a priority since day one, empowering us to discover exactly what customers require and in turn provide full solutions that go beyond the simple speeds and feeds of industry alternatives.”

LaSalle Solutions: Potent Solutions

LaSalle Solutions provides customers with flexible, quality lifecycle solutions to simplify and optimize their technology operations, manage risk, and free up resources to invest in continued growth and success.

LaSalle is about much more than any specific technology or financial structure; it’s about relationships. The company focuses on what is best for each customer, manufacturer, and partner involved and provides the guidance and infrastructure necessary to help them drive better business outcomes. LaSalle’s distinctive history and culture, as well as its unique approach to asset, maintenance contract, and lease schedule management, have been the key ingredients of its successful run so far.

“We constantly communicate with and learn from our customers to better understand their needs and help us improve the products and services we offer. Simply put, we ensure that our customers always have the best tools and most relevant technology available to them.”

“Our commitment to service is deeply woven into our company culture. We believe in creating an environment where people want to work, grow, and prosper. More importantly, we believe in creating an environment where personal success is aligned with company success.”

LaSalle Solutions is serving in the commercial sector, focused on technology and finance solutions. LaSalle and Fifth Third Bank share Midwest roots and a proud commitment that puts customers at the center of everything the former does.

Fifth Third Bank was established in 1858. Deposit and credit products are offered by Fifth Third Bank, National Association, and Member FDIC.

Furthermore, Fifth Third Bancorp, a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank. Fifth Third Bancorp’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq^® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB”.

LAMP^SM: An Overview

LAMP, LaSalle Solutions’ industry-leading cloud-based platform, is the point of convergence for all activities surrounding asset and maintenance contract management, system integration, license tracking, dispositions, and much more.

In a nutshell, LAMP brings everything together in one place to widen a client’s global install base visibility, streamline processes, and maintain data accuracy, while delivering a complete technology lifecycle solution to help maximize asset utilization at a reduced cost.

“Our lifecycle solution helps clients understand the details and gain insights on what is happening with their equipment while allowing them to review Total Cost of Ownership, and potential security concerns with aging software and/or the tech debt within their network.”

Overall, with LAMP you are ensured a system of record as you explore new product and service offerings, expand your operations and delve into possibilities such as the interconnected Internet of Things.

Since its creation, LAMP has undergone multiple version updates that have made it the powerful cloud platform and centerpiece of information management it is today.

Gaining Commitment 

“The LaSalle philosophy of evolving alongside our customers and listening to their needs is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that the first customer we signed in 1980 is still with us today. On more specific levels, our commitment to service has been deeply woven into the details of our technological and financing solutions, which prioritize customer happiness over profit and technical complexity.”

Steven Robb: A Staunch Leader

Steven Robb serves as the President of LaSalle Solutions. He’s responsible for driving the strategy and business objectives for the company’s success including the development of LAMP platform.

Mr. Robb is committed to prioritizing customer successes and creating the best and most innovative long-term solutions for their businesses.

“Customer satisfaction is more than just a core value at LaSalle Solutions; it’s a key driver for our success. Not only are we a ‘Cisco Services Gold Partner’, but also we have been recognized for delivering ‘Cisco Customer Satisfaction Excellence’ for 40 consecutive quarters. This means our customers are experiencing a true partnership with flexible, responsive service.”

Mr. Robb joined LaSalle Solutions in 2004 as a Vice President/General Manager. He has more than 20 years of experience in the IT and networking sectors. Before joining LaSalle, Mr. Robb served as a senior vice president of sales at Comdisco and central regional sales director for both Westinghouse Communications and Fiberlink Communications.

Mr. Robb holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Illinois State University.

“From our roots in leasing and financing to our expanded solutions for enhanced information management via LAMP, we have maintained a constant commitment to service and growth.”