Lois S. Elkin, Co-Founder of Advance Business Systems, Dies at 85

December 8, 2022 JMORE Staff

In this undated photo, Lois S. Elkin is flanked by her husband, Alan (right), and her son, Jeff. (File photo)

Lois S. Elkin, matriarch of the Cockeysville-based, family-owned Advance Business Systems, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 7. The Stevenson resident was 85.

For nearly six decades, Elkin served as executive vice president of Advance Business Systems, known in the region for its popular TV commercials and tagline, “We live and breathe this stuff.”

In July of 1964, she co-founded the company with her husband, Alan Ira Elkin, as a mom-and-pop operation in a modest, 1,200-square-foot office on East 21st Street in downtown Baltimore. Under their leadership, Advance grew into a $37 million corporation, a technologically savvy document management company with more than 170 employees. Over the years, Advance expanded from selling copying supplies, ribbons, carbons and duplicators to providing network and IT support.

Lois S. Elkin (Photo courtesy of Sol Levinson & Bros.)

The Elkins were inducted into the Maryland Chamber of Commerce’s business hall of fame in 2013. Alan Elkin died in September of 2017.

“Fifty years ago, computers were brand new on the scene.” Lois Elkin told The Sun in 2013. “Many were the size of very large rooms. Today, computers continuously are becoming smaller and smaller and faster and faster, with far more capacity, and have now become an integral part of much of the equipment we sell.”

A Cincinnati native, Elkin was the daughter of Jerome David and Mildred Louise (Bloch) Shanman. She graduated from Goucher College in 1959 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and science.

Prior to starting Advance Business Systems, Elkin worked at IBM, rising from systems engineer to becoming the first female manager in the nation to oversee a computer test center.

When asked by The Sun about the ups and downs of working with one’s spouse on a daily basis, Elkin said, “Because we are both so involved in the day-to-day, it is a challenge not to discuss the business, but we absolutely carve out personal time — especially for family and vacations. We really do ‘live and breathe this stuff,’ but we are fortunate to have employees who exhibit much of the same commitment and passion that we do, so we can take time for ourselves.”

In 2001, the Elkins received an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Two years earlier, she was voted one of The Daily Record’s Top 100 Women in 1999. In 2005, SmartWoman magazine honored her with a Bravo! Entrepreneur Award.

Elkin served as a mentor to many women in business. In addition to her membership and involvement in various women’s business organizations, she founded the Women’s Business Club in 2002.

Among the nonprofit groups supported by Elkin over the years were the Baltimore Association of Retarded Citizens, United Cerebral Palsy, The Chimes, the Casey Cares Foundation and the Maryland chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. She served on the board of directors of the now-defunct Shoshana S. Cardin Community High School.

In her spare time, she enjoyed art collecting, traveling and fishing.

Elkin is survived by her children, Karen Elkin (Dr. Millard) Mazer and Jeffrey (Saralyn) Elkin; her sister-in-law of Marilyn Shanman, Elaine and David Epstein and Bernice Kleiman; her grandchildren, Mark Elkin Mazer, Julie Elkin Mazer, David Elkin Mazer, Jesse Elkin, Evan Elkin and Adam Elkin.

She was predeceased by her husband of 55 years; her brother, James Shanman; her parents, Mildred and Jerome Shanman; and brother-in-law, Herb Kleiman.

Services will be held at Sol Levinson’s Chapel, 8900 Reisterstown Rd. in Pikesville, on Friday, Dec. 9, at 9:30 a.m. Interment at Har Sinai Cemetery, 11405 Garrison Forest Road in Owings Mills.

Contributions in Lois Elkin’s memory may be directed to The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, 101 W. Mt. Royal Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.