Our History
From Humble Beginnings in 1952
Capital Business Machines (CBM) was founded in 1952 by William “Bill” Hartman, Sr., in Olympia, Washington. Over the decades, CBM evolved from selling manual typewriters and adding machines into a trusted regional partner for advanced office technologies.
A Multi-Generational Legacy
For over six decades, the Hartman family—including grandsons Dean, Don, and Stacey—led CBM with a relentless focus on customer care. Their mantra: “Customer first, machine second.” CBM’s renowned 4-hour average service response time, local parts inventory, and long-tenured technicians became benchmarks of service excellence.
A Generational Shift: The Lowe Brothers Take the Helm
In 2020, ownership passed to longtime CBM team members Derek and Casey Lowe, who together bring nearly 48 years of experience at the company. The Hartman family trusted the brothers to carry forward CBM’s legacy of service and local partnership. Derek, who joined CBM in 2000, is known for his philosophy that “the customer is always taken care of.” Casey, a Tumwater High School grad, has built long-term loyalty through a dependable, positive service approach.
Today: Serving Western Washington with Innovation & Heart
Under the Lowe brothers’ leadership, CBM continues as a family owned Olympia institution, delivering SHARP multifunction systems, wide-format printers, managed IT, business phone solutions, and more—all backed by local service and relationship-first care.
