Culture Book 2022

2022

Culture book

Foreword

Welcome to the 2022 culture book! Our 8th annual celebration showcasing how we live our core values, brand promise, and our purpose of “Inspiring People to Love What They Do and Who They Do It With”. This book captures the heart and soul of what it means to Be Innovative.

We dedicate this year’s culture book to our treasured CEO, Jennifer Smith. May her legacy live on for years to come.

“Don’t let tomorrow take up too much of today.”

Jennifer Smith

Convenient to be able to get a lot in one place.

Our delivery guy is always very nice and friendly. My experiences with IOS have been stellar.

customer feedback

Your team’s customer service is very nice and helpful!

Innovative is doing a great job. My “go to” office supply company. I can always find what I am looking for and receive it fast.

Innovative is a one-stop shop! Furniture, office supplies, logo clothing, customer gifts. And the relationship we have with our rep is invaluable!

Everything works great for me. Great delivery person!

Excellent, accommodating, friendly delivery staff!!!!

you guys are amazing! we couldn’t be happier with our service and the guy that drops off to us! he’s always chipper and has a smile! THANK YOU!

Everyone goes above and beyond!

Innovative’s Customer Service Team is the best!! Don’t know what we would do without them!

Where in the World

Ashley McDonald: Las Vegas

Barb Kusilek: Zion

National Park

Christy Jilek: Anna Maria, FL

Cora Mincer: London

Dale Bloem: Ramona, CA

Jen Rosenzweig: Jamaica

Eric Okerson: Aruba Jorgia Authier: At a customer

Kathy Hovde: Santa Fe, NM

Lora Schwalbe (& Squirrel): Zion National Park

Laura BrunneR: Duluth, MN

Stephanie Burkman: Maui, HI

Robert Anderson: Lubbock, TX

Ron Bearden: Stuttgart, Germany

Todd Swanson: San Francisco, CA

Sue Wentzel: Bullhead, AZ

Curt Krueger

St. Cloud Installer and Scheduler. Curt came to Innovative from Viking Office Supply and it has been an absolute pleasure working with him the past few years. His attention to detail is incredible and is always putting the customer first. There has been numerous times where he has received lemons and has continually made lemonade with a smile on his face! Thank you Curt for all you do for Innovative!

-Andrew Deters

Amy Hoepfner

She is outstanding in her skill, efficiency and follow-through. Her attitude is exemplary and I could not have the success I do without her.

-Gary Feichtinger

Ashley McDonald

Ashley McDonald has done a phenomenal job with furniture design. Throughout the year we have had some larger furniture opportunities with very short deadlines. Ashley wouldn’t hesitate, and would jump right in! She would work from early morning to past our business hours, no matter what it took, she always met the deadline. Customers were extremely happy, and very appreciative. No matter how full Ashley’s plate is, she is always positive and always willing to help. Her positive attitude is very contagious. She is an amazing team player that really cares about our customers. Ashley is a ray of sunshine!

-Penny Watczak

Team Inspire: Kathy, Mary, Raina Jess , Bailey and Maria

They are always there to support what ever question or need we have for our clients. Their responses are always prompt and accurate. Every day they work as a team. Special thanks to Kathy for all the detailed work she does for helping manage larger accounts with updating account information and users.

-Christian Donovan

Cari Kardell

She is always there to help me with my customers and answer their questions. She knows what they got las time or even what they purchased a year ago.

-Kirk Davis

Brett Bahrenfuss

Consistently providing top notch customer service everyday!

-Ginger Tieszen

Sales team & Jennifer Smith

I could go on and on about each employee and team because they are all truly amazing but for this one, I am going to say the SALES team and Jennifer S. The sales team has weathered some difficult times over the last few years and have taken some hard hits, but they keep smiling and working hard to make sure the clients are taken care of and making sure we stay in business! I can’t imagine doing what they do, they are the best. Now, for Jennifer... what can I say that could possibly encompass all she does and stands for... words are not, nor ever will be enough! Jennifer is an outstanding leader that truly believes in people and actually gets it and no matter what is going on in her world she always puts others and their needs first, no matter what life has thrown at her she turns it into something meaningful and outstanding! Proud of all of them and so honored to be part of this crew!

-Lesa Page

Ginger Tieszen

A shining example of why Innovative is different. She is a wonderful mentor and partner for projects with her many years of experience. But when it comes to our customers, her charm, extensive industry knowledge, and can-do attitude always put our customers at ease, and she does it all with a smile. I know everyone she encounters, from coworkers to customers, think she is an absolute joy to work with, and that is the Innovative Difference.

-Kennedy Dvorak

Jamestown team

Our Jamestown team has been amazing. It is a joy to come to work everyday, as everyone helps each other from one person waiting on a customer, to answering the phone. We all pitch in and help with finding what the customer is looking for. We have fun and laugh. We take time for each other and our customers to listen, help, and give advise or make suggestions.

-Connie DeLair

Team Insync

Team Insync is so great to work with. They respond quickly and are very helpful. You can tell they want to help me and the customer, not just getting through another task. Awesome group!

-Lonnie

Green

Brianna Samuels

Brianna Samuels has been such a joy to work with and is always there to bounce ideas off of! She’s a wealth of knowledge and is always willing to take time out of her day to share that knowledge.

-Krista

James

InSports Foundation

The InSports Foundation, Innovative’s nonprofit organization, has the purpose of helping more kids participate in sports.

InSports accomplishes this mission by providing financial assistance and sporting opportunities for kids to get in the game, enabling them to become active, confident, and successful team leaders in their communities.

Since 2014, Insports has impacted 52,000 kids and counting!

Over $50,000 donated to teams and individuals in 2022.

Barb Kusilek

Barb Kusilek is the true definition of “Own It”. She is eager to take on new projects from start to finish and is always willing to lend a helping hand for whatever is needed to get the job done! So thankful for you Barb, you truly make a difference!

-Bridget Smith

Warehouse team

The 711 warehouse team has always been awesome, and in 2022 this amazing group continues with superior service, communication, and attention to the details we can rely upon. When they say “they’ll take care of it” we know we can pass these assurances on to the customers. Special shout out to Robert and Eric for their efforts with the special shipping needs we spring on them regularly. They could give a master class on how this is done.

-Dawn Miller

Joe Caldwell

He has continued to make a huge difference and be the biggest driving force behind SIM Supply’s growth and success.

-Ryan Carlson

givin’ to the community

Jen R, Aaron W, Jeanne T & Lesa P I would like to acknowledge the management team in the response team area. They have trained many new people and dealt with supply shortages and IT issues. Yet they are still able to help me if I have a question or need support in some way. Plus they are fun! and they care!

-Tami Adams

We’ve impacted over 200 charities through our dedication to the communities that surround us.

Response Team

Northern response team made a huge difference by stepping up and taking calls, orders, live chats, helping make our customer experience great.

-Jessica Underwood

Kari Smith

Kari has the innate ability to tackle anything thrown her way! She has been a tremendous help and has made a huge impact!

-Rick Copeland

Lisa Steele

She has always been very helpful in finding the products I’m looking for and always has a witty funny comment to make me smile or laugh.

-Jackie Laine

2022 proud moments

3M Open Leadership Summit

Lifeworks Annual Celebration

2022 Minnesota Business Hall of Fame

Everyone!

It isn’t just one person or team that makes a difference at Innovative; it’s everyone. From anyone who interacts with our customers to the ‘behind-the-scenes’ people, all are willing to step up and help in any capacity. Not only does the entire Innovative Team create an outstanding experience for our customers, they also make it a great place to work!

-Barb Kusilek

2022 Top 200 Workplaces by the Star Tribune. Innovative ranked 50th in the midsized company

Innovative CEO, Jennifer Smith inducted into the 2022 Minnesota Business Hall of Fame

inducted into St. Cloud Chamber

Mark Hoglund

He has been extremely busy with getting SIM employees moved over to our systems but still makes time to help out with other issues or to answer questions anyone may have.

-Ryan Salmon

Tami Adams

Tami Adams is fantastic at working the Customer Service inbox, and never hesitates to help me when I have a question. She is quick and accurate.

-Jarret Johnson

Brett Bahrenfuss and our SF Furniture install team

They continue to make a difference not only with our clients, but taking care of our own office needs, updating furniture in our 621 location and making the work space more comfortable and efficient. The team does a great job balancing large projects and also the day to day activities our clients challenge us with each day. Whether they are working on large projects at times short handed, or doing deliveries they take pride in their work and make a difference for our clients. Thank you to Brett, Steve Boone, Austin Pibal, Drew Schnabel & Jon Koopman for their dedication to our clients and the Innovative team. Also, thanks to team members from the MN locations who come and help when needed; the teamwork shown is amazing & greatly appreciated. Thanks to JR, Tim, Tony, Dan and others who consistently come to SF to help w projects. Truly making a difference!

-Joel Eiesland

Curt Krueger

Curt Krueger has done a fantastic job for my customers. When they place an order they say they know we will do a great job because of Curt.

-John Tate

aaron wessel

Kudos to Aaron for merging the branch teams and the response team. Everyone is jumping IN and helping where they can to help the entire team AND customersAwesome job to Aaron and the Response Team. #Expect RESPONSE #Expect REDUCTION #Expect RELIEF.

Matt Steever

Since coming over to the delivery/ warehouse side, he has done anything asked of him and more. I appreciate him!

-Jamie

Wissink

drivers

-Raina Wendt

Hands-down, the drivers and all the hard work they do to keep customers happy and good relationships for innovative!

-Scott Rollings

Jessica Sowl

Jessica Sowl started off the year as an AR Coordinator. When the position of AR Supervisor opened up, Jessica applied for and was awarded the position. She did an outstanding job of building an AR team in the Sioux Falls location. A few changes took place in the AP supervisor role and we were looking for a new AP Supervisor. We spoke with Jessica about holding both the AP and AR supervisor role. She accepted the challenge and continues to manage both teams. She has been a great example of efficiency and productivity. She really has both teams going in the right direction.

-Brooks

Smith

Dusten Hooper

He makes a difference by (1) being willing to be involved and (2) inspiring smiles (more specifically laughter). 1. Dusten has been my sidekick when we dropped the toilet paper off for Project Care or when we’ve had potlucks, and he always says, “Yes.” Without hesitation and 2. If you’ve never worked with Dusten, you’re missing out. You can count on him any day of the week to make you laugh about the simplest things with his excellent sense of humor. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to go through SIM’s acquisition with, and now he’s a supervisor! It’s been so fun watching him grow into his new role and I can’t wait to see what the future brings for him! Thanks, Mr. Hooper. You da BEST!

Jeanne

Thompson

Jeanne Thompson has made a difference for me this year. She is a great trainer - which takes the time to deal with each person’s strengths and weaknesses. All of the teams at Innovative have made a differencethey are all willing and ready to jump in and help.

-Penny Aultman

FAC Team

-Brittani Friend

Jorgia Authier

Always organized. Always prepared. And has incredible patience working through complicated time-consuming projects. Thank you for caring so much about our clients and company!

-Becky

Pietrowski

The FAC team has made an incredible difference in my personal growth here at Innovative. I came in as a new hire in April 2022 and they welcomed me with open arms and never once have I felt out of place. There is always someone willing to help. This company and its people are a breath of fresh air!

-Megan Bisignano

2022 Kick off event

Team Inspire

I appreciate that I can trust each person on this team to handle anything that comes up and their response is incredible. The customers always tell me they love working with them and that they also feel appreciated.

-Tracy Roeder

Install Team and Project Managers

Innovative’s Install Team and Project Managers have gone above and beyond to Coordinate, Deliver and Install Furniture projects for our Customers. It has been a record year for the Innovative Furniture Team despite the Supply Chain and Staffing challenges of 2022. We have created and installed so many wonderful new and updated workplaces! This team demonstrated our CORE Values of Just Communicate, Own It and Inspires Smiles to put our customers first!

-Julie Owen

barb

Kusilek

Barb showcased her talents with the Education Lookbook. We gave her a vision and she made it come to life! It has set us apart from our competition.

-Leah Halvorson

facilities team

The entire facilities team for all of their efforts behind the scenes, and a special shout out to Justin who goes above and beyond to help find solutions for our customers!

-Gayle Zabel

St. Patrick’s day Potluck

Customer Response Teams

It has been a hard year with back orders, out of stock, discontinuation and shipping delays. This team has had to manage all of those and do it with a smile on their faces. We could not have made it through the orders and the year without them!

-Debbie Lazcano-Stai

IT Team

The IT Team makes a difference on a daily basis by ensuring our systems are operating properly, securely, and always with a smile on their face to do whatever is needed to keep business flowing. It’s rare within companies to constantly receive accolades about how amazing an IT team is but we hear it constantly about the team at Innovative.

-Jason Player

Aaron

Rust

Aaron Rust is a rock star! He is always willing to help out and assist with whatever is needed and consistently goes above and beyond to help his coworkers!.

-Maddie Segovia

Kurt Blake

Kurt Blake has really stepped up on a personal and professional level to help me out through an ongoing tough time.

-Travis Ulwelling

The FAC Team

Always there to lend a helping hand - whether answering a quick question, or diving deeper to find answers to tough questions. For me, being part of a team has made all the difference!

-Kari Smith

bring Your Kid to work day

Promo Team

This year was amazing with a record year of Promo orders & Apparel stores. This was possible with the entire team of Promo from Pearlee, Debbie, Tonya, Chad & everyone behind the scenes! Special shout out to Debbie Garner! Debbie’s dedication to go above & beyond for my customers makes a huge Difference for me and my customers experience! #expectrelief

-Marie Conway

Drivers

I think our drivers make a difference every day! They see and talk to our customers more than anyone else. They often communicate with the customer service department on behalf of the customers if there are questions about a product, a backorder, damaged product, etc. We really have the best drivers anywhere!

-DeAnn Player

Dana & Belinda

I have to give a shout out to two employees, Dana and Belinda. They joined facilities in August and they have been a breath of fresh air for this team. They dove right in and have been the biggest help for me and the rest of the team!

-Shannon Marek

Pearlee and the Promo Team

Pearlee and the Promo Team have played a big part in making a difference for me over the last year! Pearlee is such a Rock Star at what she does in every way. Her experience and knowledge make client’s feel comfortable in knowing we are providing the best products for their needs. Chad is amazing at what he does on the back end with reporting, SOW’s and overall guidance. Tonya I so appreciate all you have done with BTM and how you have owned the back end of those programs, you are awesome! Also of course, Debbie and the whole promo team, you are all wonderful and always willing to help. This year has truly been a team effort and I love being INvolved with this group!

-Kathy Hovde

Dale Bloem

Dale has been responsible for managing the HP program pricing every quarter. This is a highly complex program with substitutions, different price plans, hit pricing exception lists, and multiple other peculiarities that must be triplechecked to ensure customers do not have a poor web ordering experience. His dedication to detail has been paramount in our success. He has worked with multiple team members to train them on how the program works and continues to make improvements every quarter. He also works with our customers on toner fulfillment and make sure their printers are up and running at all times.

-Paul Kaminski

Eric Huntley

Eric Huntley does his job of receiving and wears many other hats as well. I appreciate all of his extra things he does for me like counting inventory, pulling items for a customer that would like to pick up in a short amount of time, and many other things. He works very hard and efficiently during the summer school season. I am not sure where we would be without all of his knowledge he has with the warehouse in Sioux Falls.

-Tonya Zimmer

Chad Blaha

Chad Blaha has done a fantastic job doing promo clean up this year! He is happy to explain the various scenarios that come up, provide context, and dig into things if we have further questions. Thank you Chad for making a difference to the Accounting department this year! We appreciate you!!

-Ashley Casparis

Ann Dalhoff, Ron Bearden, Ryan Salmon, Dallas Williams, Mark Hoglund, DeAnn Player, Mark Segovia, Amy Beasley

The unsung heroes that make my hard IT problems simple tasks! They are always willing to help right away whether it a big Marketing project or a small set-up. They are kind about simple questions that seem hard to others and problem solvers for so many things. The IT group and all the back-end work to keep Innovative ahead of the game might not be seen by most but all of us benefit from them! Thanks IT!

-Angela Collins

Kennedy Dvorak

I simply want to acknowledge Kennedy Dvorak as a Furniture Specialist in Sioux Falls. Her knowledge, detail, and customer focus is second to none. She is a joy to work with and an extremely valuable member to our entire organization.

-Jerry

Sjoberg

Kris Winum

Kris is always ready to jump in and help. Her depth and breadth of knowledge in furniture and design are incredible. And she’s always happy to teach and explain new things to me!

Sue Wentzel

Thank you for everything that you do! I appreciate you as a manager and a friend. You are always telling us what a great job we are doing but you don’t get told enough how awesome you are! I learn so much from you with your product knowledge and experience. You show me different ways to look at situations and how to approach things. You are also one of the most kindhearted people I know. Thank you for being the wonderful person that you are!

-Ann Speckman

Stephanie Robinson

-Natasha Speake

Stephanie Robinson in HR was absolutely wonderful helping me navigate my maternity leave of absence. She was patient and cheerful walking through all the details in planning such a significant event. She was always available when I had a question. Made the transition leaving and coming back go very smoothly.

-Sarah Betz

Lora, Sharon & Darcie

I would like to recognize my Co-Workers on the AP Team on being part of an awesome team. I love the energy and willingness that each one brings to help each other out on the team!

-JoAnn Neises

Jersey Day

Spirit Week Continued... PJ DAY

Blood Drive

Amy

Hoepfner

Her commitment to producing high quality work is amazing. She prides herself on minimal punch items. She has spent hours learning and understanding Teknion nuances. She has become the GSA expert, learning and perfecting all of her submittals (and this is unbelievably complicated) I love how she will do revisions real time so that we can give changes back to the client in a timely fashion. She is always available by Teams or phone to answer or explain questions. Through it all she always has a smile on her face.

-Laura Brunner

BEAN BAG TOURNAMENT

Nicole Hohmann

Nicole Hohmann has made a huge difference in my journey to learn about ordering custom stamps/name plates. She has been very patient and extremely helpful in helping me learn all the ins and outs of how the process works. She is an all round awesome person and I couldn’t have made the progress that I’ve made without her.

-Beth Halverson

Anita Stevens

My FAC person. I literally could not do my job without her. She’s so helpful and works hard to keep up with all of my projects.

-Tiffany Daigle

Team inform

Team Inform is always there for me and my customers. They are quick to respond, quick to OWN mistakes, and always are the bright spot of my day!

-Crystal Brink

Our drivers

Everyday they are pulling off little miracles. It can look like a lot of subtle behind the scenes juggling but the cumulative positive impact it has on our customers is enormous and can’t be overstated.

-Chad Blaha

Cari Kardell

Customer service Willmar location. No matter what I throw at her she is willing to tackle. Many days I will return to the office after 4pm and have questions for her, even after a full day with other client calls she has my back! She is an asset to Innovative for sure!

-Kirk Delp

Kerensa Tracy

Kerensa Tracy has done an amazing job helping sales reps and internal staff understand the new CORE system as well as communicating clear expectations. I appreciate her direct yet compassionate communication style. She has been a great asset to our team this year!

-Christine DeGrammont

Kellie Heazlett

Lesa Page

Lesa Page has stepped right in to help with all things

furniture. She’s taken care of every customer’s needs and makes it all happen. She’s fantastic!

-Reed Walhof

Kellie Heazlett does an amazing job reaching out to the team members in Sioux Falls. She makes an effort to help new hires feel welcome, takes the time to compliment others, and is always there to help when someone has a question. She really makes us feel like a team rather than just coworkers.

-Ali Olson

everyone!

Every single individual I have met in the last year here has been more than amazing. I truly have never been a part of a work environment or team so welcoming and kind. I feel lucky and thankful to come to work each day and Innovatives family is truly INcredible.

-Casey Gohman

tim moody

Tim Moody took on a new role with supporting all of our branches but continues to assist us in the warehouse regularly to resolve issues and come up with solutions to save the company time and money. Especially when we are working out logistical and shipping needs. He’s extremely familiar with all of our operational processes internally as well as with Essendant so his knowledge is valuable.

-Aaron Rust

Marketing team

The Marketing Team is constantly evolving their capabilities to serve Innovative as we grow. This year, the team took on the challenge of producing videos in-house to showcase our category offerings and they did a tremendous job producing a very professional end product.

-Jason Player

Senior Leadership

Joel Eiesland

Joel Eiesland has made a huge difference in his HR work bringing on new people in a tough employment market. He has displayed his skills as an HR Specialist this past year really making a difference for Innovative. Besides his HR duties, Joel has been willing to help others out when in need whether it be delivering, installing, or pretty much anything else. He is the ‘Swiss Army Knife”, a true difference maker!

-Dale Bloem

So many within Innovative’s Senior Leadership have been instrumental in keeping the flow of business solid for our customers this year. I would call out a few of the many great leaders in place. Sue WentzelPurchasing Manager, Amazing job navigating all of the back orders, new resources, larger customer requests. All with great attitude. Jennifer Rosenzweig-CSO, wears so many different hats in her role and does them all exceptionally well, including managing the copy paper shortage/allocation. Aaron Rust-Operations Director, incredible job with so many changes and variables this year in particular. Keeps it all running smooth. Ryan Burgwald-CSO is an invaluable resource for new business and how to best help current business with the goal of Customer satisfaction and having Innovative’s back. Which can be a tricky balance. Paul Kaminski-Technology DIrector, his knowledge base and expertise in technology areas is second to none. Brooks SmithCFO, great council and advice when sifting through large contracts and legal negotiations. Jennifer Smith-CEO, Always great insight and encouragement when advice is needed. We are truly blessed with our Senior Leadership and their respective Teams in place at Innovative!

-Lois Ackley

Cinco de Mayo

Jen Rosenzweig, Lesa Page & Jeanne Thompson

They have been such a great support system for me. Being able to bounce ideas off of them with their knowledge and experience has been a wonderful resource and an integral part of my day to day.

-Aaron Wessel

Water balloon Games

Furniture installation team

The Innovative furniture team works hard and goes above and beyond to take care of our customers. The U of MN customers always comment on how courteous and helpful this crew is. They provide creative problem solving on the spot or do a stair carry when the elevator is broken. Their positive cando attitude makes what can be stressful a positive experience for the customer. They truly embody the Innovative brand of Relationships Matter with Expect Response and Expect Relief delivered with a smile!!

-Pamela Sebesta

Response Team

Kudos to our awesome Response Team! With all of the supply constraints, fuel surcharges and everything else that has come into play they are always there for our customers and communicating all that they need to know. They make sure that “Relationships Matter”.

-Karen Clabo

St. Paul saints Toilet Paper drive

Brittani Friend

She has helped me through the change over to Innovative, and she helps me and others from what I understand, with all my issues that I have encountered. She is a great gal and very polite. An excellent problem solver for me and others.

-Leann Touchinski

Kennedy & Ginger

I am beyond impressed with our designer Kennedy partnered with Ginger our furniture specialist on our design detail and presentations. They are very professional and flawless! Every project goes off without a hitch down to every last detail. We couldn’t do it without these two! Thank you!

-Melissa Nelson

Team Insync

Team Insync has really helped me out with all my product research this past year

-Lynn Dee Bowers

Family feud

Maddie Segovia

Maddie Segovia is SO creative and efficient! From coming up with ideas on launching new campaigns, to photographing AMAZING furniture projects we have completed, all the way to executing tradeshows to make sure Innovative’s brand is portrayed flawlessly and so much more, thank you for being a master juggler and for all you do to make a difference!

-Bridget Smith

The Innovative Response Team

The Innovative Response Team has combined the Team Members from all locations to share the workload and provide a better Customer Experience. We have more people than ever before answer the phones and live chats!

-Maria Baker

maddie Segovia

Maddie is amazing on all of our photoshoots, tradeshows, customer marketing needs and more. She is so talented and does it with a smile and usually lots of laughter!

-Leah Halvorson

Promo Team

They are Rock Stars!! As I took over for Carol, everyone in the promo area stepped up as a Team and are crushing it. Love My Team!

-Shelley Stramer

CARI

KARDELL

She goes above and beyond to help the sales team and the customers find the products and answer any questions they may have! She’s a great problem solver. So glad she is part of our team!

-Todd Davis

Design Team

A team that deserves to be recognized is the Design Team. The design team does drawings, quoting, has knowledge about products, etc. They are important part of the process for a project.

-Katie Teske

Laura

Nagel

Laura Nagel is a pleasure to work with. She has a great attitude and is very accommodating. She is a talented designer, shares ideas well, and helps me on a daily basis. She is responsive and definitely provides me relief. Thank you Laura for all you do and for guaranteeing to make me smile every time we talk or meet!

-Kris

Winum

Everyone

Every time I walk through the building I am reminded of the amazing people that I get to work with everyday. I love that this company provides the opportunity for everyone to truly make a difference. We all have different ways that we can impact the business or each other every single day and each way is valued and encouraged. It is one of the things that makes Innovative truly unique and special.

-Robin

McMullen

Eric Huntley

Eric Huntley is absolutely amazing when it comes to the Nebraska School project we do each year. He is in front of all the items and orders that are shipped to the Sioux Falls warehouse and makes sure he documents and cleans up all orders when they are shipped out. I believe his experience in working on this project for many years shows how important he is to the Innovative team!

-Tim Moody

Kennedy Dvorak

I have been in this industry for more than 20 years and have worked with many designers. For the last few years I have had the privilege to work with Kennedy Dvorak and she is by far one of the best that I have worked with when it comes to new school projects. Kennedy is always prepared, has a good understanding of schools and is always very positive. Thanks Kennedy, you are very appreciated.

-Chad Gullickson

K-12 furniture project management team

Our K-12 furniture project management team has made a huge difference this year despite supply chain issues, labor challenges and construction delays. A number of our projects had issues and our team is really good at accessing the situation, anticipating what to do to resolve, is quick to redirect and finds the best solution to make it work for the client. Thank you!

-Bob

Nelsen

Ann Speckman, Lisa Steele, Jay McGuire, Joleen Robinette, Trisha Olson & Jenna Schwandt

With raw material issues, production delays and carrier constraints, back orders and special order availability is completely different than it was several years ago. They have continued to work tirelessly in finding alternative product that we can offer at a reasonable price and yet support Innovative’s growth at the same time; and, then, communicating with our customers and internally as well. At the same time supporting domestic operations and the many intertwining processes that makes Innovative a Team.

-Sue

Wentzel

Laura Brunner

Laura Brunner, Furniture Specialist, was very helpful on the Lake Superior Community Health project. Laura and I work well together and formed a great team to bring this project home. She continues to be a great resource and sounding board for all of my furniture project.

-Doug

Biggin

SIM Supply team

The SIM Supply team joining Innovative this year has brought fresh energy and new growth opportunities to Innovative. They’ve fit perfectly into our culture and their difference is being felt as they push us towards our next big milestone, $200M!

-Jason

Player

Christine

DeGrammont & Katie Teske

I actually have two people that have made a difference for me this year. Christine DeGrammont & Katie Teske, I am new to sales and both are ALWAYS there to help me and steer me in the right direction. In the beginning I had no clue what I was doing or how to do it. Katie, as a designer really helped me with being very patient with me, walking me through things step by step and there when I had questions on a furniture order. I feel I have less questions for Katie and getting her the right information to do her job. But there will always be room for improvement. And Christine has been a HUGE pusher (in a good way). She is also very patient with me and no question i ask is a dumb one. Christine has also helped me grow into sales & i am enjoying it more. She tries her best to keep my on the right track, keep my goals and encourage me to keep going and growing! I believe there is much more I can learn from Christine to keep me going forward.

-Christy

Jilek

InSports Golf Tournament

over $120,000 raised at our 9th annual golf tournament

JR Deobold

He is always on top of everything coming into us from Essendant. He finds creative ways for us to help customers move products and always provides clear and concise communication to my team and others.

-Aaron Rust

Facilities Account Coordinators

Shannon Marek, Dana Cruz and Belinda Dower have been nothing short of amazing! They are on top of everything and make sure our team runs smoothly. Thank you!!

-Justin Siebenaler

Kris Winum

She is always on top of things, she is caring and always willing to help! She somehow (always) manages to to solidify a wonderful client relationship. Her communication is on point, she inspires smiles and owns it.

-Laura Nagel

tailgating party

Anita Stevens

Anita has been great! She always responds quickly to customer issues that I send her.

-Kendall Kragenbring

Paul Kaminski

Paul our Technology Specialist has been rocking it!

-Mike Callahan

Facilities Team

Thank you for all the help that they provided with everything from special orders and gym floors. Greatly appreciated.

-Kevin Clouse

Team Inform

My customer care team has helped me out with a lot of orders or issues that come up.

-Jamie Jorgensen

Pricing Team

Battling heavy inflation has been incredibly challenging but the Pricing Team has truly made a difference by consistently being on top of price increases and updating processes to respond more quickly to the dynamic market.

-Jason Player

Jeanne Thompson

I believe that Jeanne Thompson has made a difference to me. The way she explains things and has a ginormous amount of patience to what ever she is teaching and explaining. I really appreciate her patience as i am a slow learner and it really does help me with confidence and wanting to learn more.

Thank you Jeanne Thompson for all you do!!!

-Jackie Polanka

Ashley & Jason

These two have made a difference by bringing Innovative’s Core Values and Culture to SIM. Getting everyone together for lunches (or potlucks/happy hours) when they visit has been fun and wouldn’t have happened without them! Two core values they both excel at are “Learn. Teach. Grow.” and “Keep It Simple”. I can ask ANY question knowing I’m going to get a very straightforward, thorough, and knowledgeable answer. They’ve been very supportive through the whole process, and I couldn’t be more grateful!

-Brittani Friend

Kellie Heazlett

Kellie Heazlett is just the absolute best. Her knowledge on all things clothing, branding, and the pricing and processes they involve is astonishing. She always inspires SO many smiles to our tight little group at 621 and we’re grateful for her every single day.

-Cora Mincer

halloween

Ryan Salmon in the IT department is really an asset to our overall team. I can’t tell you the number of times he has assisted me with challenges I have had regarding computer-related issues. He’s always pleasant, always professional, and courteous, the world needs more Ryan Salmons’.

-Bill Grillo

Mark, Ron, and Ryan

Since beginning the transition from Sim to Innovative, the IT team has been extremely responsive. We’ve had our share of issues, but Mark, Ron, and Ryan have managed to help us through them, and explain what’s happening.

-Mike Grozdanich

Ryan Salmon

Lucho Eckert

Lucho Eckert is always responsive and willing to help on a moments notice. Without his help we would have significant struggles with our KSP/Circle K relationship. His efforts cover up a lot of last minute fire drills which cause us heartburn but appear seamless to the customer. Whether its getting product to the KSP facility on short notice or getting product picked up and delivered the same day, Lucho is completely reliable to get things done.

-Aaron Rust

Brooks Smith

Brooks Smith, from strategically running all the financials, legal work, and everything in between at Innovative, your whit and sense of humor truly inspires smiles to SO many others! Whether you are giving an analogy in the All Company Meeting to connect humor to profitability or you’re coming up with innovative ideas to creative route efficiencies, you TRULY make a difference in everything you do!

-Bridget Smith

I.T. Team

The I.T. Team made a major change on the website which helped bring EOL down. They adjusted the ‘add to cart’ button so that it appears gray when the item is out of stock around the country, lowering the chances of a customer ordering the item by mistake believing it to still be available.

-Trisha Olson

Wyatt, Brad & Jessica

They are the first to notice problems, take responsibility for issues, and use their judgment to resolve customer complaints. This team receives hundreds of emails every day, dozens of phone calls, and the eCommerce Customer Service team continues to be the foundation of our eCommerce business. Thank you!

-Joe Caldwell

Brittani Friend

Brittani Friend has helped change the culture at Sim Supply. Before the whole transition to Innovative, there was not much excitement happening in the Sim Supply office. When the change happened, Brittani stepped up and joined the care committee and starting changing the culture in Hibbing. She has organized numerous potlucks and events that bring everyone at Sim closer together. She also did a wonderful job organizing the Toilet paper drive that allowed us to donate to a local care clinic, something that is brand new to Sim Supply.

-Dusten Hooper

Pearlee Coty

Pearlee Coty consistently “sells” the value of Promo and our team to our customers every day on any opportunity that’s presented to her. The initial connection with our customers makes it easy for me to establish long lasting relationships.

-Debbie Garner

Drivers Tony, JR & Tim and all the drivers on the transportation team for all their hard work getting the product to the customers.

-Patrick Hlavac

Katie

Hoffman

I don’t know how she keeps everything together. She is always calm and very efficient when it comes to complicated furniture orders. I don’t know how she does it. :)

-Tom Kallman

Dean Williamson & Eric Huntley

They are both extremely detail-orientated, organized, and willing to jump in and help with a variety of tasks. They both work seamlessly with the FPB fulfillment process. Their dedication to customer satisfaction is top notch!

-Linda Dansman-Nichols

furniture delivery & install

Our furniture delivery and install teams in all of our branches have made a big difference this year. They do an incredible job taking care of all of our internal needs as well as scheduling and communicating with our external customers.

-Brian Howell

accounting team

Innovative’s whole accounting team - this team has been nothing shy of amazing through the last 7 months and all 7 of the Core Values show through this team every day! Everyone is so friendly when you join the team, super helpful when it comes to answering questions, and great at providing more knowledge/allowing you to learn from the mistakes you make. It’s been enjoyable getting to know everyone through our Coffee Dates, including the rest of SIM’s accounting team. And I just want to give an extra shoutout to the AR team (including Jess) for being so great at teaching me everything - I’ve enjoyed working more closely with and learning from all of you the last few months! Thanks, everyone, for being such a GREAT team!! I appreciate each of you! :)

-Brittani Friend

operational teams

For the last few years, the operational teams have gone above and beyond. While most people were staying home because of Covid, every person on each team came in to make sure that service was not interrupted for the Innovative customer. The dedication from the supply drivers, to the furniture team, to warehouse personal, to service technicians, and all of their managers was above and beyond. They continue to thrive still in these troubling times and Innovative would not be the same without them. I applaud each and every individual who made this sacrifice to come in and still do to this day.

-Tony Betsinger

ERP (Software Team)

They have taken on a lot of challenges/changes as the team has evolved and team members have been added/left.

-Dallas Williams

Thankful thanksgiving

Drivers

I’ve always seen the Innovative drivers going above and beyond for our customers. It truly makes a difference!

-Alyssa Kriz

Kellie Heazlett

An employee that has made a difference this year is Kellie Heazlett. She is a crucial member of the Sioux Falls team. Kellie always has answers to any questions you can throw her way, and even if she doesn’t have an answer she does everything she can to find one. She is a staple in the Sioux Falls branch that we can always depend on. She makes everyone feel valued and cared for and is always giving everyone a laugh or a smile.

-Hannah Frederick

Bridget Smith, Angela collins & Barb Kusilek

Thankful for Bridget Smith, Angela Collins, and Barb Kusilek for making it fun to come to work during such a challenging year. They are always inspiring smiles and play a huge role in our fun work culture! Thanks for being such a supportive team!

-Maddie Segovia

holiday happenings

Jamestown Team

Our IN-STORE Retail Team in Jamestown, ND has found success by always trying to recognize our customers by first name, or greeting them with a warm smile, beginning their shopping experience for a “want to come back feeling”. Together, we all work to make this happen.

-Patti Rondestvedt

Jason Player

Jason Player for being an empowering leader for all your teams! Your knowledge, support and strategic mindset allows you to challenge your teams while also trusting and supporting them along the way. Thanks for making a difference and encouraging those around you to do the same!

-Bridget Smith

holiday happenings Continued...

Amy Hoepfner

Her commitment to producing high quality work is amazing. She prides herself on minimal punch items. She has spent hours learning and understanding Teknion nuances. She has become the GSA expert, learning and perfecting all of her submittals ( and this is unbelievably complicated) I love how she will do revisions real time so that we can give changes back to the client in a timely fashion. She is always available by Teams or phone to answer or explain questions. Through it all she always has a smile on her face.

Treasury Team

I would say that the Treasury Team has made a huge difference this year. They play a vital part in what we do each and every day. Most of the work is all behind the scenes, but the importance of what they do is immeasurable. Every part of our organization leans on the Treasury Department and sometimes may not even know it. This is why they make a difference to all every day. There is not an account that is not handled in some way by the Treasury Team. In Accounts Receivable, we lean on them each and every day. They are the backbone of what we do. I could not be more proud to say that I am a part of such an elite team. Thank you for everything you do daily!

-Michael Clemens

Mike Grozdanich

He makes a difference in my workday every single day by communicating and helping me keep things simple. If I ask for advice/have questions or need assistance, I know he’s there and has advice/answers or provides assistance so I can finish my tasks. I ended up with a new task this year that I had never done before and he stepped up to the plate, spending hours helping me get it done and I can’t thank him enough.

-Brittani Friend

I would like to thank Lesa Page for stepping up and helping out the furniture team when they really needed the help. She was willing to do both her normal job on the supply side of the business and learn a new system on the furniture side of our business to assist them and a high-volume sales rep with their furniture jobs. Lesa thank you for your selflessness and always jumping in to do whatever it takes to help out the customers, team and company. Thank you for making a difference!!

-Jennifer

Rosenzweig

Justin

Siebenaler

He can come up with a solution or idea for any problem brought his way. He is always helpful and is the true definition of a team player. I mean this Packer fan even entertained clients at a Vikings game while wearing a shirt that said “SKOL” for his Innovative family!

-Maddie

Segovia

Angela

Collins

Ann

Speckman

Ann has been a tremendous help to me - especially over the last year. I often call her as a 2nd set of eyes in the system, or even just to confirm something & make sense of an issue. Early this year as I was planning my wedding reception, she was kind enough to offer her help to me. When my day came around, both her and her hubby were here to make sure all of the food and drinks were kept up so that we could just enjoy our special day with our families. I was so lucky to have her!! Innovative is so much more than work; This is my family!

-Joleen Robinette

Dallas

Williams

He has stepped up so much this year to take on more responsibility as a manager of a greater part of the IT team so that I can focus on cross-training, growth and doing a knowledge dump within the ERP team. It has been amazingly helpful to me! I’m so lucky to be blessed with such great co-workers on the entire IT team!

-Ann Dalhoff

Her strengths shine through in everything she does! From developing videos, to designing graphics, your thoughtful approach lends itself to such a unique perspective to our team and everyone around you and it truly makes such a difference!

-Bridget

Smith

Debbie

Garner

I couldn’t do all the projects and sales without Debbie Garner. We work so well together! I can bring anything to her and she takes it on 100%. I trust her implicitly and Innovative customers love her! She makes a positive difference everyday!

-Pearlee

Coty

Tom Traetow, Lesa Page, Jeanne Thompson, Laura Brunner, Anita Stevens, Ginger Tieszen, Kennedy Dvorak, Melissa Hoiberg & Brian Howell, Jennifer Smith

I simply cannot single out one single person to honor. Team is exactly the word describing how Innovative makes a difference in our customers experience. There are so many people that go above and beyond every day to deliver our brand promise of Expect Response, Expect Reduction and Expect Relief. I would be remiss however to not mention the following people that help me brainstorm, compile data and supply solutions for my customers. Tom Traetow, The Rain Man, who helps me make sense of anything data related. Lesa Page for always having my back. Team Inspire whose response to me and my customers is absolutely amazing. Jeanne Thompson who has jumped in to help me with the State of Minnesota. Laura Brunner, Anita Stevens, Ginger Tieszen, Kennedy Dvorak, Melissa Hoiberg and Brian Howell have all been amazing in helping me learn and secure some significant furniture projects. I am so grateful for our leadership especially Jennifer for believing in me and allowing me to go do what I do best sell stuff! I love Innovative!

-John Townsend

Dusten Hooper

I have only been here for four months but the person who has made a difference for me is Dusten Hooper. He is on my accounting team at SIM Supply as my supervisor. When I started he was absolutely amazing at taking the time to train me and make sure I understood what I was doing. There never was a moment that he made me feel my question was dumb or that he didn’t have time for me. As I have been here longer he continues to be extremely helpful in any way necessary. Dusten has definitely made a difference for me and because of that, I love my job here!

-Stacie Loe

Penny Aultman

Penny Aultman does a fantastic job taking care of customers. She is big help to me- always willing to do whatever needs to be done to make sure my customers are happy. She is caring, reliable and very hard workingI’m glad she’s on our team!!!

-Greg Helstrom

furniture purchasing team

The furniture purchasing team as a whole has become so versatile this year. We are able to fill in gaps, big and small, with what we have to offer our reps, the furniture department and the company as a whole! I’m very proud to lead this incredible group of people!!

-Kerensa Tracy

employee Spotlight

Amy Beasley

Patrick Schimerowski

Dallas Williams

Bailey Sprute

Tonya Zimmer DeAnn Player

Jenna Schwandt

Justin Siebenaler

Trisha Olson

Curt Krueger

Jess Severson

Melissa Seiffert

Ann Speckman

Sue Wentzel

Lisa Steele

Jay McGuire

Joleen

Supplier of the year

Congratulations, Smith System, for being recognized as Innovative’s Supplier of the Year! It is an absolute pleasure and joy to partner with people who love what they do and who they do it with. Our 14 year partnership has seen significant growth because of Smith System’s ability to understand Relationships Matter, new product development, and eagerness to be alongside us during the process in both difficult and good times to name a few. Being both an end user and dealer of Smith System, I can comfortably say that over my 12 years of knowing their team, you guys are outstanding! Thank YOU for our partnership; I can’t wait to see what the next 14 years bring!

–Leah Halvorson, Director of Education Sales

It is with great pleasure to announce Innovative Office Solutions Partner Supplier of the Year. We have had the honor of representing this manufacturer in the K-12 furniture arena for the past 14 years. Our sales volume continues to grow, as does our partnership. This manufacturer has stepped up their game, by their commitment to increasing their inventory to offset supply chain issues, their on-time shipments, their quick solutions for warranty and punch issues, always introducing new product ideas and product solutions, their customer service and unmatched local dealer support. This year’s Innovative Office Solutions vendor of the year is --Smith System. Thank you, Smith System, for your support and we look forward to growing with you into the future.

–Bob Nelsen, Director of Furniture Sales

Congratulations, Smith System, for being recognized as Supplier of the Year! For partnerships to be successful, there needs to be effort put forth by both sides; Smith System continues to show their efforts with us in many ways. This past year they became more involved with our processes and took that into consideration when revamping their internal processes. They came out to our installer’s warehouse, went to an onsite install, and just really took in our entire process before making any changes. It’s always wonderful to work with a manufacturer that can help us convert our design into its final form and not fall short of our expectations.

–Carmen Chastek, Furniture Project Manager

Our partnership with Smith System has been great. Dan Reisetter and the entire Smith team are true partners with Innovative. Listening to our customers’ needs and acting on product requests has been great to see in the new products Smith has come out with. As a rep with many options to choose from, it’s nice to have a manufacturer like Smith that we can always depend on. I look forward to working with the entire Smith team for years to come.

–Reed Walhof, Senior Account Executive

2023 Theme

The Great Get-Together may look a little different these days but connections and creating meaningful ones are more important than ever. In 2023 we are ready to bring fun, excitement, and energy BACK!