In the Office with President Rob Meyers

Now celebrating their 40th anniversary, Maria’s son Rob Meyers shares his thoughts on the company from childhood to becoming president in 2008.

What was it like watching Office Interiors grow from the beginning?

“I remember at 13 years old we had a family meeting talking about how our parents were starting the business. We were all really fired up about it, thinking ‘Oh, what a great idea,’ but at the time had no real sense of what it meant to really start a business.”

Growing up, Rob saw firsthand the commitment, involvement, and long hours Maria had to make Office Interiors successful.

“It was really eye-opening for me to be able to watch her grow over those years. I was blessed to work with her and learn from her about what dedication and commitment meant, and how important your employees are to the success of your business.”

Maria instilled in Rob an entrepreneurial spirit to seek out better opportunities to help family, employees, and by extension people in the community by dedicating volunteer time. It is this spirit that continues to guide OI’s work today.

What big changes have developed since becoming president?

“I realized it’s not really me who impacts the progress to the business as much as our people,” Rob comments from his transition in 2008 from a sales manager to team leading as president.

“One of the biggest changes is that I became a leader, allowing myself and people in our company to be successful, grow, and empower them to be good leaders themselves.”

Rob credits this group leadership to OI’s deployment of EOS, a program whose principles have brought together good teams by “being there for each other, getting into meetings and having open, honest discussions for what’s in the best interest of the company.”

Today, Office Interiors' use of EOS has taken development of group dynamics and team leadership further in regular meetings, allowing everyone to tackle and make decisions about the business’ success throughout every level of organization moving forward.

Describe OI’s ideal employee and company values

To Rob, the ideal employee is “someone who embodies the values of our company,” which he breaks down to these 4 points:

Innovation: those who inspire and supply innovative solutions to customers’ needs

Teamwork: those who know how to work together as a whole team within the company

Customer Excellence: those who strive to help customers while enhancing their experiences to build lasting relationships

Attitude: most importantly, workers need to be passionate about these values and do what’s right throughout the client’s journey.

Though redefined recently, Office Interiors has upheld these quality values for 40 years, and continues to apply these points during recruitment, evaluations, and daily operations.

What’s your fondest memory at OI?

When Rob was a young worker just starting in business, he was always looking for opportunities to be able to expand the company. He remembers how “Maria came in one day and presented the opportunity that they could start a technology business,” bringing about their branching into audio visual and technology products. It was this moment that taught Rob to appreciate Maria’s entrepreneurial spirit and learn about what it truly means to be successful and find the right opportunities that compliment OI.

“I really try to take those lessons and apply those to the decisions that we’re making today,” Rob states as he guides OI into enhancing customer experiences and product expansion.

What’s in the future for Office Interiors?

“I’m pretty excited for what we have in store for us in the short and long-term” of OI’s projects. As far as short-term goes, Rob shares Office Interiors’ project for the City of Mishawaka, expressing excitement “to see what impact that project will have on the government and community” within the cornerstone of Mishawaka’s activity.

In the next 2 years, OI plans to help in developing Franciscan Health’s replacement hospital in Crown Point, Indiana. With a new young leadership team being integrated, Rob looks forward to launching new products to the public, including new technology solutions to make Office Interiors a one-stop choice for improved client operations.

Did Maria share any advice with you to succeed as president?

“Maria’s approach to business was how to treat people,” not just customers but employees as well. Rob notes that this passion wasn’t limited to caring for others, but more about building friendships and trust throughout the transaction. As has been set since the beginning of Office Interiors, Rob impresses the benefits of long-term relationships with customers that last till today.

We at Office Interiors offer a special thanks to Rob for all his hard work and dedication leading the company. To see the projects that have made Office Interiors successful for 40 years, check our Projects page. To start your project, contact us today!