We have so many team members who have a special investment in our community school systems that it’s no wonder why we receive so many accolades for our service to schools. The impact we get to make indirectly on students’ lives is what we love about our jobs!

FriendsOffice supplies more than 7 million dollars annually in classroom supples, school supplies, and janitorial products for schools. During the months of July and August for back-to-school season, closer to $2 million in classroom supplies are delivered. Beyond that, we provide several more millions of dollars in classroom and administrative office furnishings, STEAM products, custodial and maintenance chemicals and supplies, spirit wear and SWAG for administrative teams and students, as well as products for special initiatives funded by grant dollars for certain programs. Whether it's the supplies we provide or our service to schools, it takes a lot of different team members to make all of it happen!

Garrett Fleming, Account Executive

“I taught Health and Physical Education for 7 years at a school before I joined FriendsOffice as an Account Executive and I love that I get to work with a lot of school systems on their classroom supplies and office furnishings. I relate well to the schools and appreciate what they do.  

I especially like to do furniture projects with my school accounts. New furniture in a space can bring a positive working environment to everyone. It is awesome to help with a design that totally changes the look and atmosphere of a space.  It is very satisfying to see what that transformation does to help the morale for both the students and the teachers. 

I have been fortunate to be a part of many WRITE GRANT winner deliveries over the years.  It is so cool to read the essays that come into FriendsOffice from the teachers who are applying and learning about what they need in order to teach more effectively. It is always awesome to see the reaction of the students and the teachers when they see all the items that they requested in the Grant and we show up to deliver.”  

Dennis Mitchell, Controller

“It seems like a lifetime ago when I graduated with my degree in accounting.  I’ve led FriendsOffice’s accounting and purchasing teams since 1992 so I see a lot of the behind the scenes that makes the magic happen.

Schools tend to order a variety of products and we love to meet the challenges of finding these items. You can think of printing for the athletic departments, classroom rugs for elementary classrooms, and even furniture for a variety of school areas.

Our educational customers appreciate the details that we bring to the table. One supplies are purchased in bulk and brought in, our teams then repackage everything by the teacher's classroom. Our delivery personnel then put all ordered products wherever the customer needs it. From beginning to the end of the ordering cycle, everyone loves to feel appreciated. 

I feel working with schools is very rewarding, especially in the summer when we have a full warehouse in July and every box is out of our warehouse by the middle of August.”

Sue Sexton, Director of Operations

“I’ve worked at FriendsOffice in a variety of roles like Furniture Project Manager and Purchasing Team Lead as well as Operations Management for the last several decades. 

I personally don’t see a lot of difference in the way we work with schools versus our other clients. We approach projects like procuring streamlined supplies and assembling a thousand backpacks just like a multimillion dollar furniture project. Every customer need requires the same level of care and attention to detail in order to meet their expectations. And my favorite part of any project is knowing they are happy and excited to get their supplies or furniture installed! 

During back to school season we all work as a very organized team. There are so many moving parts in order to get each school district’s order boxed-up by classroom and out the door for pre scheduled delivery and depending on when that district starts back up for the school year. That feeling when the last school order leaves our dock is very satisfying, especially knowing you were a small part starting off their school year right.”

Alicia Giangiordano, Brand Manager

“Having graduated with a Bachelor's in Middle Childhood Education and having spent seven years teaching 4th grade, my professional journey has been deeply rooted in the world of education. Transitioning from the classroom to working with schools in a different capacity has been both enlightening and fulfilling. Unlike interactions with business clients, communication with schools revolves around understanding their unique educational goals and finding creative solutions to enhance student learning experiences. It's less about corporate jargon and more about fostering innovation and addressing the specific needs of educators and students.

What I truly cherish about working with schools is the opportunity to give back to a community that has always held a special place in my heart. Teachers and school staff often go unrecognized for their dedication and hard work, so being part of an organization that prioritizes supporting them is incredibly rewarding. Whether it's through our Back-To-School campaigns, Stuff-The-Bus initiatives, or our WRITE Grants for teachers, every interaction with schools includes genuine appreciation and gratitude.

One of the most memorable aspects of my role has been orchestrating WRITE Grant deliveries. Witnessing the sheer joy and gratitude on teachers' faces as they receive much-needed classroom supplies is truly heartwarming. One particular delivery stands out vividly in my memory when we arrived at a school to present a teacher with her grant goodies only to find her duct-taped to the wall as part of a student fundraising event! The laughter and camaraderie that arose demonstrated the supportive and vibrant spirit of the school community. Every WRITE Grant delivery holds its own enjoyable moment, and being able to be a part of uplifting teachers and students through this program fills me with a sense of fulfillment and happiness. I LOVE giving back to schools!”

We’ve been so busy serving school systems all over Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Michigan that sometimes it’s good to take a moment and reflect on all of our collective experience. We have so many major wins whilst working with schools and of course some things we continue to work on. But one thing is for sure, FriendsOffice has team members who are experienced in school procurement and simply ‘get’ schools. We have so many team members who absolutely care about effectively supplying each and every school system we can.