For more than 50 years, HBI Office Plus has been equipping businesses and individuals in Saskatchewan and beyond with office supplies, furniture, and virtually anything else a school, office or workplace could need.
With more than 10,000 products in stock and access to over 100,000 items from 350-plus vendors, HBI Office Plus has established itself as Saskatchewan’s leading office supply provider. With locations in Regina, Saskatoon, Swift Current, Yorkton, and Prince Albert, the company is well-equipped to serve customers across the province, offering everything from essential office supplies to breakroom necessities and beyond.
“We pride ourselves on being able to cover every corner of this province and be able to deliver to everybody,” says President and CEO Jay Sullivan, who persevered in the face of personal and professional challenges to grow the company to where it is today.
Something for everyone
For years, people have turned to HBI Office Plus for the expansive range of products it carries, but more importantly, the attentive service and support they receive from its team of professionals. Vice President of Sales Damon Leonard often says, “We help you do your job, and we help you do it well,” of the company’s ability to empower the success of its clients, which the team takes to heart.
Despite the company’s growth and success, its journey has not been without its challenges. Like many other companies, in 2008, HBI Office Plus suffered greatly in the wake of the global downturn, which forced it into bankruptcy proceedings. Sullivan, who had been with the company since 2000 in different roles, along with his partners at the time, decided to step up, stabilizing and even growing the company in the process.
He explains, “Myself and three other employees partnered with a company out of Calgary called Heritage Business Interiors to buy the company out of receivership. We basically arrived that day, cut the locks off the building, and told the staff, ‘Just keep on working as normal.’ Within 48 hours, we struck a deal with the bank.”
The COVID-19 pandemic was, of course, another challenging time for the business. Sullivan, straightforward about the company’s ups and downs, tells us, “I had to lay off around 30 of my 60 staff in what was probably the toughest day of my business life. People were devastated and thought they were losing their jobs, but there was no business left,” as the transition to work from home eliminated consistent demand for office supplies and furniture.
Instead of succumbing to the down market, HBI Office Plus pivoted in a move that would set the company up for continued success. Sullivan partnered with manufacturers overseas, made major investments in masks and hand sanitizer—even investing in Smooth 42 Craft Distillery, a Saskatchewan company that created and donated hand sanitizer during the initial shortages—and began distributing those supplies throughout the province. It only took 30 days before the entire HBI team was back to work.
Instead of sitting back and waiting for the pandemic to end, the team used this time as an opportunity to reorganize their warehouses and prepare for growth, improving workflow, investing in a new ERP system, and putting HBI on the “leading edge of technology.”
There is something to be said for this kind of investment, too. For Leonard, there is great joy in “being able to help design new offices. Office furniture can be a great mechanism to help drive a culture change or help refresh a brand,” which was certainly the case with HBI Office Plus.
Upwards of $600,000 has been invested in its headquarters in Regina, a 100-year-old building located in the city’s warehouse district that is one of the nicest office spaces in the province, demonstrating the value HBI Office Plus brings to any office project. It was also the catalyst for a refreshed culture and renewed demand for business. “People saw the investment in the company, saw the investment in the people, saw everything we were doing with the company and, you know, sales exploded. Business exploded. You hear that the more you invest, the more you earn, but it’s true. A lot of people wouldn’t have taken the risk.”
While risky, the greatest advantage was the timing. The slowdown meant that the team had the bandwidth to be able to test out the software and work out any glitches in real time without any negative implications for the business.
A fresh look and a revitalized culture
One of the greatest successes at HBI Office Plus has been the ability to infuse a vibrant culture that continues to produce value for its customers and its employees alike. This was one of the most significant changes that have been put in place since Sullivan assumed control of the company.
“We do a lot of things right,” he says. “It’s those little culture builders that have really allowed us to establish an unbelievable culture in this company and attract people.” This includes snacks in the breakroom, employee parties, a robust benefits package, bonuses, and retirement investment matching.
Crystal Kwasney, Supervisor of Inside Sales, explains, “At HBI Office Plus, our culture is rooted in family values—we foster a supportive, respectful, and close-knit environment where every team member feels valued.”
Given the impressive number of products HBI offers, there can be a steep learning curve for new employees. Sullivan understands that it can take anywhere from three to five years to fully grasp the breadth and depth of its products, which means that he hires with longevity in mind. For the right person, it becomes a meaningful career path.
People like Tara McIvor, Office Furniture Specification Manager, has been with the company for 17 years. For her, “When I started at HBI, the flexibility and continuous education about the industry is what kept me interested.”
Like McIvor, Todd Ponto has been with the company for a long time, joining the company in 2000. From his perspective, “I love the environment that Jay has built. I love dealing with clients and doing installations all over the cities and towns in Saskatchewan.”
Even those who have not been with the company that long appreciate and value the culture that has been established. Jesse Pergentile is General Manager for the Saskatoon location and relocated his family for the role. For him it was “the chance to work for a great company, with even better people. The fact we are ‘locally grown’ and led by Jay who worked his way up, it is a great recipe for success to create customers for life.”
Sullivan’s efforts have not only been recognized by his employees, but also the broader market. HBI Office Plus has received countless industry nods and awards recognizing the great work that is being done. Named Haworth’s Best in Class in North America several times now, as well as Canadian Workplace Solutions’ Dealer of the Year—a category in which it has been a finalist many times—and finalist for thee Regina Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year, HBI Office Plus has come a long way, which is a source of great pride for Sullivan and the team.
The success of the company also affords Sullivan the opportunity to give back to the community, and each year, charitable contributions exceed $100,000, including a recent $25,000 contribution to the Regina NICU. “I always told my wife: ‘one day I’ll do something for what they did for my kids,’ and I’m so proud that I can do that,” Sullivan says of the ability to support the hospital that cared for his own children who were born premature.
While building the company, Sullivan faced undue personal hardships including the complicated births of his children as well as the loss of family members and his wife’s dealing with critical illnesses. This is why giving back to the community and his employees is so important.
“It feels good helping them out. These people are so committed to me, so I am committed back to them to help them get through their times of need,” he says. “Sometimes I don’t know how I stuck through all that, but I’m thankful I did because now the reward is unbelievable.”
A legacy in the making
For Sullivan, that also poses a unique set of challenges: having met the company’s growth targets, what comes next? This is top of mind for him and his team. “How far do you go?” he asks. “Do you stay content and happy with the successes you’re having, or do you start to look outside your own markets, to other locations or to start to do other things?”
In the near term, the goal is to strengthen the company’s presence in Saskatoon while never sacrificing quality for growth, ensuring that the business is successful for the long term, which is the collective reward for everyone who takes part in the effort.
Purchasing Manager Casee Fraser notes, “The best part of working at HBI Office Plus is the constant evolution. We’ve experienced significant growth in a short period of time, which brings new challenges and opportunities almost every day.”
She adds, “It keeps things exciting and pushes all of us to keep learning and adapting. It’s the kind of place where people look out for each other, both professionally and personally,” and as a result, the sky is the limit for HBI Office Plus, its dynamic team, and its enduring impact on customers and the community.
