Our featured Smead representative is Mrs. Sharon Avent, President and owner.

Can you tell me a little bit about Smead?

Smead began more than 100 years ago in Hastings, MN and has grown to the leading provider of filing and records management solutions in North America. We produce thousands of innovative products to help people manage information. Through our website, www.smead.com, we also provide free information and advice on strategies for reducing stress and getting more done by being better organized. On our website you can even find your personal organizing style that is best aligned with your work and your workspace.

We have 2 new items we’re really excited about that will be available at Office Depot in late April -- TUFF™ Hanging Folders with Easy Slide™ Tab and Easy Grip Pockets:

TUFF™ Hanging Folders with Easy Slide™ Tab are SEVEN times stronger than the leading reinforced hanging folders, so your thickest, heaviest files will stay neatly in place. These hanging folders also feature the Easy Slide™ Tab that quickly adjusts to any position you choose.

 

 

 

Easy Grip Pockets are designed with a special “grip strip” to provide twice as much grip as standard pockets, so they require less gripping force to pick up out of drawers or pull off shelves.

Both these items will be available exclusively at Office Depot in late April.

Why did you decide to get WBENC Certified?

We’ve been a majority woman-owned business for over 50 years. Its one of the things that sets us apart from our competition and since most of our purchasers are women, its also good business. A number of our customers recommended that we pursue certification which we received in 1992 from WBDC Chicago. Getting certified was a good way to communicate and reinforce our women-owned status to customers.

Why did you decide to sponsor the WBDC 2008 Conference & Business Expo in Florida?

As a women-owned business, we try to support efforts like the Florida Expo to give visibility and support to other Women businesses. It’s also a great way to let others know about Smead. Women in the workforce are Smead’s target market, so events like this are an effective way of helping these women-business owners learn how to organize their business and their personal lives.

What are your goals for 2009/the future?

We continue to look for ways to help consumers be just a little more organized by listening to their challenges and developing products to help address those issues. We also remained focused on helping our customers succeed and to remaining the leading filing and organizing company. As a WBE, Smead will continue to support these types of events, and will continue to work with other WBEs whenever possible as well.