((Left) COOI now offers customized solutions to meet needs of Central Oregon customers | Rendering courtesy of Central Oregon Office Interiors (Right) The COOI office will be headed by Carol Gregg (left), working with Valerie Axworthy (right) | Photo courtesy of Central Oregon Office Interiors)
“In the past, offices all looked pretty much the same, with functionality taking priority over aesthetics,” said Tom McDougal and Jason Keim. “Today, offices and the furniture that fills them are much more artistic and appealing. They are recognized as tools to help enhance morale, promote productivity, and recruit new staff — which is where Central Oregon Office Interiors (COOI) can play an integral role.”
With its origins in Portland, the company recently opened a local office to provide modern office furniture solutions for the cities of Bend, Redmond, Prineville, and surrounding areas. “It’s an underserved market,” they noted, “and we want to help Central Oregon businesses optimize their space — whatever their size, industry, or budget.”
With more than 50 years of experience between them, McDougal (director, workplace solutions) and Keim (president) have successfully executed projects ranging from “a single desk to hundreds of cubicles, and a 2,000-person space for a well-known high-tech company.” Clients come from all industries, including health care, hotel and hospitality, banks and credit companies — as well as local and federal government agencies, and even public schools and retirement homes.
“We’ve spent lots of hours together, share the same work ethic, and have a relationship that has been in place for decades,” said McDougal of his partnership with Keim. “We’re able to understand the diverse needs of businesses, and can offer solutions that fit those needs.”
“Companies these days are fighting to get employees,” said Keim, tackling a subject that has become especially pronounced since COVID. “Beyond obvious factors such as salary and benefits, an attractive, bright and welcoming environment encourages potential employees to come back. It also enhances productivity because existing employees will feel better about the surroundings in which they work.”
“Our relationship with clients is typically collaborative,” added McDougal, “from initial consultation to design, project management, and installation. Whatever the customer’s goals — which can include improved workflow, more team spaces to enhance collaboration, improved lighting and acoustics, and inviting public-facing areas — we manage what could otherwise be an overwhelming process. With our in-house staff of ten full-time professionals, augmented by local strategic partnerships, we navigate it all.”
McDougal and Keim pointed out that COOI “has access to hundreds of manufacturers,” and that “the furniture we use — from pre-owned to high end — is truly meant to support the particular type of work being done. For example, we’ve seen a lot of companies using brighter furniture to enhance open spaces — which facilitates interaction among employees while still meeting the need for functionality. Other companies prefer a more traditional style, or require focused, quiet areas.”
“Some of our clients, knowing the importance of employees feeling good about their environment, even encourage them to participate in decisions about ergonomic seating styles and desks, accessories, storage options, and work tools,” said McDougal.
Whether clients are moving into a new space or reconfiguring an existing one, “we always start by asking how it will be used, what their goals are, and what budget has been set,” he and Keim explained. “We then provide customized solutions that fit their specific parameters, and always strive to make the process as effortless as possible.”
“We have checkpoints along the way to better understand the customer’s desired style — offering various furniture, lighting, and layout options, for example, and employing 3D rendering software to help them see what the proposed spaces will look like,” Keim said. “With the guidance of our experienced team, clients are able to create office environments that are different from anyone else in the market.”
The new COOI office, located near Bend’s Old Mill District, will be headed by Carol Gregg, a 30-year resident whose “decades of experience in office furniture and eye for design is appreciated by her customers,” said McDougal. “Working with her is Valerie Axworthy, who also has many years of experience in the office furniture world, specifically in more modern office design that incorporates collaborative spaces.”
McDougal and Keim emphasize that “Central Oregon Office Interiors prides itself on developing customized solutions that mirror a company’s business philosophies, enhances their brand, and sets the tone for their clients and staff. We give customers not only what they need, but what they deserve.”
