The Challenge: To support its surging growth, U.S. Financial Life Insurance Company relocated its headquarters from downtown Cincinnati to the suburbs. In creating its new office environment, a universal workstation was desired to accommodate flexibility and future expansion. They also wanted to portray a stable, efficient, and professional environment that would be appealing to prospective employees as well as to the existing staff that would move from downtown to the new location.

To achieve the desired office environment, Terry-DeRees Associates, Inc. was retained to lead programming, space planning and interior design for the project.

The Solution: Kimball Office: Delivers outstanding wood finish options, custom capabilities, and total product integration.
U.S. Financial Life Insurance and Terry-DeRees Associates visited the showrooms of several dealerships in the Greater Cincinnati region to evaluate the potential furniture options. The client was drawn to the Kimball Office solution showcased at OstermanCron. "Kimball Office was selected because of the strong integration capabilities, the custom possibilities, and the overall, high-end look of the product lines," explained Jim Terry. In the end, the universal workstation was created using a combination of Kimball Office solutions including Cetra and Interworks systems, Traxx, Skate pedestals, Definition casegoods, and Collage side chairs.

Kimball Office offered many alternatives to help meet the design intent. One important aspect was Kimball Office's custom capabilities. They were able to provide a custom worksurface that met all of the client's objectives for a universal workstation. Kimball Office also modified the Cetra panels to provide a continuous accent panel.

Kimball Office's ability to have all of the wood finishes match the architectural finishes achieved continuity throughout private offices, open offices and public areas. Integrating Cetra panels with wood trim and Interworks storage units provided a warm and upscale look at a reasonable budget. Definition casegoods achieved the same success in the private offices.

"The confidence provided by OstermanCron's service-oriented sales team and the ability to accomplish economic objectives while achieving a high end solution made the difference," concluded Terry.