Dear Friends & Colleagues...

nospam@example.com (Benhar Team) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:53:40 -0400

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I have reached out to you many times over the years since the inception of Benhar Office Interiors to share projects, news, new hires and otherwise. We are undergoing some substantial changes here and thought it was time to share with everyone.

It is with great sadness that Bob Maurer, my business partner and longtime friend, has chosen to leave our firm. This was a very difficult decision for Bob, and in the end was a quality of life choice. His daily 4-5 hour commute was becoming increasingly difficult and he decided on a solution that has him working much closer to his home and family. Our entire team will miss him, but we all wish him well on his new endeavor.

With Bob’s departure and an internal realignment, we have a number of additional announcements, new faces and amazing promotions to share.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Michele Manna as our new Director of Operations. Michele has over 20 years of experience in the contract furniture business, working at Herman Miller and Steelcase dealerships, and brings her wealth of experience to our team. Her management style and years in the field will allow for a seamless transition. We are truly excited about her joining our team and look forward to her contributions to our continued growth.

We also welcome Dave Cohn as our new controller. Bringing over 25 years of experience in the accounting and contract furniture business, Dave will be our pillar of fiscal responsibility.

Additionally we are extremely excited and proud to welcome our very own Liz Hair to the Executive Management Committee. Over her years at Benhar Office Interiors, she has become a key decision maker and her contributions to our firm have not gone unnoticed. Her understanding of our company and our industry will continue to be a great asset as she further gets involved in all key decision making, strategies, and the continued success and growth of all of our team members.

Other notable additions and promotions include our two additional Account Executives, Lisa Tartaglia and Ed Baust, as well as the promotion of Fran Mazzaglia to Junior Project Manager, responsible for running the support teams for Lisa & Ed.

As all of these changes take place, I would like to personally assure you that we will continue to service you with pride and excellence, and look forward to celebrating all of your continued successes in years to come. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions or comments. The lines of communication are always open and we look forward to speaking with you soon.

Best regards,

Mark Benhar

Benhar Sponsors S.A.S. (Secret Art Society Studio Nights)

nospam@example.com (Benhar Team) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:25:13 -0500

When asked to sponsor the S.A.S. Studio Nights, Mark Benhar of Benhar Office Interiors jumped at the chance to participate. Tempting the industry's inner Picasso, the Secret Art Society Studio Nights put together a studio series of S.A.S 'Dress for a Mess Events'. With all proceeds benefiting the Give Your Art Foundation, attendees were asked to participate in their favorite art mediums and have their work judged by a panel of renowned designers.

Mediums ranged from live model figure drawing, painting, collage, assemblage, and sculpting with clay, wire and wood, all taking place at Novo Art's studio in Chelsea. The panel, made up of Cindy Allen of Interior Design, Stephen Apking of S.O.M, Joan Blumenfeld of Perkins + Will, Bill Bouchey of Mancini Duffy, Rick Focke of H.O.K., Dale Alan Greenwald of Cannon Design, Tom Krizmanic of Studios Architecture and E.J. Lee of Gensler, have selected 20 exceptional artists from the attendees. The selected artists' work will be exhibited and auctioned at the final June S.A.S Salon, with all proceeds going to the Give Your Art Foundation.

The Give Your Art Foundation is dedicated to providing art for charitable institutions that have little or no funding to procure art for their facilities. Funds raised from S.A.S. events will go directly to providing art for local shelters, AIDS facilities, hospices and non-profit hospitals.

Welcome Lisa!

nospam@example.com (Benhar Team) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:12:56 -0500

Benhar Office Interiors is pleased to announce that Lisa Tartaglia has joined our company! Lisa is responsible for new business development and has 7 years of contract furniture experience. We welcome her and hope you all get to meet her in the coming months!

The Empire State Building Goes 'Green'

nospam@example.com (Benhar Team) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:49:21 -0500

In 1931, the world's most iconic building opened it's doors. Standing over a quarter of a mile high in the heart of New York City's midtown skyline, the Empire State Building has long been a symbol of progress, triumph and American ingenuity. With recent aesthetic restorations completed in the lobby, hallways and other common areas, this world renowned New York resident has had another recent transformation of sorts. In an effort to bring 21st century sustainability practices to this eighty year old edifice, a collaboration of players - the Clinton Climate Initiative, Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI), Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), and Rocky Mountain Institute - converged to create millions of square feet of earth-friendly office spaces.

With over 2.8 million square feet of leasable office space in the Empire State Building, the task of 'greening' it was no easy feat. From over sixty vetted energy-saving ideas, eight were finally chosen. The results were astounding: over 38% energy savings for the building as a whole with annual cost reduction in the neighborhood of $4.4 million. As part of that energy savings package, the Empire State Building has developed the first LEED Platinum pre-built space in the city to serve as a model for all office spaces in the towering structure.

To make that pre-built space happen, the Empire State Building team turned to Herman Miller and its local dealer partner Benhar Office Interiors. Using a mix of the most sustainable products and services on the market, the final solution included:

Convia, a Herman Miller company that acts as an electrical infrastructure used to monitor, measure and control HVAC, lighting and plug loads in any space
Energy Manager, a Herman Miller product that can offer energy control and monitoring at the workstation level
Herman Miller Greenguard certified products such as Ethospace, Intent and Geiger

The Convia technology has played a critical role in the energy management of the Empire State Building's pre-built tenant space. The building owners are looking for tenant participation to reduce energy consumption by 17 percent. Together, HVAC (30% - 35%), lighting (30% - 40%) and plug loads/office equipment (12% - 18%) account for nearly 93% of the total energy use within a building. Convia addresses all three of these areas with a simple and intelligent control and management platform. Within the prototype space, the Convia technology offers a whole building level of control, providing sustainable solutions for everything from the building infrastructure to the individual workstation, including new advancements in plug load control through Herman Miller's Energy Manager device.

Energy Manager, which is embedded in Herman Miller's Intent and Ethospace workstations in the space, is a device that senses occupancy and controls power in the open plan furniture to save energy and lower costs. When a person sits down to work, an occupancy sensor detects their presence and turns on the devices in the cluster plugged into those two circuits, known as 'plug loads' (e.g. task lights, printers, monitors or chargers). When the cluster is unoccupied, the devices automatically shut off. With plug load energy expected to rise by 70% over the next decade, Energy Manager provides an effective solution to control this energy. In addition, Energy Manager can help track real time occupancy data, potentially saving a corporation on real estate costs.

But not to worry fellow New Yorkers. There are no plans yet to shut off those famous, evincive lights adorning the buildings summit just yet!

Benhar & Herman Miller Team Up For 'We Care'

nospam@example.com (Benhar Team) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:23:54 -0500

Smiles. Laughs. Teddy-bear hugs. Those are the best gifts to give and to get, and every year in early December at the We Care event held in Harlem, NY, they are in no short supply thanks to the hundreds of preschool and early school aged children and the 150+ volunteers from across the Architectural+Design community and Herman Miller family who come together to share in some holiday cheer and crafts. Now in its thirteenth year, We Care is part of an annual national program in which design professionals donate their time, expertise and materials, as well as decorations and refreshments, for an event filled with the jubilation that only the Holidays can bring.

Approximately 465 children from The Children's Aid Society's Dunlevy Milbank Center, Dunlevy Milbank Day Care, Drew Hamilton Center, Frederick Douglass Center, East Harlem Center and Taft Day Care in Harlem and East Harlem, who may not otherwise have gifts to give to their families, create an array of handmade crafts, take pictures with Santa, and have their faces adorned with holly, snowmen, reindeers and the like. Aided by top New York City architects, interior design firms, Herman Miller and Benhar Office Interiors, the gym at Dunlevy Milbank Center is instantaneously transformed into Santa's workshop and a winter wonderland.

Benhar Office Interiors has been a part of volunteer 'craft stations' since the company's inception six years ago. This past December, children at the Benhar station customized blank white hats into works of art and holiday expression using stencils, color markers, and mannequin faces. Other stations included making ornaments, bags, jewelry boxes, fabric pouches, candles, reusable totes, decorative gloves, sun catchers, wooden photo cubes and notebooks. As a finishing touch, the children are helped with wrapping their hand made gifts so they are ready to give

In giving their time, the volunteers are paid back triple fold with every smile, every hug, and with the endless sound of laughter from children who truly appreciate the gifts they are not only getting, but also the ones they are giving.

Frantastic!

nospam@example.com (Barbara O'Connell) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:53:00 -0400

Benhar Office Interiors is extremely proud to recognize the 5th anniversary of employment for Junior Project Manager Fran Mazzaglia on October 18th. Fran's outgoing demeanor, dedication and loyalty are not only apparent in her professional life but her personal life as well. She is a valued member of the Benhar team. We are also delighted to announce she is getting married in August 2010. Congratulations Fran!

The Secret Art Society

nospam@example.com (Barbara O'Connell) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:56:16 -0400

Create. Connect. Contribute. That was the theme of the September 29th Novo Arts Studio benefit for the Give Your Art Foundation. The first event in a series of three Studio Nights was designed as a way for members of the S.A.S. (Secret Art Society) to show their stuff in a variety of creative media including drawing, painting and sculpting. The point? Come June 2010, the art will be exhibited and auctioned to raise funds that will go directly to providing art to local shelters, AIDS facilities, hospices and non-profit hospitals.

The Give Your Art Foundation is dedicated to providing art to charitable institutions that have little or no funding to provide art for their facilities. Benhar Office Interiors, as part of their on-going commitment to the design community, is proud to be a contributing sponsor.

For more information on how you can participate in the next event in January, visit Novo Arts and follow the S.A.S. Studio Nights link for details.

How Did Some Designers Spend Their Unemployment? LMNOP!

nospam@example.com (Benhar Team) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:28:50 -0400

With the recession finally dwindling down a bit, companies within the design and architecture field are hiring again and interviews are beginning to be scheduled. With that, questions such as, “How did you spend your time while you were unemployed?” are being asked. Fortunately, many members of our field can respond: “LMNOP”.

LMNOP (Leadership, Mentoring, Networking & Opportunity for A&D Professionals), is a professional development and networking society organized by and for the unemployed architecture and design community to connect, support, and mentor each other.

Inaugurated in February 2009 with a small collection of e-mail addresses of recently laid off professional colleagues who all wanted to stay in touch within the industry, LMNOP has since grown into a professional organization of training, workshops and mentoring opportunities for and involving over 160 professionals.

With a strong commitment to giving back to the industry and helping industry professionals through the recession, LMNOP has reached out to the New York City A&D industry and has partnered with both industry organizations such as International Interior Design Association and companies such as Herman Miller, Humanscale and Carnegie. Already, the organization has become nationally known and was mentioned in International Interior Design Association’s Summer 2009 issue of Perspective magazine and in Cindy Allen’s Editor’s Letter in the June Issue of Interior Design magazine.

LMNOP Leadership wishes to help as many others as possible. Kristen Mucci, Director of Administration, explains, “I hope that members are able to use LMNOP as a catalyst in developing the tools necessary to achieve their full potential in the design industry and in life.” The support structure that has evolved among LMNOP membership has also produced meaningful experiences and friendships. AIA Liaison Ryan Clarke hopes that “members feel the community of LMNOP: the support, the service, the sharing, the caring,…the respect.”

The organization’s website launched July 15. If you are interested in learning more or know someone else who may benefit from LMNOP’s offerings, please visit the website at www.lmnopnyc.org or contact info@lmnopnyc.org.

Industry Innovators: It takes one to know one, by Matthew Tedesco, Regional Distribution Manager for Herman Miller

nospam@example.com (Barbara O'Connell) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:29:27 -0400

It’s not just the beautifully designed, midtown loft space. It’s not just fifty-plus years of experience between its two principals. What differentiates Benhar Office Interiors from its competitors rests deeper than that, at the company’s core. For one of New York’s premier Herman Miller dealers, the true differentiator is its ongoing commitment to innovation excellence.

At Benhar Office Interiors, innovation is not just a buzz word or concept. It is a management process requiring specific tools, rules, and discipline that have taken decades to develop, define and master. Innovation excellence finds its way into every facet of the organization, so that the end result is a customer experience unlike any other out there.

The foundation of the organization comes from the strong leadership and dedication of its two principal-owners, Mark Benhar and Bob Maurer. Personal believers in constant progress, Mark and Bob instill the passion for positive change into each of their employees, offering unique opportunities for their team members to grow as a unit and as individuals through highly specialized, continuous training programs – from classic sales coaches to creative improvisational simulations. What Benhar Offices’ clients get is an unmatched sense of service and professionalism. That’s different. That’s innovation excellence.

If you have ever found yourself waiting at a loading bay at seven in the morning for a truck that just is not going to show up, you can immediately appreciate the innovation Benhar Office has taken with its Project Management Experience. Before the purchase order and beyond the punch list, Benhar project managers are fully dedicated extensions of their client’s best interests. A comprehensive but flexible program is rigorously maintained, monitored and measured to make sure that every step of the buying process if completely covered, yet flexible enough to meet changing demands. Created by a team of industry service experts and always evolving to be better, the process allows clients complete transparency and control throughout the entire sales process. That’s different. That’s innovation excellence.

And at Benhar Office Interiors, they don’t just talk the talk but they walk it, as well. Understanding the need to create dynamic workplace solutions that fit a diverse workforce and ever-changing job requirements, when Benhar Office moved into their midtown space a few years back, they designed it to not just fit their needs then, but to work for them as they changed and grew into the future. With collaborative workspaces, impromptu meeting spots and highly specialized work areas for design and management, the Benhar Office design and layout has given Mark and Bob the flexibility to meet market changes as well as a fantastic location to entertain guests or hold a Wii bowling party. That’s different. That’s innovation excellence.

The difference at Benhar Office Interiors is that change there is not on accident or circumstantial; it’s not frowned upon or feared. At Benhar Office, change is about always being better - as leaders, as employees, as service providers, and most of all, as people. It’s about improving the process; creating the best spaces to live, work, learn and heal; and going beyond the fine print. For their clients, that means unparalleled service, a commitment to sustainable design, and a partnering that doesn’t end with a signed check. That’s innovation excellence. That’s the Benhar difference.

Convia: The Energy Manager

nospam@example.com (Barbara O'Connell) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:00:39 -0400

After interviewing visiting clients and doing extensive research, Herman Miller found there is a growing need for controlling office environments and how facilities were both used and managed. In response to this, Herman Miller created Convia, a programmable and electrical infrastructure that rethinks the way power and data is delivered through a building. This system reduces energy costs within the open plan environment and allows programmable solutions within a facility to be controlled with a simple hand-held wand.

Being the first company to invent the open office cubicle, the ergonomic chair, the revolutionary mesh chair in Aeron, Herman Miller has already prided itself on being ahead of the pack when it comes to innovation. Through this new sector, called Convia Sustainable Infrastructure, the product is exclusively offered through the company Wiremold. Realizing the expanded need, Herman Miller is creating related energy products which will be housed in their office furniture as well.

Curt Pullen, leader of Herman Miller North America, recently told Office Insight, "The Herman Miller brand goes beyond office furniture."

Renovating space can be a time consuming and expensive objective; With the Convia products the user can make quick and easy program changes within an area or electrical reconfigurations that could take days can be completed within minutes and at no additional cost.

"The introduction of Convia has helped us speak to our clients regarding more than just furniture," says Benhar Office Interiors President Mark Benhar. "Although the Convia infrastructure is sold exclusively through other selling channels, I am excited that Herman Miller will be introducing the same control into their furniture for us to provide to our clients."

For more information, please visit: www.convia.com .

Honor Roll

nospam@example.com (Barbara O'Connell) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:37:42 -0500

As part of our commitment to continually improve our product offerings and service capabilities, Benhar Office Interiors conducts Quality Audits on recent projects. By monitoring every aspect our project performance, we are able to understand how our customers feel about us and what areas we need to improve.

In a survey after completing space for Farouk, Furman and Faccio, we were delighted to get back a "report card" any mother would be proud of! Said FFF's Jasmine Cintron, Benhar Office Interiors "...Exceeded our expectations with great service, cost and product information. It is a great company to trust and complete your office projects."

Benhar Participates in We Care!

nospam@example.com (Barbara O'Connell) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:52:02 -0500

Benhar employees helped spread holiday cheer this December by participating in the Herman-Miller/Geiger sponsored We Care event. 125 underprivileged children from the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem, NY filled tables hosted by area design and architecture firms. The goal of this event was to provide the children with the opportunity to make creative, heartfelt gifts for their friends and families during the holiday season.

"The best part about the We Care event was not only the fulfillment of giving something back to the kids, and also seeing the excitement of the children not to get something themselves, but to make something for someone else," said Benhar employee Fran Mazzaglia.

Benhar’s craft was such a hit this year, to the delight of the children. Benhar hosted a craft station centered on the idea of creating festive tote bags, where the children can customize their bags using fabric markers.

“It is always a delight to see the smile on a child’s face, after they’ve made something that is unique”. “I think that cultivating a child’s creativity, bolsters their self esteem”, says Benhar employee Carla Parker.

Embodying the Human Form

nospam@example.com (Barbara O'Connell) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:34:04 -0500

Because your mind works best when you move freely and stress is minimized on your muscles, bones, and tissues, Herman Miller has introduced Embody, a dynamic seating innovation for the new millenium. Embody lets your body move naturally and keeps you well supported consistanly. The back is "alive," adapting to the shape and movement of your spine; it automatically adjusts to your shifting positions and supports you through the full range of working postures.

Continue reading "Embodying the Human Form"

Big Heart in the Big City

nospam@example.com (Barbara O'Connell) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:40:05 -0400

ACCORDING TO BOB MAURER, Principal and Co-founder of Benhar Office Interiors, charity is not something he does, it is how he lives. Benhar Office Interiors’ Vision Statement finds strength and resolve in its unwavering and intrinsic pledge to charitable service and support.

The list of what the Benhar Office organization does and how it is involved in the community keeps growing, and it all stems from well-watered seeds planted at the firm’s inception. As Bob Maurer sees it that will never change. “

My partner, Mark Benhar, and I believe that we have a responsibility to the people that we sell furniture to that goes beyond the furniture, and we believe that responsibility extends to all of Benhar offices stakeholders – our employees, our strategic partners and the community at large.

As long as Benhar Office Interiors exists, we’re giving back.” This year alone, they have been involved with Habitat for Humanity, the Special Olympics, the Ronald McDonald House, City Harvest as well as numerous personal charitable acts generously performed by Benhar employees and their families.

Bigger and Better

nospam@example.com (Barbara O'Connell) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:37:55 -0400

In an effort to better serve our expanding customer base, Benhar Office Interiors is delighted to announce the opening of our new Long Island location.

Contact: Fran Mazzaglia
174B Miller Place
Hicksville, NY 11801
516-513-0044
516-513-0045
FAX: 516-827-4590