Ozarks Profile: David Sifford

What is your job?

President, Sifford Office Products.

Tell us about your organization.

Sifford Office Products was founded by Sifford in 1982 as an office supply store after his partnership in Haseltine/Sifford Office Products dissolved. In 1986, Sifford began Sifford Contract Interiors and added an interior designer to his staff. "In the early 90s, I started a rent-to-own office furniture business, Executive Furniture Rental. Two years ago, I started buying used office furniture, which I sell through the rent-to-own business," Sifford said. In 1997, Sifford Office Products and its subsidiaries moved to their own facility at 1939 E. Phelps, which houses seven employees who work for the various businesses. Sifford Contract Interiors is a licensed Knoll dealer, which is a provider of high-end office furniture. Sifford Office Products offers tens of thousands of office products through its United Stationers catalogs. United Stationers is the largest wholesaler of office products in the United States, Sifford said. After an order is placed, United Stationers delivers the products overnight to Sifford's warehouse, and Sifford Office Products delivers the products to the customer the next day. Sifford said the rise of the office supply superstores caused him to rethink the way he operated his business during the '80s. "The mom-and-pop stores are a thing of the past. If you don't change and find different avenues in this business, you won't make it. If I had to rely on office supplies only right now, I'd just close the door."

What is your educational background?

"I have a bachelor of science degree in industrial technology with an electrical/mechanical emphasis and I'm a pencil salesman. Figure that one out."

What jobs led you to your current one?

Sifford has worked in the office products industry nearly 30 years. He began working for Barnaby Office Supply, which was located on St. Louis Street, in 1972 at the urging of a friend. A few years later, Sifford and two partners began Haseltine/Sifford Office Products. Sifford struck out on his own in 1982 and began Sifford Office Products.

What is the best part of your job?

"To go in and completely do an office for someone: supply the interior design, furniture and office supplies, and have the customer satisfied with it we can supply everything from the pencils to the executive desks."

Give us some personal information.

Sifford is 55 and is married to Beth, who works as a food stylist for commercial photography, primarily for advertising purposes. He has a stepdaughter, Angela Levenson, and enjoys traveling with Beth, fly fishing, canoeing and playing golf. "The good thing about fly-fishing is that you're concentrating so intently on it that you don't think about the office or anything else. It's totally relaxing," he said.

by Melissa Wilson