STEUBENVILLE — Not many people can say they have worked at the same place for 46 years, but Jerry Simpson can and he will tell you it’s been a pleasure being there.
But the owner of Borden Office Equipment has decided it’s time to retire, leaving the business in the hands of his son, J.D.
Simpson said it will be different not arriving at the store at 6:30 a.m. and leaving at about 5 p.m. on most days, except for the occasional early departure for a game of golf.
“I was here 11 hours a day for a long time,” he said.
The Weirton native got a job as a salesman for the 96-year-old office supply company soon after graduating from West Virginia University in 1981 and became its fourth owner more than 20 years ago.
Simpson said he wanted to stay in the Ohio Valley so he could look after his mother, noting she had taken good care of him before and after his father died when he was 9 years old.
But he said he stressed he’s enjoyed living and doing business in this region through the years.
Simpson said the needs of Borden’s clients have changed even during his tenure.
When he started, few of them had computers and now the business offers its customers an array of computer hardware and accessories, data storage, backup systems, printers and copiers.
“It’s phenomenal what we can do with furniture design,” said Simpson.
He explained his staff can use a smartphone to not only scan a room and capture the measurements needed for its office furniture, but to produce images of the completed worksite.
‘It looks like you’re literally looking at this room. It draws everything. It’s amazing,” said Simpson.
“We’ve pivoted with the changes in the industry,” he said.
Simpson can recall writing invoices by hand for each customer and still has some of them as well as those written for the business closer to its opening in 1929.
He also has established a small display of office equipment of years gone by, including manual typewriters dating to the 1930s and two check writers that are decades old.
Simpson noted the internet now plays a large role in the business world, and Borden’s has joined it.
Through a website cataloging everything from copiers and desks to coffee makers and safety goggles, the business has extended its sales throughout the Tri-State Area and areas of the eastern U.S. extending as far south as Florida.
While Borden’s delivery truck once made weekly trips to its local customers, it now departs from the store six days a week, said Simpson.
The business’ growth also can be attributed to its merger in recent years with McGhee Office Supplies and Furniture, a 90-year-old Wheeling business.
With the merger came Andy Poe, its president for 20 years, who joined Borden’s staff as a salesman.
The name of the long-time Wheeling business has been incorporated into Borden’s logo.
Simpson said the business’ endurance can be attributed to the personal attention its hardworking staff pays to each customer.
“There are a lot of things we do you can’t get online,” he said, adding he’s always stressed the need for each call to Borden’s to be answered by a live person.
Simpson said the staff there are like a family, with most remaining there until retirement.
“I’m going to miss — I’m very emotional about — all of the people here,” he said.
On a more positive note, Simpson said he’s looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Pam, whom he married the same year he started at Borden’s.
He also expects to remain active in the community in some way.
A 33-year member of the Brooke County Rotary Club, he has served on the Trinity Health System executive board and as chairman of the Trinity Health System Foundation board and Valley Hospice board.
With his retirement, Borden’s Office Equipment will be led by Simpson’s son, J.D. Also a graduate of Brooke High School and WVU, he has been working there for 15 years.
J.D. said, “As my dad enters a well-earned retirement, I want to honor the remarkable journey that brought him, and our family business, to where we are today. His story is the definition of the American dream.
“In 1982, fresh out of college, which he paid for himself, he walked through the doors of Borden Office Equipment ready to work hard, learn, and do things the right way. Through honesty, loyalty, and an unwavering commitment to doing the next right thing, he developed his skills, earned the respect of everyone around him, and eventually purchased the company. Under his leadership, Borden Office Equipment reached new heights and achieved tremendous success.”
He added, “It has been an honor and a privilege to follow in my father’s footsteps. Over the past 15 years, he made sure I gained a solid foundation by working in multiple positions and learning every aspect of the business. More importantly, he taught me the values that truly matter — hard work, integrity, and treating people the right way.”
“As I take on the responsibility of leading our family business, I do so with deep gratitude for the legacy he built and the example he set. I look forward to carrying that legacy forward and continuing to provide our customers with the highest level of products and service. Our commitment to excellence remains as strong as ever, and I’m excited for the future we will build together.”
Looking back on his long career with Borden, Jerry said, “I’m proud of everything we’ve done, the customers we’ve had. The business has grown.”
(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)
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