April 28, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by Interstate Office Products.

The CEO of Interstate Office Products and the company president were supposed to share an office only for a short time, while part of their building was being remodeled.

Then came the pandemic and other disruptions. What was supposed to last a few months turned into a few years.

In retrospect, the time together was invaluable in multiple ways.

“The best part about sharing that space was having the time to learn from him,” said Sheila Casiello, who shared an office with her brother, Gary Gaspar, beginning in late 2019.

“We would talk about everything – elements of the business I’d never been involved in, how the overall organization was functioning, and through our time together, I was able to get a better handle on the big picture as I was generally managing day-to-day operations.”

Casiello now serves as president and CEO of family-owned IOP, following Gaspar’s death in March after suffering depression.

While no business wants to make a transition because of a tragedy, the Interstate Office Product team has leaned on its 50-year history of family business success and the strength of its 40-person team in moving forward for the future.

“The best way we can honor Gary is to be as solid as we’ve always been, and our entire team is committed to doing that,” Casiello said. “I’m extremely grateful for the time we had together, and while we weren’t at the point of transition yet, we had talked about and planned for it, so now we’re moving our timelines up a bit.”

Casiello has been named dealer principal of the business, which is a licensed Steelcase dealer and Premier Partner award recipient 11 years in a row.

“Thanks to our office arrangement the last few years, I’ve been in the room when Gary would have his quarterly and monthly calls and other communication with Steelcase,” she said.

“That’s extremely helpful as we look at transitioning. I’ve been involved in the background and participating behind the scenes for years, which is essentially how I’ve always functioned at IOP.”

As president, Casiello’s responsibilities in day-to-day operations were extensive – essentially overseeing all elements of the business from the time an order was placed to when it was delivered to the customer.

That includes installation, internal communication and all day-to-day oversight in areas such as office supplies and promotional products.

While she will retain the title of president, some of her duties will shift to vice president James Gaspar, Gary’s son, who joined IOP five years ago.

James has been focusing on new business development, the fulfillment side of the business and representing IOP in the Sioux Falls business community and beyond.

“I’ll be growing in day-to-day management of the business and helping offload some duties for Sheila,” he said. “I’m taking over estimating our installations and am looking forward to being able to interact with a number of our team members with some of my new roles.”

James grew up supporting the family business, from working on installation crews to assisting with accounting. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business from University of Nebraska – Lincoln and his MBA from the University of Sioux Falls and then worked in human resources outside the family business before joining IOP in 2017.

James also joined his father’s Vistage CEO peer group and will continue to represent IOP in community roles for the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, Young Professionals Network, Downtown Sioux Falls Rotary, Sioux Empire United Way and others.

Theresa Gaspar, Sheila Casiello, James Gaspar and Kristi Christensen

Longtime executive Kristi Christensen will continue to play a key role on the leadership team as executive vice president of sales and design, leading a cohesive sales team offering the company’s wide selection of products and services to clients.

“I think everyone on this team is very positive about the future and doing whatever we can to serve our colleagues and our clients,” she said.

“We’re fortunate that we have such strong demand for our services, and I think there’s satisfaction in continuing to get things done and done well, and that’s our focus.”

Theresa Gaspar, James’ mother, will continue supporting IOP as its CFO as she has for 22 years.

“I’m proud of how our team and our family have banded together in this transition, and I know Gary would be too,” she said. “Our intention has always been to develop our next generation, and we’re going to continue to do that even though it’s going to be on an accelerated timeline.”

The newest member of the business also has family ties. Casiello’s son, Antonio, will be joining IOP this spring as operations manager of digital transformation.

He grew up in Sioux Falls and earned his bachelor’s and a Master of Professional Accountancy from USD. He’s currently an audit associate at RSM US LLP and initially will handle special projects at IOP with a focus on operational efficiency.

“By immersing himself, he’ll gain a better understanding of the business – not unlike doing an audit,” Theresa Gaspar said. “We’re excited about having a fresh set of eyes to find opportunities for efficiencies and improvements.”

The new leadership team is taking on its responsibilities during a historically busy time for IOP.

“The combination of rapid growth in Sioux Falls, plus the overall economic conditions and the continued supply chain challenges, has placed a lot of work on both ends of the pipeline,” James Gaspar said.

“We’re seeing a number of office remodels, plus all the new businesses coming to town. We’re grateful to be in this community and that so many longtime and new clients are excited to work with us. Culturally, I feel like our team has never been closer. We’ve drawn together, held each other up and delivered, and that’s what I know we’ll continue to do.”

Are you ready to move your office space into 2022 and beyond? Visit i-o-p.com, or call 605-339-0300.