Our Story: 40 Years of Office Pavilion

Milestones Across 40 Years

A timeline that will continue to grow throughout 2026 as we move backward through key moments in OP’s history.
  

*This Month's Timeline Feature: 

1988 • 1991 • 1999 • 2008 • 2013 • 2024 - The Places We've Called Home

Over the past 40 years, Office Pavilion has called several places home. As the company grew, so did the spaces that supported our work—from the showrooms where clients could experience new ideas and products to the warehouses that supported receiving, staging, service, and installation.

In 1988, OP moved into Restaurant Row, creating what founder Gerri Hayes remembers as the company's first real showroom. It became more than a place to display furniture. The showroom was a gathering place for clients and the local business and design communities, hosting events and some memorable parties along the way. In 1991, D.J. De Pree of Herman Miller even joined OP there for a Top 50 CEO event with local executives.

OP's services were evolving as well. After bringing installation in-house in 1987, OP moved its warehouse operations to Mapunapuna in 1991, providing space to support the receiving, staging, service, and installation side of the business.

The next major move came in 1999, when the office and showroom relocated to the penthouse of the Pan Am Building and warehouse operations moved to Sand Island.

In 2008, the office and showroom moved again, this time to the IBM Building. Around this same period, OP settled into the Sand Island warehouse location we still use today. This warehouse became a long-term home for our receiving, staging, service, and installation operations and has provided stability as the business has continued to grow and change.

Another major milestone came in 2013, when OP moved its office and showroom to Kukui Plaza—and, for the first time, purchased its own office and showroom space. Four years later, a new logo, website, and showroom refresh marked another evolution of OP and the way we welcomed clients into our space.

Most recently, in 2024, our presence at Kukui Plaza expanded with the opening of the DIRTT Experience Center (DXC), adding a dedicated showroom where clients can experience the possibilities of prefabricated interior construction firsthand.

Our showrooms have provided places to explore ideas, experience products, collaborate, and connect, while our warehouse has supported the receiving, staging, service, and installation work that brings projects to life.

The addresses have changed over the years, but each space has played an important role in supporting Office Pavilion as the company has grown and evolved.

1987 – Present - Bringing Installation In-House

Today, having our own installation team is an important part of how Office Pavilion delivers projects from beginning to end. But that wasn't always the case.

In OP's early years, furniture installation was handled by an outside installation company. The relationship changed when the company attempted to work directly with OP's clients, bypassing the dealership. Gerri recognized that installation—and the service that followed—was too important to the client relationship and the success of a project for OP not to have greater ownership of that part of the process.

In 1987, she brought installation in-house, hiring an experienced installer and beginning to build Office Pavilion's own installation capabilities. This gave the company greater control over how projects were delivered and how clients were supported, both during and after installation.

Over the years, that capability continued to grow. Installation became more than simply assembling and placing furniture. Our team developed the experience to handle complex projects, phased installations, reconfigurations, moves, warranty and maintenance work, and projects requiring close coordination with clients, contractors, facilities teams, and other trades.

The tools and products have changed considerably along the way, but the importance of the installation team hasn't. Installation is the "last mile" of a project—the point when months of planning, designing, specifying, ordering, and coordinating finally come together in the client's space. It's also one of the most visible parts of the client experience, and often the part they remember most.

What began as a decision to take greater ownership of installation and ongoing service became a capability that remains an important part of how Office Pavilion serves our clients today.

1986 - Present - From Hand Drafting to Digital Design

Over the past four decades, the way workplace environments are designed has changed dramatically—and so has the way we design them.

When Office Pavilion was founded in 1986, every design began at a drafting table. Rulers, templates, pencils, and even electric erasers were all part of the process. Every line, every revision, and every finished drawing was created by hand.

One of the biggest transformations came in the 1990s with the introduction of AutoCAD, marking the industry's transition from hand drafting to digital design. As technology continued to evolve, so did the tools available to designers, opening new possibilities for creating, visualizing, and communicating workplace solutions.

Today, our designers use tools like CET to help clients better visualize their future workplaces, explore design options, and communicate ideas throughout the design process. While the tools have evolved dramatically over the past 40 years, our focus has remained the same: creating thoughtful, functional environments tailored to each client's unique needs.

Technology will continue to evolve, but thoughtful design—and the people behind it—will always be at the heart of what we do.

Early 1990s - Growing with Herman Miller

The early 1990s marked an important chapter in Office Pavilion's relationship with Herman Miller.

At one time, Hawaiʻi was served by two Herman Miller dealers. During this period, Office Pavilion became the state's sole Herman Miller dealer, marking an important milestone for both our company and Hawaiʻi's contract furniture industry.

We were also authorized to sell Herman Miller Healthcare—formerly known as Millcare—expanding the Herman Miller solutions available to healthcare clients throughout the islands.

This same era also saw the introduction of the Herman Miller Aeron Chair in 1994. More than three decades later, it remains one of the most recognized office chairs in the world and continues to be one of Office Pavilion's most requested seating solutions.

Together, these milestones strengthened Office Pavilion's ability to serve Hawaiʻi's evolving workplace and healthcare environments.

Looking back, this chapter wasn't defined by a single event, but by a relationship that continued to evolve—one that remains an important part of Office Pavilion's story today.

1990s – 2000s - Expanding Beyond Hawaii

As Office Pavilion continued to grow, our work increasingly extended beyond Hawaii and across the Pacific Rim.

Beginning in the 1990s, Office Pavilion supported overseas Department of Defense projects using Herman Miller’s GSA contract, helping furnish projects throughout the Asia-Pacific region. This work helped establish relationships, operational experience, and long-distance coordination capabilities that would continue to grow over time.

Obtaining our own GSA contract later marked another important milestone, significantly expanding our ability to support federal projects directly and opening the door to a broader range of opportunities.

Projects across Guam, Japan, Korea, American Samoa, Kwajalein, Singapore, and the Philippines required more than product expertise. They demanded logistics coordination, project management across multiple locations and time zones, and the ability to execute consistently from afar.

This chapter represented a major evolution in both the scale and reach of Office Pavilion’s work — expanding the company’s capabilities well beyond Hawaii while strengthening its role in supporting federal and military projects throughout the Pacific region.
 

2008 - Mid-2010s - Strengthening How We Deliver

While some milestones are visible, others happen behind the scenes and shape how a company operates day to day. Between 2008 and the mid-2010s, Office Pavilion focused on strengthening the operational side of the business — improving how projects were planned, coordinated, and delivered.

This period included the evolution of internal systems that improved coordination across teams, helping projects stay aligned from design and ordering through installation. These improvements supported better communication, clearer handoffs, and more consistent execution.

We also adopted more advanced ordering and logistics approaches, including Herman Miller’s HMPS system, which improved efficiency by reducing handling and staging product in a way that better supports installation.

In addition, we established our Sand Island warehouse operations, creating long-term stability in how projects are received, staged, and delivered across Hawai‘i.

While less visible than major project milestones, this period played a critical role in strengthening how Office Pavilion delivers projects — improving efficiency, coordination, and consistency across the board.

2013 - 2018 - A New Chapter of Leadership and Transformation

The mid-2010s marked a significant period of transition and reinvestment for OP.
In 2013, the company relocated to and purchased its current home at Kukui Plaza, establishing a long-term foundation for operations and client engagement.

In 2016, ownership transitioned from founder Gerri Hayes to her daughters, Wendy Shewalter and Leanne Hachey, continuing the family legacy into its next generation. This transition was followed in 2018 by Wendy becoming the sole owner, guiding the company forward with a clear vision for growth and evolution.

During this time, OP also invested in modernizing both its physical space and internal operations. In 2018, the showroom was fully renovated, accompanied by a refreshed brand identity and website.

Behind the scenes, the company advanced its internal systems — transitioning to more robust business platforms and beginning the shift toward web-based solutions to improve coordination, visibility, and scalability.

2021 – 2022 - Broadening Our Capabilities

In 2021 and 2022, Office Pavilion entered a new chapter of growth and capability. Following the acquisition of Knoll by Herman Miller, we became a MillerKnoll dealer when Herman Miller acquired Knoll — strengthening our ability to deliver a unified portfolio of industry-leading design solutions.

During this same period, we expanded as a DIRTT dealer and launched a new division, OP Build, broadening our services beyond traditional furnishings to provide more comprehensive interior solutions. Together, these milestones reflected an intentional step forward in how we serve our clients and support the evolving workplace.2026 - 40th Anniversary
On February 1, 2026, Office Pavilion celebrated 40 years in business — a milestone made possible by the employees, clients, and partners who have shaped our story. As we move through this anniversary year, we’re taking time to pause, reflect, and revisit the moments that have shaped who we are today.

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Our Story

The foundation of Office Pavilion traces back to 1986, when Gerri Hayes purchased a small company called Contract Furnishers of Hawaiʻi. At the time, the office was located in the Gold Bond Building, with a team of just two employees. Around the same period, Herman Miller launched a national branding effort encouraging participating dealers to operate under the name Office Pavilion — a name that would soon become synonymous with quality, professionalism, and enduring relationships.

In those early days, OP looked very different than it does today. What hasn’t changed, however, is the foundation Gerri established: a focus on quality products, a strong team, and relationships built with care and integrity. As the company has continued to evolve, it has shaped a culture that increasingly prioritizes both strong performance and care for our team.

From the beginning, OP has been grounded in relationships — with clients, manufacturing partners, subcontractors, vendors, and employees alike. We believe in doing business the right way: with integrity, transparency, and respect. We take pride not only in the spaces we create, but also in the way we conduct ourselves and the standards we uphold.

Today, Office Pavilion remains a woman-owned, family-led business. Wendy and her sister Leanne purchased the company from Gerri, and Wendy later became sole owner in 2018. Wendy’s husband, Bruce, has also been part of OP’s journey for many years, further reflecting the family roots that continue to shape who we are.

As we celebrate 40 years, we do so with deep gratitude. To the employees, past and present, who have poured their talent and care into this company. To the clients who trust us with their spaces. To our partners and vendors who collaborate with us every day. And to the community that continues to support and inspire us.