Company History In 1955, Raymond Riha, Sr. along with his wife Frances and two partners, founded the office furniture company known as Riha, Petersen & Vail. In 1961, they purchased Office Equipment Company, which had been in business since 1929 and acquired the Steelcase product line. The Riha's took over sole ownership of Office Equipment Company in 1977. For years the company operated out of the Chicago loop and maintained a separate distribution and warehousing location. In 1997, the Riha's purchased a 142,000 square foot building, located in Elmhurst, Illinois, to serve as the new corporate headquarters. That facility now houses all departments including sales, operations, storage, and manufacturing to help improve communications and to control internal processes. The company also maintains a satellite office located in downtown Chicago. Ever evolving, in 2005, Office Equipment Company decided it was time that its corporate name more appropriately expressed its business focus today. As the industry has changed dramatically since the company was founded, so, too, have the company’s products and services. To better describe its focus, the company changed its name to OEC Business Interiors, Inc. In 2005, the company celebrates its 50th Anniversary and is proud of the fact that, throughout all of these changes, it has maintained consistent leadership and direction. As a company that is not afraid of change, OEC Business Interiors is poised for the future and looks forward to another successful 50 years.