Select Resources – A Relationship Story
November 11, 2016 
Select Resources, an IT-staffing firm, was founded in 2002, and since has a presence in four or five states around the Midwest, including Grand Rapids, Michigan. In December of 2012, Select Resources acquired New Vista Group in Chicago to expand further into the information technology consulting industry.
Chief Operating Officer Brian Connor and his team at Select Resources had their first Grand Rapids office experience in the home of one of the company’s partners. In late 2003, they decided to leave this comfortable beginning and find a place to lease. When searching on-line, they came upon the Ramblewood Offices. These two office buildings were owned by Hinman and were in the process of being transitioned from single-tenant to multi-tenant buildings. 2855 44th Street NW, otherwise known as the Ramblewood 2 building, provided just the right amount of space in a great location for Brian and his team.
Ramblewood 2 building
After spending over a decade in this 1,000 square foot space, the team at Select Resources was busting at the seams. There was more furniture than the office could handle and the cramped layout began to hinder productivity. At this point the company had more than doubled the number of employees working in the area, from 45 people to over 100. While not all of them worked out of this location, there were still more employees in this office than ever before. The final straw came when the conference room in this space was unavailable for meetings because it had to be used for daily workspace. It was time to move to a larger space with some “elbow room,” which would in turn provide a more professional image for the company.
The staff at Select Resources liked their current location and had built a good relationship with Hinman’s property managers and service technicians. However, to ensure that they chose the best fit for their growth, the leadership team needed to explore every possible option, which meant looking at other buildings in the area.
During this exploration, many factors were considered. Location, building image, ease of access, quality of neighboring tenants, size, layout, and price were all important in the decision making process.
Ramblewood 2 met these qualifications, and fortunately, the Hinman team devised a plan that would give Select Resources the space they needed to expand. The solution was to combine two vacant suites down the hall from their current office, creating a larger floor plan with updated interior finishes and triple the workspace. The leaders at Select Resources decided that this was the best option for them and proceeded to sign the lease. Despite the convenience of having such a close move on the same floor, the expansion still brought certain challenges in the planning and construction phase.
Perhaps the largest concern during the renovation was the strict move in deadline Select Resources needed to meet. They were planning their move immediately before their known busy season and it was imperative that this deadline be met to keep the chaos of moving and loss of productivity to a minimum.
Another concern for Select Resources was changing the suite number on every document and marketing material for the move down the hallway. In the interest of time and efficiency, Hinman made it possible for Select Resources to keep their same suite number and transfer the plaque to the new space.
The new space needed a fair amount of reconfiguration and finishes. This included the addition and removal of various walls to combine the two suites, creating a conference room, and expanding the kitchen area. The team at Select Resources worked with the Hinman members of the design and construction department to create a functioning and aesthetically pleasing layout. Flooring, paint, and cabinetry were selected that not only looked nice, but were also available within the short time frame required for the project.
At certain points, the project seemed too large to complete on time. The Hinman construction project manager was on-site on an almost daily basis, making sure the subcontractors were meeting the deadlines of the construction schedule, and working with officials to confirm all inspections were passed. In the end, Hinman pulled through and finished the space even earlier than the agreed upon date.
During the process of moving into the new space, the Select Resources staff decided that an IT closet needed to be built to hide some unattractive technology equipment. The Hinman construction team was able to act quickly and created the IT closet within 24 hours of the request.
This new space has been much more enjoyable for the employees and the clients of Select Resources. Having more storage and a better layout has proved to make things more productive and efficient in the office. The team is also pleased with the look and feel of the space, and compliments have been heard from various clients and other visitors to the office.
The new office
All in all, this positive situation came about because the Select Resources team was able to have an open dialogue with Hinman about their needs, wants, and concerns. This resulted in a strengthened relationship and trust between both parties and, most importantly, provided Select Resources with a great new home. When asked what the best part was of working with Hinman, Brian talks about the professionalism of the team and the number of choices they were given throughout process. “There was never something that couldn’t be done. It was always a matter of whatever we wanted.” In fact, Brian jokes the hardest part of the whole process was for the employees to remember which way to turn in the hallway when coming to work in the morning. Unlike the experiences the company has had in some of their other locations, it is the small gestures from Hinman that give the team at Select Resources a sense of importance. Meeting the strict deadline, allowing them to maintain the same suite number, and even selecting the right office decor remind the team of why they chose to continue the relationship with Hinman that has been over a decade in the making.
The new office
