🎄 A Year in Review + Big News!
- Great Lakes Furniture
- Dec 29, 2025
- 4 min read
Hello friends, partners, and the Great Lakes Furniture Supply family,
As we wrap up 2025 and step into a season of gratitude, celebration, and reflection, we’re excited to share an annual GLFS year-end recap. Grab some cocoa and settle in — there are a few big announcements ahead!
A Year of Growth, Momentum & Meaningful Work
This year, we partnered with districts, businesses, and organizations across Michigan to create learning and working environments that are flexible, ergonomic, and designed for the future. From early childhood centers to district-wide renovations, we are continually honored to support communities as they shape spaces where people learn, collaborate, and thrive.
Our partnerships with VS America, SICO, Academia, SCI, SitOnIt, Global, and many more continued to flourish through workshops, pilot classrooms, trade shows, and special events — strengthening both relationships and impact across the state.
Now for Some Big News
Welcoming Two New Team Members!
Like any memorable family Christmas letter, this year brought two exciting additions to the GLFS crew.
Brian Field—
Vice President of Business Development, Learning Environments
We are thrilled to welcome Brian Field, who brings a remarkable background in education — from classroom teaching to administrative leadership, and most recently serving as Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Curriculum at West Ottawa Public Schools. His deep insight into learning environments adds tremendous value to our team and strengthens our ability to support districts in meaningful ways.
Sophie Shrauger—
Sales Representative, West Michigan & the Upper Peninsula
Sophie Shrauger joined us with positivity and enthusiasm that has already made an impact. Serving West Michigan and the UP, Sophie has hit the ground running — meeting districts, learning our products, and partnering closely with Ron as she dives into all things GLFS. Her energy and commitment make her a fantastic addition to our growing team.
The Big News Doesn’t Stop There…
This year, we are excited to share that Great Lakes Furniture Supply is officially relocating — not far, but to a new space that supports our next chapter.
Our new location will give us room to grow, collaborate more efficiently, host guests, and bring classroom and future-space visions to life in real time. And yes — we’re proudly staying in Holland, right where our roots began.
The GLFS Crew
Meanwhile, the rest of our GLFS family kept things moving (sometimes literally):
Ron continued guiding the ship with vision, wisdom, and uncanny problem-solving instincts — often resolving facilities challenges before anyone finishes explaining them.
A.J. kept day-to-day operations running smoothly while juggling budgets, logistics, and the occasional “surprise.”
Pearl celebrated one year with Great Lakes and continued representing GLFS across the east side of the state, bringing energy to every district she serves.
Leanne delivered excellence across installs, schedules, and project coordination — often managing multiple major installs, punch lists, and urgent emails simultaneously. We will miss her greatly as she heads out for maternity leave in the coming weeks! A.J. will step in to support project management duties until her return.
Josh racked up enough delivery miles that we’re convinced he could navigate Michigan blindfolded (don’t worry — he won’t). He remains our on-the-ground hero and the unofficial Michigan Road Warrior.
Kyle had a big year — welcoming his third child, a sweet baby girl named Wilah, and transitioning into a new role as Project Manager. He jumped in with efficiency and enthusiasm, supporting installs and ensuring smooth project outcomes for our districts.
Stephanie kept GLFS connected and visible statewide through events, storytelling, social media, showrooms, and community partnerships.
A Year of Spaces Transformed
From Alpena to Ann Arbor, Muskegon to Marshall, and right here at home in Holland, we were privileged to help create environments that uplift teachers, inspire students, and reflect the future of learning. With expanding pilot classrooms, ongoing renovations, and strong partnerships with architects and administrators, 2025 gave us countless reasons to be proud.
Looking Toward 2026
A Milestone Year Ahead
As we prepare to welcome the new year, we’re thrilled to share one final announcement:
In 2026, Great Lakes Furniture Supply celebrates 25 years!
What an incredible achievement.
Since founding the company in 2001, Ron has built GLFS with unwavering commitment, integrity, and a deep belief in serving Michigan’s schools and businesses with personal, professional care. His leadership and vision remain the heart of who we are.
As we enter our 25th year, we’re inspired to honor that foundation — continuing the dedication, responsiveness, and expertise our partners have come to trust. This milestone is not just a celebration of time, but of relationships, teamwork, and the countless spaces transformed along the way.
As we look ahead, Ron has also begun thoughtfully talking about what the next chapter might eventually look like — including long-term planning and future leadership conversations. While full retirement is still a ways off, his reflection speaks to the strong foundation he’s built and his commitment to ensuring GLFS continues to serve districts and businesses with the same care and professionalism for decades to come. Those who know him would likely agree — he won’t know what to do with himself without a project to work on! That said, more time on the Ronnie Sea, in his tree stand, and traveling is starting to sound pretty appealing.
We look forward to celebrating this milestone — and many more — with all of you throughout 2026.
With gratitude,
The Great Lakes Furniture Supply Family
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