NEWS

People Who Delight – Spotlight on Tim Coulter

From that first conversation about what you envision for updating your space all the way to delivery and installation of your new products, RJE has a team thoughtfully covering and walking with you every step of your project. Service is where we shine, and our highly trained, efficient Operations Team is the face of delivering your space’s inspiring products. From pre-installation and coordination of the people, the site, the construction, the project team, and all the stakeholders to relaying installation plans and post installation walk throughs, our project managers ensure that your project is installed and looking exactly how you imagined.

Today, we are spotlighting Senior Project Manager Tim Coulter to learn about his role, what he feels makes RJE special (and has kept him working here for 18 years!) and even his favorite place he has ever lived. Learn more about Tim below!

Name: Tim Coulter
Current Role: Senior Project Manager
Time at RJE: 18 years
RJE Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

How long have you been with RJE and what do you do?
I just celebrated my 18th work anniversary at RJE this past March! I am a senior project manager in our Operations Department. I work closely with a handful of our RJE workplace consultants to execute the operations end of the project. What that means is taking a project from its inception and working with the client all the way through the design and installation process on how we are going to deliver and install in a professional and proper manner, ensuring all the details are covered. Project managers are really heavily engaged during the quoting process because the project manager does all of the estimating for project requirements. I would say around order entry is when the workplace consultant and the designer hand off to the project manager.  When the order has been in motion, it is on the project manager to then manage how to then work on how this project is going to come to life.

As a senior project manager, I also ensure we provide services beyond the installation, including closing out the order completely, making sure every piece is satisfactory and what we have promised within that project has been delivered. A good word for what I do is a product expert or industry expert. If a question comes up that is outside of our workplace consultant’s wheelhouse or questions about designs regarding designs and measurements a project manager could be considered an industry expert for commercial interiors.

What led you to RJE?
At the start of my career I worked for small restaurant on the southside of Indianapolis called Edward’s Drive-in. While there, I worked in catering and small jobs throughout their small family-owned restaurant—there wasn’t much there I didn’t do. Denny Sponsel, RJE’s owner and chief executive officer, had recently purchased RJE while I was working at the restaurant and was relocating the offices and showroom from the northside of Indianapolis to a historic manufacturing building downtown. A friend of the family saw they were moving downtown and told me that “some company is moving from the Northside and it looks really neat so I think you should go check it out.” Per their recommendation, I reached out to RJE to explore the job and was hired to be a furniture installer at that point. This was a defining moment for me and my career to take the job at RJE, because I loved working for Edward’s Drive-In and was close to the family that owned it. That job was going great, so taking the job at RJE was a leap of faith for me to get out and try something new, and my role has evolved a lot from then and I haven’t looked back.

Describe RJE in three words and what your favorite thing about working at RJE is?
Three words I would use to describe RJE are honesty, culture, and deeply rooted. One of my favorite things about working at RJE is meeting new people and developing lasting relationships with them and those in the community. I love that the first time you meet someone on a project team you will be working with, and through time, you build that relationship with them and that trust with them. For instance, we work a lot with architect and design firms on customer projects, and when you get to work with them repeatedly, you build that trust and connection so working together gets more natural. I really think if you understand those are the rewards you get down the road, the initial meeting becomes more important and meaningful.

At RJE, our foundation of the customer experience is “hugging our customer” or what you could define as going above and beyond for our customers. What does hugging your customer mean to you?
To me, hugging our customers is the true definition of willingness to serve others that eventually becomes hard wired in your life overtime and it becomes second nature.

What does an inspiring space include in your eyes?
An inspiring space would be a public space where visitors, clients, and colleagues can come together in harmony to solve problems together where we can all change the world. I think it also includes fun elements, whether that is great drinks, food or even involve a competitive activity to bond and enjoy your time together.

What can customers expect from working with you?
Customers can without fail expect that I will be responsive, fair, never give up under the heaviest of pressure, and no matter what, I will keep my word.

Why are you excited about the new Allsteel partnership?
I am mostly excited for the opportunity for us to partner and hold each other up as we continue to build our relationship and deliver amazing spaces for our customers in the future. It is a breath of fresh air to be working with them. They are willing to help us, and I am excited that they are willing to see us as a true partner rather than just another one of their furniture dealers. I am excited that they are so invested in us, our team and our mission, and I know good things are going to happen!

What is your current favorite product from Allsteel or its portfolio of brands?
Gunlocke wood seating – It has been around for over 100 years, so there is history there and I like that they are handcrafted.

Rapid Fire

Describe yourself in three words.
Educated, trustworthy, creative.

You are a new addition to a crayon box. What color would you be and why?
I would say red because of the fire that burns down deep inside of me for the desire to continuously improve and be the best person I can be everyday (though it is not easy).

What emoji do you use the most?

Favorite way to spend your free time?
I love a very quiet, relaxing day with my wife and kids where we end up doing something spontaneous. Those spontaneous moments turn into the best!

Cats or Dogs?
Neither, but if I have to choose it would be a cat because my kids have a cat.

Favorite place you have ever been?
This is not an easy question for me to answer, but my favorite place is actually a favorite place I have lived. From 2001 to 2002, I was given the opportunity to live in a small town called Sandpoint, Idaho. At the time this was a population of just over 4,000 people, and living there gave me a new perspective on life. The area itself is also such a beautiful part of our country. It is hard to travel to, since it is way up there in Idaho near the Canadian border, but it has big mountains, a huge lake and amazing woods.

Favorite downtown Indy spot?
My family and I LOVE coming downtown for long walks (usually around the White River State Park and The Canal!) and trying new restaurants. I can’t pick just one restaurant, but we love anything on Mass Ave and at Bottleworks’ Garage, really anywhere that supports our local restaurants and bars.

Favorite movie or tv show at the moment?
I am a huge Quentin Terantino fan, so anything he has directed.

Any personal mantra or words to live by that you follow?
A rolling stone gathers no moss.

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