Company History
40+ years of sparking ideas. At Catalyst Workplace Activation, our why is to spark ideas that deliver smarter ways to work and to win the hearts and minds of our customers.
Our History
History has its roots in Catalyst's values of teamwork, always doing the right thing, and winning the hearts and minds of each customer.
In 1982, Dave and Florence Covey convinced Herman Miller to allow Business Interiors Northwest to sell Herman Miller products in the South King and Pierce Counties. They brought Peter Darling in as a partner, and Business Interiors was born! They expanded to the Seattle market and brought in their longtime friend Rich Lacher as their partner to lead Business Interiors of Seattle as President and CEO. This successful partnership continued for many years. They attributed their success to the shared personal and business values each partner possessed.
In 1993, Sean O'Brien was brought in as the next generation of ownership. In the following 20 years, Dave, Florence, Peter, and Rich retired, and Sean remains CEO.
As time went on and we built stronger relationships with our clients, this allowed us to develop our expertise into four vertical markets: Corporate, Healthcare, Education, and Government. At this time, we changed our name to BiNW, highlighting that we do not only serve corporate customers. But this acronym still didn't tell our customers what we do.
Catalyst Workplace Activation
After nine months of market research, interviews, and training, we found the perfect name to personify what we do. On July 18th, 2016, we changed our name to Catalyst Workplace Activation. Our expertise is activating workplaces, transforming workplaces into the most engaging places for people to work, learn, and heal. Alongside our brand evolution, we also had something innovative, new, and a never-been-done-before element of us to present to the industry.
Spark what's next.
In January 2016, we opened the Catalyst Loft in Downtown Seattle. This living idea lab, located in the heart of Seattle, was designed as an extension of our brand, a place of true innovation. The Catalyst Loft was a space that provided a stage for workplace innovation, and a laboratory for showcasing new ideas about work. The Loft's purpose was to change our industry's conversations, ignite smarter ways to work, and, quite simply, spark what's next.
Thought Leadership
Dynamic is a state of constant change. That's why at Catalyst Workplace Activation, we host opportunities to share expert insights and activate new ways to think. Our regular thought-leadership events offer an insider's edge to the latest trends, ideas, and practices. Let's ignite smarter ways to work, to think, to care. Because change is a constant—and the best place to be is at the forefront.
In March 2020, Catalyst took our Thought Leadership Events virtual!
MillerKnoll
In January 2022, Catalyst became a MillerKnoll dealership and purchased the Seattle Location of Western Office Interiors, a leading Knoll Dealer, allowing us to expand our brand to include Knoll's offerings.