....from Turnstone's REFRESHments Newsletter - September 2010.....

In the Network....

Kershner Office Furniture

King of Prussia, PA

Bruer Kershner

Owner - Principal

You don't have to spend more than a minute in Bruer Kershner's office to "get" the fact that there are very few things more important to him than the people he's close to and the sense of tradition behind his business. The walls are lined with photos of multiple generations of family and images of buildings, people and products that portray his personal history in the office furniture and supply business. Bruer is part of a legacy and is both of proud of the fact and motivated by it.

The roots of Kershner's go back three generations to 1959, when Claude B. Kershner Jr. founded a full service company selling a broad range of furniture and office supplies. The current business, a full-service dealership focused on a robust offering of new and used furniture, was chartered in 2002 with a focus on a resurgence of the Kershner brand in the Philadelphia marketplace.

Like many of his peers in the dealer community, Bruer wears many hats and defines himself as leader, mentor and salesperson.He's strong on relationships and cites his favorite aspect of the business as "developing relationships with customers, manufacturers and the Kershner team to ensure that we're meeting the needs of everyone involved in the process". He's committed to providing "great solutions, quality office furniture and exceptional service".

Citing the "trying times" we find ourselves in, Bruer personifies a spirit of optimism that defines the heart of the entrepreneurial spirit at the core of his business. He notes that the key to thriving in tough times is to "continually change and adapt our strategies to meet the needs of our customers". And it's no accident his greatest pride is "building an exceptional company with a foundation of great customers" while being a "trusted partner in delivering quality and value in their solutions".

In addition to growing the business, Bruer takes time to enjoy spending time with his family, weekend trips to the beach and the occasional round of golf. With 27 years in the business, he's clearly found a way to balance his passion for business with his passion for the family whose legacy he upholds.

We have a feeling that Kershner's is a brand with a future that's as bright as its past.