Kayhan International Ltd. is a leading office furniture dealership in the Chicago area that offers contract furniture through exceptional customer service.

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Early in her career, Kayhan Hellriegel faced immense challenges in the business world because she was a woman, she recalls. Determination, however, combined with skills and values, helped her ultimately break through the gender barrier and launch a successful global company, Kayhan International.

After working her way up from billing clerk to top salesperson for a transportation company, Hellriegel was in line for the position of vice president. Unfortunately, the president of the company was not supportive of her application for the opening. He sent a letter saying that the company would hire a woman vice president “over his dead body.”  

Hellriegel refused to be deterred by her boss’ declaration, but rather used it as an incentive to become an entrepreneur, she says. “I wanted to start a company not only to help myself, but to help others who didn’t have a chance,” she explains.

Twenty-six years later, Hellriegel now serves as CEO of Kayhan International Ltd., a leading office furniture dealership in the Chicago area that specializes in contract furniture, adaptable/sustainable design, furniture installation, relocation and refurbishment. Kayhan International is certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).    

Over the years, Hellriegel and her company have received numerous awards and recognitions. Most recently:
•    Crain’s Chicago Business ranked Kayhan International the 28th largest women-owned firm in 2006.
•    Motorola honored Kayhan’s Account Manager Susan Cortez with the Motorola Bravo Award for delivering exceptional service in 2006.
•    University of Illinois in Chicago inducted Hellriegel into the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in 2007
•    Inc. 500 named Kayhan International one of America’s top-5,000 fastest growing private companies in 2007.

Ahead of Her Time
From the day Hellriegel decided to start her own business, she says, she relished taking risks. In 1993, Kayhan International was the first dealership in the industry to go global when it landed a large overseas project for the Royal Families of Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

The project was two 19-story high-rises, one in Abu Dhabi and the other in Dhabi. The company provided consulting services regarding furniture procurement, as well as purchasing and installing furniture.

From there, the company developed a specialty in supporting businesses with global needs, she says. To date, it has done business in 26 countries.

“She fought the dragon of uncertainty and won the Pearl of the East; this took the courage of a champion,” said Tom Sun, vice president of real estate for Motorola, based on an award the company received for its corporate headquarters’ project.

Hellriegel knew that exceptional service would play an important role in the success of her business. In addition to making sure she personally knew each of her clients, she chose to manage accounts with a team approach as opposed to using a commission-based sales strategy. “I wanted to make sure that the account managers had the incentive to over-service their clients,” she explains. “I also wanted more than one person familiar with the account in order to help with communication and project implementation.”

The company strives to take care of its employees. Turnover is infrequent, she adds. An average employee has been with the company for 16 years.

“You have to set an example for your employees so that they understand you’re with them 100 percent,” she says. “I answer the phone when they call and make sure I see them and talk to them. I make sure they are happy, and if they’re not, I try to help them overcome their issues, even if it’s personal.”

Community service is also important, Hellriegel says. “For a dozen years, we have sponsored the annual Chicago Real Estate Awards banquet,” she says. “Proceeds from the event go to the Greater Chicago Food Depository to feed the hungry. In 2007, the event raised $1 million for the Chicago Food Depository, enough to buy 4 million meals.”

Sustainable and Flexible Design
Kayhan International’s primary furniture supplier is Haworth, a world-class manufacturer of commercial office furniture. Haworth specializes in office products that support sustainable, adaptable workspace design.

“We work with Haworth and with other manufacturers to deliver the best quality/value combination,” President Pat Turnbull explains. “[Haworth] is nimble about trying to develop products that support comfort and health in a productive environment.”

Businesses today prefer office spaces that are flexible so that they can quickly respond to changing business needs, Turnbull says. “Mobility is huge,” she stresses. “We also see a better application of workspace strategy – in other words, work space that is designed to support what the worker is doing. This thoughtful approach to interior space helps clients save money on real estate, decrease operating costs and increase productivity.”

Sustainable and energy efficient building design is an important industry trend, Hellriegel notes. Kayhan International and its manufacturing partners, like Haworth, strive to support sustainable, healthy environments.

“We do so by providing sustainable, adaptable workspace solutions in a manner which protects and restores the environment, creates economic value, and supports and strengthens our communities,” Hellriegel says.