MEDIA KIT
DBI Finalizes ESOP Transaction
Designed with intention. Built by our people. Invested in the outcome.
DBI, an office furniture and interior design company, finalized its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) transaction on June 30, 2026, marking an important new chapter for the Lansing-based company. This transition protects DBI’s local legacy, invests in the people who helped build the company, and strengthens its long-term commitment to clients, partners, and the Mid-Michigan community.
– QUICK FACTS –
Locally Owned
Our roots are in the heart of Lansing, Michigan.
40+ Years
DBI was founded in 1984 as a furniture dealer.
June 30, 2026
DBI closed on and became an ESOP organization.
Best In Class
Achieved Haworth Best In Class every year for 14 years.
54
DBI has 54 staff members across three Lansing facilities.
Designed with intention. Built by our people. Invested in the outcome.
Why DBI Chose An ESOP
When DBI’s owners, George Snyder and Steve Klaver, began planning for retirement and DBI’s next chapter, preserving local ownership was central to the decision. After more than 40 years in Mid-Michigan, DBI has become a locally rooted business with long-standing client relationships, community partnerships, and a team culture built through decades of work in the region. Rather than pursue a sale to an outside buyer or competitor, DBI chose an ESOP structure to keep the company’s future connected to the people and community that helped build it.
Becoming an ESOP-owned company allows DBI to continue forward with the people who helped build it. This transition preserves the heart of who DBI is while creating a way for eligible Member-Owners to share in the company’s long-term success. For clients and partners, this next chapter means DBI remains the same trusted, local team they know, now with an even deeper shared commitment to the work, relationships, and project outcomes. For the Mid-Michigan community, it helps preserve a longstanding local employer and keeps DBI’s investment and commitment anchored close to home.
DBI was selected as a recipient of Michigan’s Transition to Employee Ownership Pilot Program, an initiative launched by LEO in partnership with MICEO to help Michigan businesses explore employee ownership as a path to preserve local companies, protect jobs, and keep businesses rooted in their communities.
– DOWNLOADABLE MEDIA ASSETS –
– OUR HISTORY –
– APPROVED QUOTES –
Name: George Snyder
Title: Former CEO and President
Email: george.snyder@dbiyes.com
Tenure: 39 years
Name: Nicole (Nicki) Zyla
Title: Sales and Marketing Manager *Media Contact
Email: nicole.zyla@dbiyes.com
Tenure: 22 years
Primary Quote:
“When Steve and I began thinking about what came next for DBI, keeping the company locally owned was one of the most important things to us. We wanted DBI’s future to stay connected to the people, clients, and community that helped shape it. The ESOP allows us to do that in a meaningful way.”
— George Snyder
Supporting Quotes:
“The LEO and MICEO Michigan’s Transition to Employee Ownership Pilot Program helped make this process more accessible as we explored what employee ownership could mean for DBI. For a business owner, this is a major decision, and having the right resources and people involved made a meaningful difference.”
— George Snyder
“What makes DBI strong has always been the care our team brings to the work. From the first conversation to the final installation, our Employee-Owners understand that the details matter. The ESOP reinforces that mindset and gives our team an even deeper connection to the success we create together.”
— George Snyder
Primary Quote:
“Our reputation has always been built on the relationships we create and the service we provide. Employee ownership strengthens our commitment by giving every Employee-Owner a personal stake in delivering exceptional experiences and supporting DBI’s continued success.”
— Nicole Zyla, Sales and Marketing Manager
Supporting Quotes:
“As DBI looks to the future, we want to continue building a workplace where people feel connected to the company’s purpose and proud of the work they do. Becoming ESOP-owned strengthens that story and gives current and future Employee-Owners another reason to see a long-term future here.”
— Nicole Zyla, Sales and Marketing Manager
“What excites me most about DBI’s future is our team and the ideas already taking shape. As the way people work continues to change, we have an opportunity to bring fresh thinking to the spaces we create and to keep helping companies build environments that truly support their people.”
— Nicole Zyla, Sales and Marketing Manager
– PHOTO LIBRARY –
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