Our Staff

Bill Vessels, Founder

Bill has over 50 years in the office supplies business. He says, “I started in the business back in 1950 B.C.C.C. (before Copiers, Computers & Cell phones)!” He founded Total Office Products & Service in 1979 in a small store on Preston. His vision for an office products business which offers customers a wide range of products at competitive prices backed by excellent customer service became successful quickly. Through his leadership, Total Office has grown and flourished. We are now located in a large facility in Riverport. Bill still visits, troubleshoots, tells a story or two, or three, sharing his years of wisdom with us, gleaned from a lifetime in this business.

bill@totalops.com

Chris Vessels, President & General Manager

Chris started working at Total Office when he was just 13 years of age, “It’s the only job I’ve ever had so I better do it well!” he says. His easy-going nature makes him a joy to work with and his relaxed attire allows him to jump into the trenches to get the job done. A “MacGyver” of sorts, Chris is able to fix just about anything. He is a lot like his dad, too, strong work ethics, visionary leadership, and full of great stories.

ASK CHRIS a question or leave a comment at this link.

Betty Vessels, Office Manager

Miss Betty, Ms. V, Cool Betty, all names our customers call our beloved office Mom. Our customers have grown to love her, almost as much as we do. When they call she is usually the first one to answer the phone. That is why a lot of our customers recognize her as “The Voice of Total Office.” She knows about everything! Some customers would rather call in their orders so they can chat with her. We have customers who have been with us so long they have become more than customers to Betty. They have become good friends. Still going strong, Betty keeps us all on our toes. Not only does she keep the office clean and organized, she cares, watching out for all of us, staff as well as customers. It’s all because Miss Betty treats everyone like family.

Call Betty at: (502) 636-9278

Janis Buffington, Sales and Design

Janis has a passion for creativity! She enjoys helping customers with their surroundings and owned her own design company for over a decade. She met Chris while working on a corporate expansion for the Zoeller Company. Needing a source for high-quality, competitively-priced furniture, she called Total Office and met Chris. The design project spanned over 1½ yrs. The results were a huge success! They worked so well together, they decided to team up for good with Janis moving her sales and design expertise to Total Office. She loves working here! She finds joy in helping customers with anything they may need for their office.

janis@totalops.com

Ray Gowen, Customer Service Specialist

Ray is known by our customers as the “delivery guy.” He is also a talker when he gets a chance. Ray is quick-witted and thought-provoking. He truly cares about each of our customers. Many people depend on Ray for the things they need and he always delivers (pun intended)! If he is able to slow down enough for a conversation, you will find yourself pondering it long after he is gone. Be sure to glance his way before he leaves, though. You may catch him smile or see a playful twinkle in his eyes.

Sheila VanMeter, Customer Orders Specialist

Sheila works behind the scenes, quietly making sure customers orders are filled, checked, and ready for delivery. Our customers may talk to her when they call, if Betty doesn’t get to the phone first. Sheila has been with Total Office for 20+ years. She has a lot of experience providing what our customers need. She has a big heart for animals, too. You can find her gently loving on our office cats, Susie and Frankie, or finding a home for a stray animal.

sheila@totalops.com

Susie and Frankie, Office Cats Extraordinaire

Susie and Frankie are our office cats. They greet us everyday, always making everyone smile. Susie is the queen of Total Office. She sits on her throne (really an empty candy box she claimed) at the front desk watching everyone come and go. Frankie keeps watch from his favorite spot high above us all. There is nothing like having office cats. You can be working on a project and Susie will jump up on your desk, sitting right in the middle of your work or on your keyboard. Frankie is more subtle. He quietly pops into our offices to visit or appears from around a corner. They bring everyone a lot of joy!