When Kathy needs a new office outfitted, she doesn't request bids or walk a designer through what she wants. She sketches a rough layout and sends it to Jerry. Partway through a conversation about her long working relationship with Cubiture, she did exactly that. “I'm going to send him one right now,” she said, nodding to yet another project already on its way to Jerry's inbox.
That kind of shorthand is the product of 15 to 17 years working together. Kathy handles furniture and space planning for a high-voltage engineering and construction firm with offices and field locations across the country. For most of two decades, Jerry Mogyorody at Cubiture has been the person she calls first.
How it started
Kathy doesn't remember running a search or comparing vendors. She already had someone handling the work, and when he retired, Jerry took over the same territory. “I gave him a try,” she said, “and he's worked out ever since.”
A relationship built on knowing, not explaining
Ask Kathy what makes the partnership work and she doesn't point to price or turnaround time. She points to the fact that she rarely has to explain anything. “He knows me inside and out,” she said. “He knows what I need and what I expect, and his people do as well.”
That familiarity extends to the specifics. The company relies on Herman Miller's Aeron chairs almost exclusively, and refurbishing rather than replacing is the default. “It's tried and true,” Kathy said of the brand, and Jerry knows the standard without being reminded.
Projects across state lines
The work isn't confined to one office. Jerry has outfitted entire suites for Kathy's company in Utah, North Carolina, and Louisiana, in addition to the company's home base in Texas. Some jobs are large builds tied to a brand-new location. Others are smaller refreshes to existing space. “I've used him for big, huge projects, as well as very, very small projects,” Kathy said.
Send it, price it, tweak it
The process itself hasn't needed to change in years. Kathy sends a layout, Jerry prices it, and adjustments happen from there. “I can send him a rudimentary drawing,” she said, “and he can design it, and we'll tweak it. If I don't like it, I can send it back and say, hey, let's look at this.”
Would she recommend him?
Kathy didn't hesitate. “He's reliable. He's dedicated to his job. He's dedicated to the project, and if it's not functioning properly, he'll make it that way.”
