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CWS Partner Feature: Olympic Forest

Olympic Forest, a leading name in pallet distribution, is rooted in sustainability, community, and growth. Every element of Olympic Forest’s business model is centered around genuine, personal, connections. While the company has grown to an impressive $300M in sales annually, their founding mission, to have a positive impact on their local and national community alike, has remained the center of their work since their creation in 1981. Now, Olympic Forest’s mission has partnered with the creative minds of Saint Martin de Porres High School, creating an even wider array of possibilities.

As a new partner this year to the Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP), Olympic Forest is excited for Saint Martin students to bring a new energy and perspective to their work environment. CWSP Supervisors, Kelly O’Kelley and Leslie Avolia, are eager to provide their student workers with learning opportunities that interest them and will propel them forward. For example, after learning that one of their student workers is interested in graphic design, they tailored their work assignments to combine both the student’s interest and needs of the company. Kelly and Leslie eloquently emphasized that “even if students leave this experience saying ‘I don’t want anything to do with business’, they still gain something out of it, have a better understanding of the fundamentals of business, and learn from their experiences.” Having young teenagers in their work environment re-centers Olympic Forest staff to the fundamentals of business and the purpose of their work.

Company President, Dan Andrews, echoes the value of the Corporate Work Study Program at Olympic Forest. He shares, “There is something about working in a business every day that can bring value to a student’s experience. The work environment is so different than an academic environment in how its structured and the challenges you may face. This real world work experience that students are gaining in high school from this program is an incredible concept and will set them up for long-term success.”

Olympic Forest’s love and commitment to the local Cleveland community extends beyond the Corporate Work Study Program. When the company was faced with the need to move office locations in Cleveland, Andrews decided to buy and renovate an old Ukrainian church in Tremont. The renovations of the church were done by all local businesses and service providers, which pleased the neighborhood as the culture and history of their environment remains intact. Olympic Forest approaches their partnership with Saint Martin with the same perspective and central values. When asked why Olympic Forest chose to participate in Saint Martin’s Corporate Work Study Program, Andrews responded “Why would anyone not participate? It impacts students in the community that are looking to do better. Why would you not include people from your company and help them do that? It enriches the local community and helps students be successful”.

The community of Olympic Forest places immense value not in the destination, but in the journey. While they are a highly successful, renowned company, they never lose sight of the people behind their projects. Saint Martin students are a welcomed addition to this community, and are already adding undeniable value to an already esteemed business.