Request A Consultation Skip to primary navigation Skip to footer ABOUT US INDUSTRIES PRODUCTS SERVICES LOCATIONS GALLERY TECHNOLOGY SERVICES all makes ALL THINGS WORKSPACE. You are here: Home / About Us About Us Harry Ferer founds All Makes Typewriter Co. In 1918, Russian immigrant Harry Ferer founded All Makes Typewriter Co., just blocks from where the All Makes Omaha showroom is located today. Among the products he sold was the Ediphone, a state-of-the-art dictating machine invented by an acquaintance named Thomas Edison. Family folklore: Ferer and Edison may have been friends Family folklore has it that Ferer and Edison may have actually been friends and that Ferer had visited the famed inventor’s home. Ferer’s son-in-law, Lazier Kavich, joined the company in 1938, adding government surplus items and used office furniture to the mix. The company was renamed All Makes Office Equipment Company in 1960 to reflect its expansion and broader product selection. Entering the contract furniture business When Lazier’s son, Larry Kavich, joined the company in 1965, he saw an opportunity to enter the contract furniture business, adding new furnishings to All Makes’ offerings of office machines and pre-owned furniture. Leadership in the fourth generation Forty-two years after Larry Kavich joined the family business, he turned over the top daily decision-making duties to his son, Jeff Kavich, and his daughter, Amee Zetzman. As the fourth generation of leadership, their combined responsibilities include participation in major projects as well as long-range direction to the continuing growth of All Makes. Jeff Kavich currently serves as the President/CEO of All Makes in Omaha. Amee Zetzman currently serves as Executive Vice President/CFO of All Makes in Omaha and President/CEO of All Makes in Lincoln and Urbandale, Iowa. Serving customers in all 50 states, Canada and overseas Nearly a century after its founding, the continuously family-owned All Makes still features state-of-the-art technology and now also offers a wide array of furnishings and fixtures for offices and industries in all 50 states, Canada and overseas. Corporate Timeline Russian Harry A. Ferer immigrates to Omaha 1900 Ferer starts typewriter sales, rental and repair business 1914 Ferer founds All Makes Typewriter Co. at 1918 Farnam Street 1918 Ferer’s son-in-law L.A. (Lazier) Kavich enters the business and adds office furniture to line of automated office machines 1938 Kavich becomes president 1940 Ferer retires 1943 All Makes moves to 2558 Farnam Street 1952 Name is changed from All Makes Typewriter Company to All Makes Office Equipment Company 1960 Bill Fogel begins serving as company president, a position he holds until his death in 1984 1962 All Makes moves into former Rosen Novak Chevrolet building at 2558 Farnam Street and remodels 2550 Farnam; office design and decorating counsel begins 1962 Founder’s grandson Larry Kavich joins company and adds new, high-end contract furniture 1965 Lincoln, Nebraska showroom/branch store of new and used office furniture and office machines opens 1967 Des Moines, Iowa, showroom and branch store, All Makes Office Equipment Co., opens 1972 Haworth Inc. Million Dollar Dealer award, 1983-2003 1983 Larry Kavich becomes president 1983 Allsteel Circle of Excellence Million-Dollar Dealer 1984 Off-premises Lincoln warehouse opens 1987 Haworth Blue Ribbon Award 1987 Off-premises Omaha distribution center opens 1988 Salute to Small Business Pioneer Business Award 1989 Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce Golden Spike Award 1989 30,000-square-foot contract furniture renovation in Omaha 1990 10,000-square-foot machine division showroom and service dept. in Omaha opens 1990 Founder’s great-grandson Jeff Kavich (son of Larry Kavich) joins company 1990 Office Dealer magazine Top 50 Dealer 1990-1997 1990 Quality Improvement Process begins 1992 Founder’s great-granddaughter Amee Zetzman (daughter of Larry Kavich) joins company as Chief Financial Officer 1994 Final phase of 13,000-square-foot mid-market showroom and general office renovation in Omaha 1995 Des Moines communications company Data Services Inc. recognizes All Makes for outstanding service 1995 15,000-square-foot Lincoln contract furniture showroom/general office remodeling 1996 National Association of Office Furniture Dealers Dealer of the Year 1996 Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year 1996 Creighton University College of Business Salute to Family Business Award 1996 10,000-square-foot All Makes on 2 showroom in Omaha opens 1998 Jeff Kavich named vice president and chief operating officer 1999 15,000-square-foot contract furniture showroom office remodeling in Omaha 2001 HON Company Award of Excellence 2002 Amee Zetzman named to Midlands Business Journal 40 Under 40 2003 Des Moines store relocated to nearby Urbandale, Iowa; 4,000 square-foot facility and warehouse opens as All Makes Office Interiors 2003 Company-wide 85th anniversary 2003 Jeff Kavich named to Midlands Business Journal 40 Under 40 2004 Larry Kavich announced as Chairman; Jeff Kavich announced as President/CEO All Makes Omaha, and Executive Vice President for Lincoln and Urbandale; Amee Zetzman announced as President/CEO of Lincoln and Urbandale, Executive Vice President/CFO All Makes Omaha 2004 8,280 square-foot contract furniture showroom renovation in Omaha 2005 1,000 square-foot All Makes Express showroom in Omaha opens 2005 HON Company Award of Excellence 2005 Haworth Company Masters Award 2005 Workplace Furnishings Silver Certificate of Commitment 2005 Des Moines Business RecordBest Place to Buy Office Furniture runner-up 2005 HON Company Award of Excellence 2006 Better Business Bureau 50 Year Diamond Member 2006 Haworth Company Masters Award 2006 Best of B2B Omaha Best Place to Buy Office Furniture 2006 Small Business Opportunities national feature article 2007 Best of B2B Omaha Best Place to Buy Office Furniture 2007 Angels Among Us wins All Makes’ $25,000 Nonprofit Office Makeover Contest 2008 8,000-square-foot Omaha movable wall showroom and executive offices opens 2008 Companywide 90th anniversary 2008 National fleet graphics competition 2nd place 2008 All Makes Omaha adds healthcare and education showrooms 2008 Best of B2B Omaha Best Place to Buy Office Furniture 2008 Friendship Home wins All Makes’ $25,000 Nonprofit Office Makeover Contest 2009 Design Director Gretchen Golter achieves LEED AP certification 2009 World Renowned Designer Jhane Barnes presents in All Makes showroom 2009 Best of B2B Omaha Best Place to Buy Office Furniture 2009 CopyStar joins machine division line-up 2010 Best of B2B Omaha Best Place to Buy Office Furniture (fifth consecutive year) 2010 International Interior Design Association Winner: Omaha City Center Industry Partner of the Year 2010 Best of B2B Omaha Best Place to Buy Office Furniture 2011 Farnam Collection (All Makes’ first-ever private label line) launches 2012 Best of B2B Omaha Best Place to Buy Office Furniture 2012 All Makes launches into Digital Document Management with Square-9 Softworks as reseller 2013 Hon Company President’s Award 2013 Best of B2B Omaha Best Place to Buy Office Furniture 2013 Best of B2B Omaha Best Place to Buy Office Furniture 2014 All Makes opens new showroom in downtown Des Moines, Iowa 2014 All Makes redesigns Omaha showroom with HNI products including movable walls 2014 Best of B2B Omaha Best Place to Buy Office Furniture (10 consecutive years) 2015 Best of B2B Omaha Best Place to Buy Office Furniture 2016 Footer EXPLORE ABOUT US PRODUCTS SERVICES OUR WORK DESIGN IDEAS LOCATIONS ALL STEEL CONFIGURATOR HON CONFIGURATOR TERMS & PRIVACY LOCATIONS OMAHA HEADQUARTERS 2558 Farnam Street Omaha, NE 68131 402.341.2413 LINCOLN SHOWROOM 3333 O Street Lincoln, NE 68510 402.477.7131 KEARNEY SHOWROOM 3715 29th Avenue, Suite C Kearney, NE 68845 402.681.9025 DES MOINES SHOWROOM 500 East Court Ave, Ste 150 Des Moines, IA 50309 515.282.2166 COLUMBUS SHOWROOM 4471 41st Ave, Ste 102 Columbus, Nebraska 68601 402.473.8395 TRUSTED & AWARDED ALL MAKES NEWSLETTER REMOTE SERVICE SUPPORT Enter your 6-digit code © 2021 · ALL MAKES