Business View Magazine | Volume 9, Issue 3

180 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 3 despite the pandemic.” The care for its employees that COE Distributing displays ensures that the company has created a hugely positive workplace culture. It has continued to hire throughout the pandemic – including several high-level personnel that can fulfill their roles remotely. “The first time that any of us met one of the new members of our executive team face-to-face was during a team meeting in October,” Ewing admits. “Although the hire had actually taken place nine months previously, everyone felt as if they knew this individual because of the relaxed environment we create. I think this speaks to the strength of our culture, as well as our ability to adapt to a hybrid working environment.” In addition to its staff, COE Distributing was also supported throughout the pandemic by two private carrier partners, including Aim Integrated Logistics, that the company has worked with for a number of years. Another key partnership has been that of BigCommerce, the world’s leading cloud e-commerce platform, which helped develop COE Distributing’s online platform. “During the pandemic, we carried out a website refresh that was focused on creating more of an Amazon-like experience,” Melanie Ewing, CEO Distributing’s Chief Marketing Officer explains. “With technology evolving all the time, we knew it was time for us to develop relationships with more e-commerce accounts. In BigCommerce, we found a partner that could build the website pretty much from the ground up. A company that understood our business model and helped us to execute a website that reflected that.” Having navigated the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic with the support of its customers, employees, and partners, COE Distributing is looking ahead to resuming its growth and developing products that are beneficial to everyone that it works with. The company will also keep one eye open for expansion and acquisition opportunities should they become available, but CEO and Chairman J. D. Ewing’s ambitions for the next few years are more humble. He shares, “The main items on our wish list are good health and continued productivity.” PREFERRED VENDORS/PARTNERS n Sisterson & Co. LLP www.sisterson.com Sisterson & Co. LLP is one of the largest independently-owned CPA firms in Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania. Since 1926, clients like COE have experienced the Sisterson Standard, a tradition of technical excellence and exemplary service. n Aim Transportation Solutions; www.aimntls.com