A Course to the Top

Closing plants and laying off people really are the only smart ways to integrate in an honest and efficient manner, Vander Zanden contends. The key to a successful strategy is to always “let people know what’s happening to their jobs and their companies as soon as we know,” he says.

Following an acquisition, School Specialty quickly capitalizes on the benefits it can achieve. “We put the companies together, take out redundancies and create more value. In many cases, we also shore up a stronger market position by buying the competition.”