After 45 acquisitions, School Specialty is now the No. 1 supplier of products for educators.

By Alicia Orr Suman

In 1996, School Specialty was bought by U.S. Office Products. Two years later, U.S. Office Products broke up into five companies and School Specialty became a publicly traded firm. It bought its largest competitor, Beckley-Cardy Group, later that year.

That’s how School Specialty became the No. 1 national education supplies company.