How It All Began
Buddies Sean Marx and Mike Hannigan worked in the business supply industry together for years, and got a lot out of it. But as long-time do-gooders, they yearned to give something back.
So they decided to use their personal savings to found a company based on the Newman's Own food products model, a company that would sell quality products and give the profits back to the community.
GSB began in Hannigan's living room, but soon outgrew those digs, moving into larger and larger quarters. Within a few years, GSB became the West Coast's largest independent office supplier, with corporate offices in three cities, serving businesses throughout the nation from 40 distribution centers.
GSB has been widely recognized for our business success and our philanthropic mission. Out of more than 400 companies, Paul Newman, Marian Wright Edelman, John Kennedy, Jr., and other national luminaries voted us one of the most generous companies in America — and the most generous one in California.
Inc. Magazine named us one of the fastest growing privately held companies in America, and one of the 50 fastest growing city-based companies in the nation three years in a row. We've been consistently recognized as one of the Bay Area's largest philanthropists, were named Outstanding Corporate Grantmaker by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and have won dozens of other awards. We've been featured in media from the New York Times to Forbes Magazine.
We continue to grow and delight customers, providing superstore prices on a huge array of office supplies, including more than 5,000 green products.
