Nu-Idea School Supply Company was founded in 1921 by Roy Tucker, a former school teacher. He began the company by making wooden school desks that sold for less than $3.00 apiece. The company sold thousands of these wooden desks and other complimentary items for classrooms in South Carolina and North Carolina.
Our Facility
In 2017, Nu-Idea moved into an 40,000 square foot facility located on South Guignard Drive in Sumter, SC. This new location is the home of our corporate headquarters and includes an 10,000 square foot showroom with the latest and greatest education, office and church furnishings. Our large warehouse gives us the ability to inventory large volumes of furniture available for quick ship. We deliver product with our own company trucks and our professional in-house installers, set and clean up before we leave.
Our Team
Our varied services, a vast array of product offerings, and an experienced staff have enabled Nu-Idea to take on a roll of unequaled leadership in the K-12 marketplace. We have an attentive staff of experienced leaders and sales personnel to drive every project to a successful completion. We also have software and interior designers on hand to assist with product selection, space planning, and color selection.
Cary Coker
ccoker@nu-idea.com
803-773-7389
Cary began his career at Nu-Idea in June of 1996. He started as a temporary hire for summer work on the operations side of the business. This included working in the warehouse, delivering furniture, and working with an installation team on various projects. What began as a temporary hire evolved into a full-time sales position in the fall of 1996. By 1998 a sales representative vacated his position which opened the door for Cary to have an opportunity to manage a territory that spanned the eastern half of the state. In 2005 he became a stockholder and the first owner outside the original family that started the company in 1921. He was promoted to Vice President of Sales and held that title until January 2013 when he became a majority owner and President. At this point, he had a vision that by hiring certain strategic employees, the successful business model in South Carolina could be expanded into other markets in the southeast, which has proved to be the case. In 2017, the company moved into a new and modern facility that has added to the sales pitch of the company by allowing customers to see and touch all the different types of commercial, church, and k-12 educational furnishings. The company has continued to grow by adding more sales representatives in new markets, interior design staff, inside sales support, and project management. The business model of taking care of the customer and bringing value to procuring furniture has been a mission and focus under Cary’s leadership and the future looks bright.
Cary is a proud father of four daughters. He has been involved in various civic organizations over the years and served on a number of boards. He is a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church where he has served as a Sunday school teacher, a deacon, and an elder. In his free time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, and traveling.
Thomas White
twhite@nu-idea.com
803-983-1824
Thomas joined the Nu-Idea team in August of 2016. A native of Sumter, Thomas is working out of our corporate office in Sumter. His sales territory includes Sumter and the eastern portion of South Carolina, as well as all of North Carolina. Thomas graduated from the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business in 2013. He and his wife Taylor, who were married in 2018, currently live in Columbia, where they enjoy spending time with family and friends and attending Carolina sporting events.
Matt Riddick
mriddick@nu-idea.com
919-518-7090
Matt joined the Nu-Idea team in 2023 as VP of Business Development. He is a graduate of Appalachian State University and has over 16 years in the industry. Matt lives in Clayton, NC with his wife and two daughters. He is a huge fan of the Carolina Panthers and North Carolina Tarheels. If not on a golf course, you can usually find him at one of his daughters’ events.
Curt Richburg
crichburg@nu-idea.com
803-773-7389
Curt joined the Nu-Idea team in 1999. His responsibilities as Operations and Church Sales Manager include the management of employees, budget analysis, project management, shipping, receiving and warehousing of inventory, fleet management, scheduling, installation and project management. He is a graduate of USC with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Curt resides in Manning, SC. He is married and blessed with two energetic boys.
Dee Minton
dminton@nu-idea.com
803-773-7389
Dee joined the Nu-Idea team in 2007. Her job responsibilities are a wide range for the company where she oversees all aspects of customer service, order entry, purchasing, and accounts receivable/payable. She graduated from Central Carolina Technical College in 1983 with her Associate Degree in Administrative Office Technology. Dee was born and resides in Sumter, SC. She and her husband Richard have two children Lauren and Preston.
Kathie Welch
kwelch@nu-idea.com
803-773-7389
Kathie joined the Nu Idea team in 2013 following a 32 career at NBSC. Her responsibilities consist of warm and cheerful customer service, answering phones and directing calls to the correct department. She processes new orders, answers questions from vendors on orders and files product failures on any damaged products received. Kathie was born in Greenville, SC and currently lives in Sumter, SC. She is a member of the Seeker’s Sunday School class at Crosswell Baptist Church. When not working she enjoys traveling, going to concerts and spending time with her family and two dogs Bella and Brandi.
Taylor Kinney
tkinney@nu-idea.com
803-773-7389
Taylor joined the Nu-Idea team in June of 2022 following her move to Sumter. She is originally from Spartanburg and relocated to Sumter after marrying her husband, Andrew. She graduated from Presbyterian College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2017 and was previously a second-grade teacher in Spartanburg School District Six. Her job responsibilities include a range of accounting duties within the office such as managing incoming and outgoing invoices, paying vendors, preparing payroll and processing customer payments.
Julie Coker
jcoker@nu-idea.com
803-773-7389
Julie joined the Nu-Idea team in March of 2015. She assists all sales reps with Nu-Idea generating 2D layouts, 3D renderings, and coordinating finishes selections. Julie graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a minor in Art History in December of 1990.
She brings with her years of experience in interior design, project management, and a knowledge of construction and commercial development.
Julie was born in England but was raised and is currently residing in Sumter with her husband Robby. They married in 1992 and are blessed with two sons and a daughter-in-law.
Kyndal McDonald
kmcdonald@nu-idea.com
803-773-7389
Kyndal joined the Nu-Idea team in May 2021. She assists Julie with generating 2D layouts, 3D renderings, and coordinating finish selections for projects and also coordinates marketing material on all social media platforms as well as the Nu-Idea website. Kyndal is a Sumter native and married her husband, Devin McDonald in 2012. They have two children, Ella Rose and Ben, and a goldendoodle, Max. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, shopping, and spending time with family and friends.
Jason Carver
jcarver@nu-idea.com
803-800-3227
Jason joined the Nu-Idea team in October of 2013. He has been in the school furniture sales business for over 20 years. Jason started with a national company in sales support, and moved into outside sales in South Carolina over 13 years ago. He is an avid sports fan and enjoys all sports. Jason lives in Lexington County, is married to his wife Jennifer and has twins in college.
Nick Carnucci
ncarnucci@nu-idea.com
843-503-9656
Nick joined the Nu-Idea team in January of 2022 as an intern, while he was obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Retail Management from The University of South Carolina. After graduating in May of 2022, he became a full-time employee, working in operations/install before moving into inside sales and project management. He is now the sales manager for the upstate of South Carolina. Nick is originally from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina but now lives in Columbia and enjoys supporting his alma mater at Williams Brice Stadium and spending time at the beach with friends and family.
Kristen Hopson
khopson@nu-idea.com
843-822-0290
Kristen started with Nu-Idea in April 2024. Originally from West Virginia, she graduated from Fairmont State University and moved to Charleston, SC over 20 years ago. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis, beach volleyball, watching movies, and spending time with her two daughters, Hannah and Hope. She also volunteers with East Cooper Meals on Wheels, First Day Festival, and several local charity events throughout the year. Kristen has been in sales management for 22 years. The majority of her career has been in banking where she was most recently Vice President, Senior Recruiter with United Bank.
Marie Purvis
mpurvis@nu-idea.com
719-313-1376
Marie joined the Nu-Idea Sales team in 2025, bringing more than a decade of experience in the school furniture industry. Having served in a variety of key roles throughout her career, she offers a well-rounded, hands-on understanding of the entire furniture procurement process—from planning and selection to delivery and installation. She lives in York County with her husband and two daughters, a perspective that deepens her appreciation for the schools and communities she serves. Marie is a graduate of Colorado Christian University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Felipe Diaz
fdiaz@nu-idea.com
704-390-5186
Felipe joined the Nu-Idea team in May 2024 and supports our customers in North Carolina. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, his family has called Charlotte home since 2011. Felipe is a graduate of Bowling Green State University and holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in marketing. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, working out and watching his sons play basketball.
Ryan Korey
rkorey@nu-idea.com
623-810-1314
Ryan joined the Nu-Idea team in March of 2022. Ryan moved from Arizona to North Carolina in November of 2021 and has been in the School Furnishing business for over 7 years. Ryan has an undergraduate degree from Northern Arizona University in Advertising and Marketing. Ryan currently resides in Wilmington, NC with his wife Tanya, two kids Elliana and Ryder, and two dogs Jewels and Flapjack. Ryan likes to play golf, go to the beach, and spend time with his family at every opportunity he gets.
Keith Doonan
kdoonan@nu-idea.com
678-612-6000
Keith joined the Nu-Idea team in January of 2018 as sales manager for the state of Georgia. In addition to his sales responsibilities, he also serves as project manager for all installations and service in his territory. Keith has over 35 years in the furniture industry. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a degree in Business Management. Keith resides in the Columbia, SC area with his wife Carol and enjoys golf, boating, and spending time at the beach.
Morgan Koberg
mkoberg@nu-idea.com
770-315-6153
Morgan joined the Nu-Idea team in May 2024 and supports customers in Georgia's western and southern regions. Originally from Kennesaw, Georgia, she previously taught middle and high school students in metro Atlanta. Her classroom experience fueled her passion for creating dynamic learning environments for both students and educators.
Morgan is an alumna of the University of Georgia, where she earned dual degrees in Social Studies Education and Political Science, and she also holds a master’s degree in Social Studies Education from Georgia State University.
Outside of work, Morgan enjoys spending quality time with her husband, Joe, and their son, Hartwell.
Caleb Thurman
cthurman@nu-idea.com
828-243-2541
Caleb Thurman joined Nu-Idea in 2024 as project manager. With over 10 years of experience in commercial furniture, he has overseen projects for major corporations such as Lowe’s, Wells Fargo, and Duke Energy. Passionate about building strong relationships, Caleb strives to ensure projects are completed on time and on budget. When not at work, he enjoys watching sports and movies and spending time with his wife Rayna.
Scott Waldruff
swaldruff@nu-idea.com
419-565-2737
Scott has over 22 years of furniture and equipment sales experience. Prior to joining Nu-Idea, Scott was employed at Ritter's Office Outfitters as an Account Manager responsible for sales of furniture and supplies for both business-to-business and K to 12 markets. Scott also spent more than 14 years at School Specialty as Projects by Design Estimator and Operations Supervisor. Responsibilities as an Estimator included pricing, project management, products specifications, creating bid documents, and working with vendors on large projects. As an Operations Supervisor, duties included managing a staff of up to 200 employees to ensure order expectations were met and daily reporting on operational efficiency.
Paul Sanders
psanders@nu-idea.com
931-252-0059
Paul joined Nu-Idea in 2019 with a lifelong history in the educational market. While attending Western Kentucky University he began his career with Southern School Supply located in Bowling Green, KY. After working in all aspects of the business at the corporate level, Paul moved to outside sales in 1987. During his lengthy career in school furniture sales, he has managed over 200 new schools and major renovation projects. While most of his projects are in Kentucky, he’s also managed major projects in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, West Virginia and International. Paul and his wife Marlon reside in Smiths Grove, KY. Paul and Marlon have 5 children and are avid Kentucky Wildcat fans. During his downtime Paul enjoys fishing, golfing and playing pickleball.
Joe Gognat
jgognat@nu-idea.com
859-455-6650
Joe joined the Nu-Idea team in 2020 after a long career with Central School Supply and School Specialty, Inc. He has over 45 years of experience working with educators in Kentucky and throughout the United States. Joe works as a Sales/Project Manager helping educators with the selection of furniture and equipment that provides creative solutions for the needs of students.
He graduated from Western Kentucky University with a degree in history and government. He and his wife, Carolyn, have three daughters and recently relocated to Somerset, KY after living in the Nicholasville/Lexington, KY area. He is devoted to his family and enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with his four grandchildren at Lake Cumberland.
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Installation
Nu-Idea has its own fleet of trucks with in-house drivers, and a highly trained staff of installation personnel located at our office in Sumter SC. Our installers are trained to efficiently install furniture, with construction management on site, and effectively carry out the wishes of our customers.
It all started with a wooden desk more than 100 years ago...
Our History
1921
1930’s
In the early 1930's, the company shifted from manufacturing to distribution and became Nu-Idea School Supply Company, a total outfitter of school furnishings.
1935
Nu-Idea was brought into the church market by school superintendents and principals who worked as pastors on the weekends to make additional income.
1988
In 1988, the company was taken from four families to two families through stock purchases; keeping the company in the family was crucial.
1996
Customers were demanding more services, and Nu-Idea responded by altering its market strategy. The company acts as an extension of the district staff for a large number of its customers. This is done in large part to willingness, along with resources, to take on most any request of its customers.
2005
Cary Coker became a stockholder/owner at Nu-Idea and assumed a new role as VP of Sales.
2013
2013 marked a historical milestone in company history. The untimely and unfortunate passing of longtime employee, pioneer of Nu-Idea's turn-key business model, company President and Owner, Steve Bond, brought about new but exciting change to the organization. Cary Coker became President, and Mike Sawyer rejoined the staff as VP of Sales and also became a stockholder/owner.
The company made large investments in adding sales staff to grow into new territories, hired an interior designer/project manager to support the sales staff, hired additional customer service representatives, and added many new and modern product lines as well as implemented new software to provide 3D HD color renderings for presentations.
2017
Nu-Idea relocates to a newly renovated location at 710 South Guignard Drive in Sumter. The property itself provides ample space to expand the facility for growth. The building is very user friendly and includes more space for inventory, an additional loading dock, and a 6,000 square foot showroom. The spacious showroom is a great resource for customers to visit and see the most modern and cutting edge K-12 school, church, and office furniture that the market has to offer. The new move allows Nu-Idea the ability to provide customers with a higher level of service and a better purchasing experience.
As Nu-Idea approaches its 100 year anniversary, the company is positioned as a market leader in providing its customers with the best turn-key solution for their furniture needs.
2021
2021 marks a century since the company was founded by Mr. Roy Tucker, and that we have been working with schools, churches and offices. To recognize this big milestone, we have modernized our company logo, enhanced our website and refreshed our corporate headquarters main entrance. We are grateful for the relationships and friendships we have and look forward to growing our business in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky markets. We have enjoyed years of success and the “Nu-Idea” story continues with a bright future.
Nu-Idea's credibility is built on taking care of its customers, from the first meeting to the final walk-through.
Testimonials
In two counties, I've had the pleasure to work with the good people of Nu-Idea and in all occasions, they have been very professional and easy with which to work. They are a large and very modern company, but still manage to maintain the small town feel in their interactions with customers. From sales representatives to owners to interior designers to accounting, they meet your needs. Based on my personal experiences with Nu-Idea School Supply Company, I would recommend them to anyone in need of a professional, talented, and caring school supply company. You cannot beat their products!
Paul Webb Director of Planning and Logistics, Bryan County School System, Georgia
Nu-Idea's commitment to the success of Scotland County Schools is much appreciated. During the entire project of outfitting South Johnson Elementary School with student and staff furniture, the team at Nu-Idea was attentive to completing the project on-time and with attention given to even the smallest detail. The professionalism shown by every member of their team throughout the project did not go unnoticed. In short, it made a huge undertaking much easier! Thank you again for all you did to ensure our district's new school will be an amazing place to work and learn. We look forward to our continued relationship and future success.
Cory Satterfield Interim Superintendent, Scotland County Schools, North Carolina
I firmly believe in giving credit on a job well done, and Nu-Idea deserves the credit! From my very first meeting with Nu-Idea, I was impressed with the true team approach to meeting the needs of the customer and the open dialogue concerning what our particular needs and wants would be as we thought about opening Van Wyck Elementary. I would highly recommend Nu-Idea to anyone, and I truly cherish the professional relationships that were formed through this process.
Steven Puckett Principal, Van Wyck Elementary School Lancaster County School District, South Carolina