Our Story
Commercial Casework Inc.
50 years of success.
History of the Company
Commercial Casework’s roots trace back to 1945, when William Palmer Sr. opened a small cabinet shop in Oakland, California. Originally set to manufacture components for the U.S. Navy, the business quickly adapted when that contract was cancelled, pivoting instead to produce 1,000 redwood caskets before returning to cabinetry and store fixtures for the next 25 years. That spirit of resilience and adaptability continues to define who we are today.
Founded in 1976 by the next generation of the Palmer family, Commercial Casework has grown into a leading provider of high-end, custom architectural millwork across Northern California.
Today, the company is led by Nick Palmer (CEO), alongside Laura Martin (CFO) and Javier Sosa (Director of Operations), combining decades of experience with a forward-looking approach to growth, efficiency, and innovation.
With the addition of our 30,000-square-foot Sacramento manufacturing facility in 2024, paired with our existing 60,000-square-foot space in Fremont, we continue to expand our capabilities, delivering complex, custom millwork with the speed and consistency that today’s projects demand.
As a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) company, every member of our team has a personal stake in the success of each project, driving a culture of accountability, precision, and pride in our work.
After 50 years in and built on a legacy that goes back even further, we’re still building what lasts. From caskets to cabinets, it has been a journey!
Belief in Transparency
Open Book Management
Commercial Casework Inc. believes in providing all our employees information pertaining to the company, so that they can be aware of any potential obstacles and be proactive. Information comes in the way of weekly company meetings to share info on new jobs coming in, bonus share price, estimated revenue and backlog figures. On a quarterly basis there is a company lunch where financial statements and other key metrics are shared companywide. But we don’t stop there…educating our employees is equally important so we offer an accounting/finance class to each employee so they have a better understanding of the business finances.
“A business should be run like an aquarium, where everybody can see what’s going on – what’s going in, what’s moving around, what’s coming out. That’s the only way to make sure people understand what you are doing, and why, and have some input into deciding where you are going.”
Bill PalmerFounder
