Meet the Family Behind COS Printing
Betty and William Smith
Mammaw & Pawpaw
William E. (Bill) Smith was born in 1930 and grew up on his family’s farm in Ashdown, Arkansas about 25 miles north of Texarkana, Texas. His rich Christian upbringing would prepare him for what was to come when he fought in a war and when he started a small business in Bridge City. He recalls helping his uncle and aunt in their country grocery store and his uncle telling him “if you don’t have customers, you don’t have a business”. Little did he know that those words and values would be beneficial 40 years later.
Bill always felt he wanted to start a business that his children may one day work and eventually take over. Bill’s daughter, Carolyn, worked for a small business that made rubber stamps and since the business owner wanted to sell, she asked her parents to purchase the business in 1975. Bill, his wife, Betty, and daughter eventually added office supplies and a printing press.
As the small business grew Bill saw property for sale on Texas Avenue and knew it was a good move for the business to grow. Along the way his wife was the bookkeeper then his daughter Carolyn. They both worked in Central Office Supply.
Carolyn and Tommy Andrus
Mom & Dad
Along the way his grandson, Eric Andrus, helped his mom and grandfather at Central Office Supply. He would help after school and weekends as needed. He loved graphic design which would help him one day when he would inherit the office supply business from his grandfather. Eric graduated from Bridge City High School in 2001 and took college classes at night while working in the office supply shop during the day. He also took online design courses and took over Central Office Supply in 2005 when his grandfather, W.E. Smith, retired. Eric simplified the business name to COS Printing and decided to focus more on printing.
Eric’s mother, Carolyn, is still the bookkeeper for the business since his grandmother, Betty, passed away in 2009. “Eric says he couldn’t keep the business running without long time employees like Marilyn Malagarie and Linda Rose who have both worked at the business for at least 15 years”
Carolyn and Tommy Andrus
Mom & Dad
Eric, Caitlin, & Diana Andrus
Current owners of COS Printing
Eric has been very active in the community just like his grandfather. He is a past president of the Bridge City Chamber of Commerce. He received business of the month multiple times and also citizen of the year. He served as a Bridge City Councilman from 2011-2019
Eric has been a member of the Bridge City/Orangefield Rotary Club since 2007 and is a past president. He received their Paul Harris Fellow Award, Distinguished Spotlight Award, Rotarian of the Year and the Roll of Fame Award. He also received the Bridge City Masonic Lodge Community Builders Award.
In Eric’s spare time, he enjoys building things by hand. Going on adventures with his wife Caitlin and traveling with wife and beautiful daughter Diana. Eric married Caitlin Jennifer Leigh Herman on October 17, 2015 and have a beautiful daughter Diana. Caitlin graduated Orangefield High School and Lamar University, and now works at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont.