OFM, a leading office and school furniture manufacturer, distributor, and wholesaler, together with Swingline, makers of the iconic red Swingline stapler, announced today the winners of the Hands Off My Stapler Contest. Contestants emailed a photo with a short description of how they make sure their stapler stays at their desk and the judges have named first-, second- and third-place winners.

“There’s nothing worse at work than realizing someone has taken your stapler,” said Blake Zalcberg, chief executive officer of OFM who has gone as far as to use an electric stapler that is rendered useless if someone tries to take it. “We figured people were willing to go to great lengths to prevent that, but we were impressed at just how creative they got.”

The first-place winner, who will receive an OFM desk of his choice and a red Swingline stapler, attached a fake hand grenade to his stapler to keep office thieves away. The second-place winner, who will receive a Swingline Stack-and-Shred™ hands-free shredder and a red Swingline stapler, lined his stapler with suction cups to allow it to be hidden beneath the desk. The third-place winner, who will win a red Swingline stapler, hung his stapler from the ceiling above a rubber shark in a fishbowl.

Those weren't the only fun ideas. One contestant covered her stapler with rhinestones to keep the men in her office away. Another carved his name onto an extremely heavy old-fashioned stapler. Others hid a stapler in an in-box tray, disguised it as a computer mouse and suggested electrifying it with batteries.

“Our team had a great time judging and seeing the creativity in these entries,” said Nathan Hewitt, web marketing manager for ACCO Brands Corporation who works on the Swingline brand promotional efforts. "Reviewing the submissions reinforced what we've always thought; a work stapler deserves to be cherished and protected by its owner."

To view the first-, second- and third-place winners of the Hands Off My Stapler Contest, visit http://www.ofminc.com/staplercontest.