RSS | Print | Comments | Tell a Friend | Larger Text | Smaller Text | Bookmark and Share

Local News

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Mark K Inc. marks 50 years in business
By LOU WILIN

STAFF WRITER

To survive in business, Mark K Inc. President Mark Mueller has had to be willing to change.

For 50 years, Mark K has helped companies promote themselves by selling them items bearing their name, from pens and caps to bags and clothing. The company's golden anniversary will be marked with a reception Thursday afternoon at the Lodge at Riverbend.

When Mueller's father, Walt, started the business, it offered 50 promotional products. Today it offers 800,000, including sundials and computer parts and accessories like flexible keyboards and flash drives.

Prices of many goods have decreased. Coffee mugs, once $3.50, now go for $1. Embroidered caps, once $10, cost $4. For Mueller it has meant a new challenge.

“When you see the price of the product that you sell remaining stagnant or going down, you have to sell more,” he said.

No change has been as abrupt and dramatic as the one that brought him back to his father's business as an adult. Before then Mueller had another dream.

“All I ever really wanted to be was an Army officer,” he said.

Mueller earned a bachelor's degree in education at Ohio State University to help him train soldiers. After he achieved his goal and became a major, however, Mueller became disappointed.

Under President Jimmy Carter, morale in the military declined, he said. Officers had much responsibility and little authority.

So Mueller left the Army to go into the FBI, but that was cut short when his father had a heart attack. His father could no longer run the business, so Mueller returned to Mark K.

“No matter how you plan your life, sometimes things do not go exactly to plan. I learned that in the Army,” Mueller said. “It never goes according to plan. A plan is nothing more than an idea of what you want to do.”

Mueller shows no sign of ever having second-guessed himself. The business always was a part of him, he said.

As a child, he helped his father by filing folders, burning trash and doing odd jobs. Mark K Inc. was and still is run out of the house Mueller grew up in at 908 W. Main Cross St.

“I know how hard my dad worked to get it going. I know what he went through,” he said. “My parents gave me so much in life. I could not just let something like that go.”

Mueller comes from a long line of entrepreneurs. Besides his father, his grandfather, Carl Mueller, had a plumbing business. In the late 19th century, his great-grandfather owned the American Mask Manufacturing Co., which for a while was the largest manufacturer of Halloween masks, he said.

Mueller's uncle, Ned Chatelain, owned the former Tasty Taters Potato Chips Co. Another uncle, Joe Alexander, owned Parker Lumber for a while.

But even with Mueller's pedigree and childhood, keeping Mark K Inc. afloat was not a given.

“I was young and stupid and I didn't really know how to approach a customer,” he said. “You learn what not to do before you figure out what you should do.”

Mueller recalls one day of fruitless sales calls in Lima.

“It was like 90 degrees that day and I had a car without air conditioning,” he said. “I was dying, and I will never forget because the last stop of the day was, like 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I thought, 'Aauugh' (sighing theatrically) well, I'll go in.”

To Mueller's delight, the insurance agent ordered pens.

“It was not a big order, but it was the fact that I busted my hump all day and accomplished nothing,” but did not quit, he said. “To me, the secret to success is, I show up every day. A lot of people do not.”

Wilin: 419-427-8413,

Send an e-mail to Lou Wilin
Comment on This Story
NOTE: Comment moderation has been enabled. If you see a comment that violates our Electronic User Agreement, please e-mail rebeccaconklin@thecourier.com. Thank you. If you are having problems viewing this Web page, please contact our Internet Department to help us diagnose and correct the problem. We may contact you for more information. Thanks in advance.
Your e-mail address will not be displayed on this website or shared with anyone. It is used by our online editor for contacting purposes.
Comments are moderated by The Courier according to its Electronic User Agreement within one business day. Comments that slander others or include language that violates the agreement will be rejected. All comments that impart opinion and information are welcome.
   MULTIMEDIA
Flood Solutions Audio

MITIGATION: Possible flood projects for Findlay were presented in a public meeting Monday at Winebrenner Seminary.

Audio


Stories


Conceptual Plans


Technical Maps


Flood Portal

RESOURCES: At the flood portal you can find news stories, photos, multimedia, community features and updated river levels.

   VIRTUAL VILLAGE
Orange & Black Attack

OILERS: Follow University of Findlay sports with Brian Lester.


Far Flung Guest Book

DROP A LINE: Whether you're always here or just passing through, visit and sign our online Guest Book on the Far Flung blog.


Virtual Village
   PHOTO GALLERY
Randy's Seen

IMAGE BLOG: Go behind the scenes with Courier photographer Randy Roberts.


You can purchase photographs from The Courier through our easy-to-use online system. Get prints, mousepads, T-shirts and more!

   LOCAL NEWS
  LATEST COMMENTS Last 10 comments submitted by our readers...
adam wrote in article "Village patrols may be restored in future":
concerned
“ i totally agree with you! when you call them nothing happens (unless you have a little bit of pot). I called police on a passed... ” Read More...
11/20/2009 3:21:12 PM
adam wrote in article "Corn dust bothers elevator neighbor":
grain
“ hey if you dont like the problems caused by this you should move. Otherwise shut up and count your blessings that YOU have a pla... ” Read More...
11/20/2009 3:15:05 PM
adam wrote in article "Two charged after robbery":
pizza
“ you would be amazing sometimes the ammount they carry. Sometimes its a whole nights woth of working that they gota payback. ” Read More...
11/20/2009 3:10:23 PM
TG wrote in article "Village patrols may be restored in future":
Capt. Treece
“ Why don't you put your money where your mouth is Capt. Treece. Bring out those numbers. The correct ones. I bet you make almo... ” Read More...
11/20/2009 2:52:23 PM
Chilli wrote in article "Extra enforcement slated for Saturday due to big game":
Extra Enforcement
“ I always wonder why they tell the public what roads are choosen for patrols. Can't the drunk driver just go another route? ” Read More...
11/20/2009 2:48:36 PM
james wrote in article "Village patrols may be restored in future":
buddies
“ Thats not the way we see it ,,if you retire and can and do ,,,move on,, We the people of this county do not approve of this pra... ” Read More...
11/20/2009 2:01:31 PM
Get Real wrote in article "Two charged after robbery":
Why is this thug on the street anyway?
“ I believe if you review some history, this creep robbed a pizza driver in August of 2007 two years ago and was involved in a st... ” Read More...
11/20/2009 1:35:27 PM
Scott wrote in article "Two charged after robbery":
Robbery
“ While I agree with most of Cathy Schulte's comments, I don't agree with, "Good of her to fight back." How stupid would it be to... ” Read More...
11/20/2009 1:28:20 PM
JP wrote in article "Corn dust bothers elevator neighbor":
Grains, trains and automobiles
“ I live in North Baltimore, a pitching wedge from the grain elevator and a chip shot from the CSX main line.

It IS dustier he... ” Read More...
11/20/2009 11:44:07 AM
Cathy Schulte wrote in article "Two charged after robbery":
Robbery
“ How dumb ! How much could money a pizza delivery person have? To risk prision for any amount is crazy,but to rob a person of cha... ” Read More...
11/20/2009 11:34:18 AM
  U.S. Headlines
  World News
  Ohio News
JBS Heating & Cooling
News Briefs Work scheduled on Findlay streets
Findlay's Main Street, northbound, will be reduced at times to one lane between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. for waterline connection.

Main Street will not be accessible from East Lincoln Street. Lincoln Street will be closed to through traffic from South Main Street to South Blanchard Street from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for continued improvement work. Access to local businesses and residents only will be maintained.

Recount planned in trustee's race
OTTAWA -- After certifying election results on Wednesday, the Putnam County Board of Elections has announced a recount will be required for the Union Township trustee race, according to Deputy Director Shelly Burkhart.

The recount will be completed on Wednesday at the county elections board office, 336 E. Main Street, Ottawa.

Incumbent Daniel R. Ellerbrock has secured his position on the board, earning 685 votes. However the remaining trustee spot will require a recount as Gery P. Wurth earned 598 votes and Mark J. Kahle collected 601 votes, according to official results.

An automatic recount is necessary if the margin is within one-half of 1 percent of total votes cast, according to state law.

Road to be closed
Forest Lake Drive, between Marion Township 237 and Indian Lake Drive/Forest Lane, will be closed today for a pipe installation.

The road is expected to open by 5 p.m., weather permitting.

Motorists are advised to use Township 242.