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Local News

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Mark K Inc. marks 50 years in business
We Cell - Findlay
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,

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The city code covers residential owners or tenants, and business owners of properties which abut a sidewalk.

An offense is a minor misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $100. Each day constitutes a separate offense.

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FOREST -- Because of the expected inclement weather, the Forest-Jackson Public Library has rescheduled its Valentine luncheon planned for Thursday to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 18.

Reservations are required. Anyone with questions can call the library at 419-273-2400.

Disc golf tourney set for Saturday
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Registration begins at noon.

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The Disc Golf Community Association, in cooperation with the Hancock Park District, sponsors the event. Proceeds go to the Family Center of Findlay-Hancock County.

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Crime Of The Week
Findlay/Hancock County Crime Stoppers is looking for information about a break-in at the Arlington Pharmacy, 200 Main St., at 12:51 a.m. Dec. 28.

A glass pane in the front door of the business was shattered, and entry was made. Once inside, the perpetrators took prescription medications and fled on foot.

Two white males were seen running from the business. The males were possibly in their late teens to early 20s, and possibly entered a vehicle.

People with information about this or any other crime that would lead to an arrest or indictment will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Crime Stoppers can be called weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 419-425-TIPS or 419-425-8477. Callers can remain anonymous.

The Web site is www.hancockcrimestoppers.org.