Marion chamber spotlights local businesses
Jami Williams of Western Associates and Wanda Hamm, an Avon representative, were in the "Business Spotlight" at Friday's meeting of the Marion Chamber of Commerce at The Big Scoop.
Williams, who has been with the company 12 years, told a bit of the history of the firm. John Crofoot began the business in 1952, selling items from the trunk of his car.
These included pens, calendars, and other CPS (cheap plastic stuff), Williams said, with people's or firms' names and logos printed on them, for advertising purposes.
He bought the company in 1956, worked out of Cedar Point, then moved the operation to Marion in 1983. That was the first $1 million year for the company, which is now a $10 million a year company.
The company based in Marion now has 40 full-time and 30 part-time employees in its sales force, with representatives in Hawaii, California, Virginia, North Carolina, and other states.
The company has office in Wichita, Topeka, Tulsa, Okla., Charlotte, N.C., Dallas, Houston, Joplin, Mo., and Kansas City. But all orders go through Marion.
A staff of 25 works in the Marion office. Imprinting of shirts, caps, and other "wearables" is done here by Western Graphics of Marion, an affiliate or subsidiary business. It's a $1.2 million per year business for them.
If there's embroidery to be done on those garments, Flint Hills Embroidery, also of Marion, and also an affiliate firm, does that before they're shipped.
Western Associates also handles the inventory program for Bojangles, for their shirts, seasonings, and other items they sell. That, too, is done in Marion.
As the source (maker) of the sale, the company has always collected Kansas sales tax, with a fair amount of it coming back to Marion County. Because of a new state law, however, that will end Tuesday.
The sales taxes will now be paid to whatever state and county the purchaser is based in. This will mean that most of the $2,000 per month the company now collects here will go elsewhere.
Sales tax portions coming back to the city also will be affected, she said.
The company's sales amount to $200,000 per month, she said.
Hamm said she currently has three Avon books (catalogs) for customers to peruse. There is a new sunburn protection item, and other wellness products.
She has been "selling Avon" 27 years, Hamm said. "We now have clothes, inspirational books, not just cologne and such," she said to the 20-some attendees.
"Also vitamins and weight-loss products." The products "sell themselves," she said.
Pauline Holub told of the upcoming July 18 Butler County Community College retreat, to be in Marion. It is called the Operational Stop Annual Retreat. It will be at the Holy Family Parish Hall from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
"To Recharge" is the theme, with a one-room country schoolhouse as the logo. Bearly Makin' It Antiques of Marion will have a display of typical items from a long ago, one-room country schoolhouse. .
The participants will roam the streets in the afternoon for about 90 minutes, after the retreat ends, Holub said. They will shop some, no doubt. Holub said she would accept donations of door prizes for the event.
Cindy Zapletal, director of external affairs for SBC for a 22-county area of North Central Kansas, spoke of "great deals" now available from the telecommunications giant.
"We're trying to be competitive, keep our customers happy, and improve our service," Zapletal said.
Margo Yates, executive director of the Marion Chamber, said the welcome-bag program, for new Marionites, was being expanded.
