Keeping it in the Family
Think of Rick Heinl, president of Tipp City, Ohio-based Repacorp, as a kinder, gentler daddy dearest type.
He is dad at home; he is no-nonsense Rick or Mr. Heinl to the multitude of family members who work at his company.
No spoiled brats in this family.
He wanted his children to understand the importance of an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. So, he had them working while they went to college—sometimes—getting down and dirty with the presses.
"When I was a freshman and sophomore in high school, I started in maintenance," said his youngest son Nick Heinl. "I scraped labels off the floor and scrubbed presses. It made me realize I needed an education so I didn't have to do that for the rest of my life."
Rick remembers those days.
"He came home after washing out the ink pans. He had ink from his face to his toes," Rick recalled. "He didn't want to do it anymore. He was dirty and making $7 per hour. He complained that a buddy was making $12 per hour at a grocery store. I told him to get a job there. It wasn't about the money, it was about teaching him to get up [and] go to a job. So many are not taught to work."
Nick managed to crawl his way out of the ink press, moving on to other jobs—running presses, working equipment, working in the shipping department—while he continued to attend school. Today, the 25-year-old holds a sales position at Repacorp.
Rick admitted he initially never wanted his son or his two other children making their careers at his company.
"I never wanted them to work for me," he explained. "I have seen many companies get ruined when kids get involved."
But, Rick had a change of heart when he got a call from his sobbing oldest child, Rochelle. Just out of college, she was having a tough time at her new broker job and wanted to come to the family business. A few days later, Dad finally relented and told her to come home.
"I told her I worked too hard to have it ruined," Rick said. "I told her to find something else. She told me, 'It wasn't fair and that she loved the company.' I had someone leaving in sales [so she was hired]. I told her she had to report to my brother (Tony Heinl, executive vice president) and said hiring and firing was up to him."
Eight years later, Rochelle, 30, is in charge of Repacorp's RFID department. And, Rick said, "it's been fabulous."
Rochelle, Nick and Tony aren't the only ones at Repacorp. It is truly a family affair with Rick's wife of 34 years Lyn, his son, Andy, 28, and his sister Diane Meyer also working at the company.
In fact, Tony, who started with the company 23 years ago when Rick needed some sales help until he could find a replacement, is set to take over the post as president early this year. Tony helped Rick grow the business from a two-man company to a 23 million dollar corporation with four manufacturing plants located in Ohio, Wisconsin and Arizona.
Though he never wanted any of his children to follow in his footsteps, Rick owes his start to family—particularly, his cousin.
Jim and Pat Adams–—Pat's mom is the sister of Rick's mother—started Repacorp, which was then a firm representing printing corporations, in 1974. Rick met them at a family wedding and shortly after, started living with them, babysitting their daughters to earn money for college.
Four years later, Rick joined Repacorp. He started in sales.
"I got a roll of dimes, got into a phone booth and started calling companies," he recalled. "I was selling labels, metal plates, pin feeds."
In 1990, he bought the company from his relatives.
Rick may not have dreamed of a business full of family, but he said there are definite benefits. He gets to see them every day and he knows they are trustworthy.
Nick agreed that is the best and sometimes worst part of the job.
"We are very family-oriented so it's [nice], but you never get a break from work," Nick said. "On your days off, vacations, everyone will talk about work."
Having family around all the time obviously can be a blessing and a curse. Keeping family squabbles and sibling rivalry at bay is something the Heinl family has mastered. What helps? Each family works in a different area of the business and the three children report to Uncle Tony.
"It keeps the peace in the family," Rick admitted. "They are competitive and always comparing. There is no, 'He left at 5:05 p.m.' That crap doesn't fly."
The primary thing to remember is business is business.
"This is a business we built and they are going along for the ride," Rick explained. "Some things are not up for negotiation. And, egos can get big when you have family involved. But, you can't let it get out of control."
Of all the family Rick works with, he said his daughter is probably the toughest.
"She is so much like me," Rick said. "Strong-willed and very hard to say 'no' to."
Obviously, Rick's feelings on family have changed. He can't deny he already sees a place at Repacorp for his grandson.
At a few months old, Grant, Rochelle's son, has already been to the plant.
"I already had my four-month-old grandson, Grant, in and taught him about labels," he said. "He now knows to run a press and sell labels. I've already done all of that. When Grant was brought in last week, he was watching the presses with his eyes all wide. And then there was an announcement (over the loud speaker) and it scared the heck out of him. It really doesn't get any better."
A Different Take on Mixing Business with Family
Dan Kay, vice president of sales and marketing for the Toledo, Ohio-based Kay Toledo Tag, didn't really opt to join the family business; it was the business he was born in to.
His parents, Joseph and Verna Kay, started Kay Printing, a small company committed to job lot commercial printing and social announcements, in 1945. Following the recession in 1958, Joe Kay decided to start manufacturing tags and specialty printing. In keeping with family tradition, Dan and his brothers joined the business, which eventually became Kay Toledo Tag.
"I grew up in the printing business," Dan said. "We devoted our whole life to printing.
"My father told me I could go to college and be a playboy or come to the family business and inherit it. I never regretted it. We are a very tight, close-knit family."
But, even before his dad made the offer, the family joked that he was a salesman from the time he was a tyke. He recalled one time when he pulled his wagon to a nearby doctor's office and dropped off some scratch pads.
"The doctor's office contacted my dad and told him to send the wagon back over because the pads came in handy," Dan remembered fondly.
And the tradition continues. Today, Dan's children and his brothers' children also work at the company.
"It's the best," Dan remarked. "We're here every day with them. We've been very close all our lives. Family is someone you can trust."
Dan's daughter Danielle Kay-Kuhns, customer service manager, added it's also easier to resolve disagreements among family members.
"We love and respect each other and in the end there are no hard feelings," she explained. "We don't hold it in. We get it out and try and help each other. ... We get aggravated with one another, but my grandpa raised his children not to go with any hate."
Dan made an interesting point about working with family.
"A lot of small printing companies sink, but ones run by families stay around because you can trust your family," Dan said. "Some employees you teach and educate and they leave you. [Many companies] wish they had a son or daughter to take over the business. We have a lot of trust and honesty and we don't have to worry about that."