MARK LEONARD
The Mark Leonard Story
Mark, born in Spokane, WA, enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping as a kid as his father was a world class hunter and gun maker. His father taught Mark the value of a dollar by encouraging him to start his own business; mowing lawns in the summers and shoveling snow in the winters.
After finishing high school in Bellevue, Wa, Mark attended the University of Washington in Seattle where he earned a degree in Economics in 1970.
Following in his Father’s footsteps, Mark started out as Manufacturer’s Rep in the sporting business traveling the Northwest establishing relationships with buyers from REI, Eddie Bauer, Pay Less, Pay-N-Save, and Ernst Hardware to name a few. He nurtured these relationships and grew his business into a seven man operation covering 13 western States. Mark’s firm founds its niche in the fishing business, especially when he leveraged his exclusive rights to the “Buzzbomb” into annual sales of almost $2.5 mln. in just 20 months. This led, quite naturally, to the designing, importing and marketing of the “ProMark” and “ProLine” brands of hip waders which he took nationwide.
As one of the top firms repping fishing equipment, Mark came to establish good relationships in the boating industry. By 1986, he seized on another opportunity which presented itself, namely, a need for well designed boat trailers. This shift in gears coincided nicely with his desire to spend more time at home with his young family and not on the road so much. This new venture quickly became #1 in the USA boasting 150 dealers. This was in large part to his loyal connections in the sporting rep business, excellent designs and hard work.
Along the way, Mark’s hobbies included a little farming on a 25 acre parcel for which he had two tractors. A neighbor offered him a deal he couldn’t refuse on 3 brand new Chinese made tractors. He put those to work on his land and quickly discovered he liked them better than his Ford and Mitsubishi. One day, he was working the 40 HP extra hard just to see what it could do and he broke the crankshaft. So he called the factory in China to get a new part. That lead to a nice chat, an invitation and a trip to China. Mark returned with 36 tractors, which he sold in very short order and that’s how Rhino Tractor was created.
Rhino grew rapidly to over 120 dealers nationwide. Sales were great and profit margins high. Mark was made an offer he couldn’t refuse and took it. This included a “non-compete” clause which he honored for its duration. He kept up the great relationships he had going with his friends in China and hit the ground running, as soon as he was able to, and started up Tytan International.
It turns out his contacts in China missed doing business with him, so they were more than happy to help him get back in business.
As of the writing (September 2011), Tytan is progressing smoothly with new designs, new patent applications and brighter prospects than he ever had with Rhino at this point in its growth. There’s something to be said for experience. And now, after several dozen visits to China, the Chinese have asked to come to Kalama to see “how they can beneficially improve their mutual business relationship.”
Stay tuned, this story continues......
http://tytancorp.com/cm/INVESTORS/CEO%20-%20M...onard.html
http://tytancorp.com/cm/INVESTORS/CEO%20-%20M...onard.html
