About PFI - Bios

The Real Deal

Born of hearty Midwest stock, Chris showed early signs of leadership. In school Chris was always first. First to lunch, first to the exits, first to fall out of his desk, undeniable sign of leadership.

Early signs of Chris' fascination with racing can be found in the traffic records of most nearby states and by the radical modification he made to several cars as he tried to put them into the same space as other solid objects.

Demonstrating his characteristic drive for success Chris managed to both avoid the draft and nearly graduate form the University of Missouri. While working his way through college, as a stock clerk in the department store, Chris was nicknamed the Yeti of the Mall for his uncanny ability to sense work and be "busy" elsewhere.

After coming to work at Picture and Frame, Chris was responsible for many exciting and innovative programs including but not limited to: the PFI Safety and Health Program, also known as the large bottle of Bactine; the Child Care Program, entitled "Leave Your Kid At The Mall"; the Flexible Hours Program, where each hour is 75 minutes long; the Free Water Program, Reducing Parking Rates For Employees, the Sick Leave Program, (if you're sick, then leave), and the list goes on and on.

Chris' inspirational leadership and his ability to get compromising photos of nearly every major business associate have preserved Picture and Frame through good times and bad. Many times Chris has been heard to say "A happy employee is still an employee" or "squawk not lest yea be unloading the glass by thyself."

After a brief retirement Chris returned to the helm of Picture and Frame in 2003 and vows never to retire again. Or as Peter Fonda said, "First you retire, and then you're dead. Wow man."

 

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RETIRED

Reed developed his streetwise skills on the tree-lined thoroughfares of Rocky River, Ohio. He claims it was the toughest town this side of Hell's Kitchen. In one of his early flashes of brilliance, he started following a young girl named Terry. She sat in front of him in 10th Grade Biology. By their senior year, they shared a locker. Now, over 30 years later, this ray of sunshine has carried him through life.

A voice in the night told him to pursue his passion. We believe it may have been his dad telling him to get the hell out of the house. Consequently, after a chronic sore arm made him realize that even the Fighting Vikings of mighty Cleveland State University would not need his savvy pitching skills, (Or was it his 83 mph string straight fastball?), he knew it was time to get on with life. With little more than the love of a good woman and two small children, Reed packed his peddlers bag with crayons and markers (Crayola Products), and later artists paints and brushes (Winsor & Newton), and headed west for the land of AHH's.

After being blessed with a third child, the pull of custom framing and a bigger paycheck seized his life, and Reed sold his skills to Crescent Cardboard. After 11 years of long drives, endless airport delays, countless nights on the road (and at least 50 pounds around his midsection) he knew there had to be a better way, especially now that the kids had moved out! So, through some back room brokering with his old friend, Jack, pulling the strings like a puppeteer, Reed, Chris and Jack formed the triumvirate geared to put the fun back in the action-packed world of picture framing distribution. With Chris at the helm, and Jack moving slowly toward fulltime gardening and global sightseeing, Reed is directing the "Who, What, Where, and How" of distribution and the new era of "Let Reed Do It" has begun.

 

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RETIRED

Born during the Jurassic period on the plains for Western Kansas, Jack led a hard life. Working dawn to dusk in the family garage, rising some mornings to only a small bowl of warm gravel. But these humble beginnings only served to strengthen his resolve to "make something of himself".

Moving to Manhattan, (Kansas), Jack attended K-State University studying Architecture, girls and the gutter just outside the dorm. In his never-ending attempt to achieve enlightenment, Jack was credited with the largest collection of empty beer bottles in the state of Kansas. He collection is still mentioned by the Kansas Visitors Bureau right after the world's largest ball of twine.

Not being the brightest graduate of K-State, Jack thought the key to fame and fortune was Retail Framing! Opening his shop in 1969, Jack was once again living on warm gravel. Married with two small children, Jack found himself walking the streets jobless in 1976. Begging on the street corner and dancing for nickels, Jack was taken in by a kindly business owner named Chris. Little did anyone know this was the beginning of a long, long, long friendship.

Thirty years later, he can still find his way to work, (by himself!) and fills an integral role at Picture and Frame. Although people have a tough time deciding what Jack actually does, most people agree that he does it really well.

 

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Plant Manager / Framing Guru

Raised by a family of Spotted Horses somewhere near the Slick Hills of the Oklahoma, Patric was born of Kiowa ancestry. He loves to tell the story of how he came to this world through a hollow log.

After many interesting career twists which included being a Nair-Do-Well, Bootface, (don't ask me to explain), and a professional student, Patric eventually discovered PFI while searching for small change on "The Boulevard."

When asked about how he got a job at PFI, he still remembers the day that someone, (believed to be Chris), opened the door and yelled "hey, get off my sidewalk and get a job" ... and so like Jonah before the whale, he entered!

 

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Office Manager Extraordinaire

From humble beginnings, this daughter of a preacher man takes great pride in treating everyone as a "member of the PFI flock". Despite her love of horses, (she owns six), and because of the length of her commute, Missy must rely on a more conventional mode of transportation for her daily trip across half the planet to get to Southwest Blvd. So, whether crossing a corn field, forging the rivers bend, or traversing a mountain pass, Missy is ready at her post to assist your every framing need. But remember, before the order gets released to the plant it must pass by Missy's watchful eye, and she can be bribed with chocolate.

 

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