| When NASCAR Truck Series driver Dennis Setzer | | | | |
| won the Ohio 250 in May, the trophy next to | | | | "He was a major impact on marketing and sales |
| him represented not only his win but also a | | | | and getting the word out there, " says |
| milestone for Trophy Awards Manufacturing | | | | Bumgartner. |
| Inc., the company that designed and built the | | | | |
| award. | | | | Like the bulk of their business - local |
| | | | schools and youth leagues - the firm's |
| The race was delayed by rain for several | | | | high-profile business comes from |
| hours, and victory-lane celebrations weren't | | | | word-of-mouth marketing. |
| broadcast, but "it was still an exciting | | | | |
| project for our staff to develop an award | | | | Trophy Awards manufactured some awards for |
| seen in the national spotlight," said Thomas | | | | the Bengals that led to other NFL work. |
| Busch, the firm's president. | | | | |
| | | | "When Emmitt Smith broke the all-time rushing |
| The company also got some great feedback from | | | | record, someone who then worked for the |
| its client. | | | | Cowboys remembered what we did for the |
| | | | Bengals" said Busch. "They called the |
| "I have worked in the motor sports field for | | | | Bengals and asked them who they used. Before |
| the past 12 years, and this is the best | | | | long, Trophy Awards was creating plaques for |
| trophy I have ever seen," said Bill Conn, | | | | the Dallas Cowboys coaches, linemen and |
| general manager of operations for Mansfield | | | | Emmitt Smith." |
| Motorsports Park, which hosted the Ohio 250 | | | | |
| on May 26. | | | | Mansfield Motorsports, however, discovered |
| | | | them on the Internet. |
| The company wasn't getting such good reviews | | | | |
| when Busch's parents - Bob and Nancy Busch- | | | | "I told them I had no clue what I wanted, and |
| bought the firm in 1984. | | | | as we talked we came up with a sketch and |
| | | | faxed it to him, and his team ran with the |
| "The company had a bad reputation with its | | | | ideas," said Conn. |
| customers and its vendors," said Busch. "Mom | | | | |
| and Dad changed that quickly by running a | | | | "We had to use material that could be |
| company that….provides an exceptional | | | | custom-fabricated in a short amount of time," |
| value." | | | | said Busch. "So the base, riser and Ohio |
| | | | shape are solid North American walnut. They |
| At that time, the company had just one other | | | | were cut, stained, and assembled in about |
| employee and annual sales under $100,000. In | | | | three days. Then we had the Mansfield logo |
| 2000, Busch, his sister Jennifer and her | | | | (routed and cut) out of colored acrylics and |
| husband, Jason Bumgartner, bought the | | | | stacked to give a 3-D effect. The bottom |
| controlling interest in the company. Now | | | | place is a laser-engraved plate that we |
| with 25 employees, their projected 2007 | | | | curved and attached to the base." |
| revenue is $3 million. | | | | |
| | | | Conn said the company's speed and design paid |
| "My in-laws established a good reputation for | | | | off. |
| 15 years, and then young blood took over," | | | | |
| said Bumgartner, whose background is in | | | | "When NASCAR officials arrived, we showed |
| computer design. "I was able to bring some | | | | them the trophies, and they wanted to show |
| product innovation and new ways of doing | | | | everyone at the drivers' meeting what they |
| things." | | | | were competing for," the track official said. |
| | | | "This has never been done before at a NASCAR |
| At the same time, the firm brought in Randy | | | | race. |
| Corbitt to head up sales. | | | | |