PPB July 2015

INNOVATE

10 •

PPB

• JULY 2015

INNOVATE

PROFILE

CELEBRATING TBK

PROMOTIONS, INC.

HOW A BUSINESS HAS HELPED ITSELF, AND OTHERS, FOR 25 YEARS

BY TAMA UNDERWOOD

HIS YEAR MARKS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY for Chicago, Illinois-based distributor TBK

Promotions, Inc. (UPIC: tbkpromo), a family-owned business that, like so many others, started in

the home with anything but failure as an option.

Mary Carol Flynn took the reins of the failing company from her ex-husband in 1990, choosing to change

the name and borrowing money from family to revive the struggling firm. The new name, TBK, stood for the

first initials of her three sons—Tom, Brian and Kevin.

Today, Flynn runs the company along with youngest son Kevin Flynn, MAS, who is director of sales. Two

support staffers and two sales reps round out the six-person team, which operates out of an office in the south-

west corner of Chicago.

Kevin Flynn’s tenure with the company dates back to high school, when he worked when there was a project

that needed to be done, a delivery to be made or whatever else was needed at the family business. He started selling

full time at TBK after graduating from college in 1997. The 25-year old company operates mainly from organic

growth, referrals, and actually, a handful of its customers have worked with the business since the very beginning.

The owner isn’t sure how they’re

going to celebrate the 25-year mile-

stone. “We keep talking about it but

never seem to make the time to final-

ABOVE LEFT

Kevin Flynn, MAS, TBK

Promotions’ director of sales, was still in

high school when his mother took over

the company in 1990.

LEFT

From left,

brothers Kevin Flynn, Brian Flynn and

Tom Flynn with their mother, Mary

Carol Flynn, revel in the success of the

family business.