PPB December 2017

Lane Ka lmi n B right and early, you can find Lane Kalmin at the office outlining strategic initiatives, double-checking the accuracy of orders and ensuring that the business he has built remains on track. At age 81, he remains fully engaged in growing the headwear and bag company that has served the promotional products and decorated apparel industry for 30 years. Kalmin’s path to becoming the founder of Houston-based supplier Kati Sportcap & Bag was a long and winding one. Raised in Dallas alongside four siblings by his singlemother, Kalmin joined the Army right out of high school. His first job in the private sector took himon the road selling costume jewelry. This was Kalmin’s introduction into the fashion sector, and he was hooked. After marrying and starting a family with his wife, Doris, Kalmin transitioned to the wig industry, which was a thriving fashion enterprise in the 1970s. He and his family moved to Houston when he was offered the chance to run his own wig business. Kalmin had the strategic foresight to realize that wigs were on the decline, and he expanded the company’s product offerings to include t-shirts and caps. Kalmin ran that company until 1983, when he decided to start his own company as a regional distributor for Sportcap. Over the years, Sportcap suffered some setbacks, and Kalmin eventually took over the operation. Kati Sportcap & Bag was born. What were some of the obstacles you encountered when starting out? When we took over the Sportcap name, our intention was to continue to build that brand from its origins in California. However, we found that it was easier said than done. The West Coast business didn’t develop enough to justify a continued presence there, so we ended up bringing everything back to Houston. It was disappointing because we lost the identity they had built out there and had to regrow the brand from scratch. We now focus on our strong presence in the Southwest and the Midwest. Howhas the company evolvedover the years? In the early days, our catalog was five pages of a few basic cap styles, and 80 percent of our sales were foam front caps. The golf cap (today’s “dad cap”) first became popular back then. Styling became more important and more diversified, and caps quickly became an item worn just as much for fashion as for Lane Kalmin started his business at age 47, and decades later he continues to influence growth. by Terry Ramsay Forever Young “In the early days, our catalog was five pages of a few basic cap styles, and 80 percent of our sales were foam front caps ... Now, our catalog has 200 pages of caps and bags. We carry 17 brands, 309 styles and over 2,500 SKUs.” —Lane Kalmin 78 | DECEMBER 2017 | CONNECT