Making its mark for 70 years
Staff writer
Western Associates, which relocated to Marion in 1983, is celebrating its 70th year.
The company was founded in 1956 in Cedar Point by John and Mary Crofoot.
The decision to move to Marion 43 years ago was because most of its employees lived there.
Western Associates, at Main and 2nd Sts., is a branding specialist providing items for trade shows, apparel, corporate gifts, and a more.
County commissioner Dave Crofoot is one of the owners along with Jim Crofoot and Ryan Crofoot.
The company has grown tremendously since its beginning, when John Crofoot started making and selling wooden pencils for 50 cents each to help support his family in the 1950s.
Farming, Dave Crofoot said, was not a steady paycheck, especially when providing for two children.
Western Associates now employs 25 full-time employees, down from 40. Several more work from home in other states as salesmen.
Providing stable jobs is important to the community, Dave Crofoot said. A lot of the employees are women.
“We feel we provide a service for young mothers so they could attend school events for their children,” he said.
Western Associates employees meet other businesspeople in the county.
“Every service is different, good and bad,” he said.
Western Associates sold 13,000 uniforms to Boeing in Wichita and made shirts for Midway Motors in Hillsboro as well as the county emergency medical service.
“No business is too small,” Jim Crofoot said. “We are able to serve anyone.”
Western Associates is now a third-generation business.
“We provide good services, and we have a good support staff,” Dave Crofoot said. “We keep giving customers their marketing needs.
“We are in Marion because of the stable work force.”
All three Crofoot families are active in the county.
“We are giving back to the community,” Dave Crofoot said.