History of Mid-America Wholesale

In 1956, Jack Dick founded Northwest Wholesale, Inc. in Woodward, Oklahoma. The company served the area as a candy and tobacco distributor. The first warehouse was a 1,900 sq. foot building on Maine Street between 6th and 7th. After Jack bought out his partner in 1959, the company became family owned and operated, as it is today. Some food supplies were distributed in the mid 1960’s, but the bulk of the sales remained in candy and tobacco. Following the death of Jack in 1978, Mark Dick left the pharmacy profession in order to develop a food service division of the company. The first walk-in cooler was turned on in October of the same year and the first freezer followed in February of 1979.

On December 10, 1979, Jack’s three sons, Jerry, Mark, and David purchased Tydings Wholesale in Enid. The name of the company was changed to Enid Wholesale and the product line was expanded to cover institutional foods, paper goods, and janitorial supplies to compliment candy and tobacco. In 1986, Northwest and Enid Wholesale purchased a 50,000 sq. foot building (our current location) to help continue its growth and success.

In 1991, Mark and David purchased the stock of their oldest brother, Jerry. Then in April of 1995, David sold his remaining stock to Mark, giving him sole ownership of Northwest/Mid-America Wholesale. By June of that year, the two had merged to one location in Enid, making it the largest family owned wholesaler in the state of Oklahoma. In January of 1996, Mid-America purchased Bloom’s Meats, allowing them to have their own meat processing facility.

Today, Mid-America is a full line All Kitchens distributor serving more than one-half of the state of Oklahoma and parts of Kansas and the Texas panhandle. We supply more than 7,000 items to restaurants, convenience stores, deli’s, nursing homes, hospitals, schools and colleges.

The growth of the company is attributed to the dedication of our employees, our ability to handle more products, furnish more services, distribute to more areas and satisfy more of our customer’s needs than ever before. We are a small but growing corporation dedicated to customer service and attention.

Over the years there of course have been many awards. 2006 saw more awards being recognized nationally as one of the top distributors for All Kitchens, Distributor of the Year for All-Kitchens and Rookie of the Year for Brilliance line of Oils from Cargill.

With 58 employees and 26 million in sales Mid-America continues to grow and expand in our marketplace and an ever increasing market share in the areas we service. With quality products at a fair price we envision continued success in the future.

An Article About the Aquisition

Truck It was an opportunity that he just couldn’t pass up.

That’s how Ron Lukenbaugh, the new owner and president of Mid-America Wholesale, summarized his reason for acquiring the Enid, OK, independent broadliner last week.

Late last week, Lukenbaugh, who had been with the All Kitchens USA distributorship for eight years and until the acquisition its general manager, and Mark Dick, president and owner of the company, announced that ownership of Mid-America transferred from the latter to the former.

“You don’t cross that path very often where you’re at the right place, at the right time,” Lukenbaugh said in an interview with ID Access.

According to both executives, Dick had suggested to Lukenbaugh to take steps to acquire the distributorship inasmuch as he had begun thinking about his retirement.

“The business has been doing good and now is the time for me to start making plans. I’m not at the point where I want to get out but someday I am going to get out. We knew the value of the business. I told Ron that long term I was going to sell the business and suggested to him to borrow the money and buy it. And sure enough, he did,” Dick related.

Dick, who will continue to be involved procurement, foresees being employed as a consultant by the company for up to seven years, though four will be more likely.

“Ron and I have had a habit of discussing every decision that comes up. Ron is real good at raising major issues and then we’ll talk about it and decide. I don’t see that changing. The only thing that will change is that Ron has the final decision,” Dick said.

Lukenbaugh, who is known as an out-of-the-box distribution decision maker, said that since he had been involved in planning and executing the company’s direction with Dick, the atmosphere, ideals and methodology that were instilled into the firm by his predecessor will not change.

“Becoming partners with our customers and vendors is still going to be our mission statement. Mark built a successful company on years and years of experience, maturity and conservative nature and that’s going to play a large part in what we do in the future,” Lukenbaugh said.

Both executives characterized Mid-America as a “dependable and reliable independent distributorship that will work with its customers, take care of them, meet their needs, and adapt very quickly as their needs change.”

Lukenbaugh committed himself to surpassing ahead of schedule the $30 million revenue goal set by Dick a year ago. However, he pointed out, increasing sales will not be accomplished in a vacuum, without consideration for the operator’s needs.

“When I started here, Mark’s goal was never to increase sales just to increase sales. We’ve had growth just by doing good business. Our main focus is to do what we do well not just grow for growth’s sake. So we do anticipate being at $30 million in not a long time, taking into account inflation and true growth. But that’s not our goal. Our goal is not to increase for increase’s sake but to do what we do better and be a better partner with our customers,” Lukenbaugh said.

He indicated that technology will play a key role in improving service and efficiencies. For example, he said, a new computer system will reduce its outage rage. He will also introduce electronic invoicing that customers have been demanding along with bar coding first on receiving and then shipping to decrease errors and improve fill rates.

Lukenbaugh does not foresee expanding the company beyond its current 150-mile radius territory that includes half of Oklahoma as well as parts of Kansas and Texas unless existing customers compel the company to do so.

With the high cost of fuel, he said the company will be driving its business by penetrating current accounts and developing new ones in its current trading area.

“The plans that Mark and I created will not change. What’s so interesting about coming from within and buying the company is that so many things don’t have to change. I’ve had a lot of control. Mark’s given me that freedom and flexibility,” Lukenbaugh said.

Mid-America was founded in 1956 as Northwest Wholesale, Inc., by Jack Dick, Mark Dick’s father, in Woodward, OK. After he bought out his partner in 1959, the company became family owned and operated. Some food supplies were distributed in the mid 1960s, but the bulk of the sales remained in candy and tobacco. Following the death of Jack in 1978, Mark Dick left the pharmacy profession in order to develop a foodservice division of the company.

On Dec. 10, 1979, Jack's three sons, Jerry, Mark, and David purchased Tydings Wholesale in Enid. The name of the company was changed to Enid Wholesale and the product line was expanded to cover institutional foods, paper goods and janitorial supplies to complement candy and tobacco. In 1986, Northwest and Enid Wholesale purchased a 50,000-sq.-foot building to spur growth.

In 1991, Mark and David purchased the stock of their oldest brother, Jerry. Then in April of 1995, David sold his remaining stock to Mark, giving him sole ownership of Northwest/Mid-America Wholesale. By June of that year, the two had merged to one location in Enid. In January of 1996, Mid-America purchased Bloom's Meats, giving the company its processing facility.