Mid America Metals is taking its shine to Ozark.
After nearly 30 years refinishing materials on iconic properties nationwide from its base in Forsyth, the company has purchased property in Christian County off of U.S. Highway 65. Mid America Metals owner Dale Donat expects to move the headquarters by Dec. 1 to 1567 W. Diane St. in Ozark.
Its notable client list – served from 10 regional offices – includes Kennedy Space Center and Daytona International Speedway in Florida, Motor Speedway and the Rangers ballpark in Texas, Bank of America headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., Fox Theatre in St. Louis, Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City and the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. Refinishing architectural wood, stone and metal surfaces, the company has worked locally for Highland Springs Country Club, Greater Springfield Board of Realtors, University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center and CoxHealth.
Donat said the business is buying the 6,600-square-foot, single-level office space for over $500,000 and should close on the property by Thanksgiving.
An Ozark resident, Donat said he bought the family business from siblings four years ago, which freed him to make this move.
“We love where we live, and after 30 years of traveling down to Forsyth, I thought I’d rather spend 10 minutes on the road instead of 30 minutes on the road,” Donat said, adding the building’s size and layout also were key considerations.
Mid America’s current headquarters, at 4886 U.S. Highway 160, is about 3,600 square feet spread over two stories.
“So you have people upstairs and downstairs, and that’s not the greatest set up,” Donat said, noting the Ozark building is a half-mile off U.S. 65, across Highway 14 from the Ozark Community Center. “It’s going to be a nicer building, a bigger building. It’s going to be conducive to our needs.”
Although Mid America has 97 employees companywide, Donat said only 11 work out of its headquarters and most live in Branson or Hollister with easy access to U.S. 65, so commutes shouldn’t be considerably different.
The move also opens up the business to Springfield’s larger talent pool, Donat said, adding he plans to hire an executive assistant after the transition.
“A lot of people wouldn’t want to drive to Forsyth from Springfield every day,” he said. “Now, in Ozark, it’s a good in-between, so it opens up both worlds.”
The move comes at a time of growth for the company. Its 2013 revenue was roughly $10 million, up from $8 million in 2010 and Mid America is in the process of adding a Denver office.
“We’ve opened up a shop-office setup. When we get started in a new city, we start slow and work our way up,” Donat said, noting a sales representative out of Kansas City currently is drumming up business in Denver and the company plans to hire a local sales manager next year.
He said the company keeps vehicles and service equipment located at three regional offices in St. Louis, Dallas and Atlanta. Dale’s son, Brandon Donat, a vice president who runs the Midwest region out of the St. Louis office, has worked for Mid America for eight years and is being groomed as his successor.
As Mid America lays down new roots, other area companies have their own plans to establish headquarters in new cities.
Web-based software firm HealthcareFirst Inc. is moving 80 employees from its Ozark headquarters and a Nixa office to south Springfield’s Tuscany Court by Thanksgiving. The move comes with plans to hire an additional 20 employees around the first of the year for the new digs in the former University of Phoenix building.
Mount Vernon spice manufacturer Red Monkey Foods plans to invest $3.4 million and bring nearly 130 jobs to new headquarters in Republic’s Brookline Business Park. CEO Jeff Brinkhoff has said he doesn’t yet know what will come of its current 38,000-square-foot headquarters after the planned January move. Red Monkey’s new 60,000-square-foot plant is in Republic’s enhanced enterprise zone, entitling it to 50 percent property tax abatement over 10 years, provided it meets criteria for job creation, health plans and capital investments of at least $100,000.
At the industrial park, the spice manufacturer joins Watson Metal Masters Inc., which moved from Nixa this summer in a $4.8 million capital investment plan approved for local and state incentives by Republic and through the Missouri Works program.
With no new construction involved in the Mid America Metals’ property, Donat said he did not research development incentives.
Mid America Metals refinishes architectural wood, stone and metal surfaces for local, regional and national clients.
