Ozarks Profile: Carl Fellers

Tell us about your company.

My father and mother, Howard and Phyllis Fellers, established Fellers Fixtures in 1945. We are in the food service equipment and supplies business. Our customers include restaurants, schools, nursing homes, hospitals and churches. We also have customers who buy for their homes. We currently employ 30. Our company services include new and used equipment; cash and carry in a 10,000-square-foot showroom; a contract design department; in-house service techs and delivery and installation.

What do you like best about owning a small business?

I would like to say it's the freedom to set my own agenda, my hours, and time off; however, anyone in business knows how that works. I like watching people grow and develop in their jobs. We have been fortunate to have some great people come along at the right time in our history. I enjoy the relationships with our customers and vendors. Many have been ongoing for decades.

What is the most difficult part of your job?

Looking at future growth opportunities and, at the same time, planning for the succession of management in the next few years. It's hard to think of myself not in the picture, but reality dictates change. I have seen companies not plan for the next generation of management, and it's not a pretty sight.

Tell us about your involvement with the National Federation of Independent Business.

I have been a member of NFIB for approximately 26 years. This year I was asked to be a member of the leadership council for Missouri. This has been both an honor and quite an experience. In the past six months I have met President Bush (and) had him talk about our company in his speech that day. I hosted Sen. (Jim) Talent at our business to talk about associated health care plans; I met Missouri Speaker of the House Catherine Hanaway, Speaker Pro Tem Rod Jetton and President Pro Tem Peter Kinder. Missouri's legislature is more business friendly now than it has been in many years. NFIB is the largest voice in Jefferson City and Washington, totally dedicated to the needs and problems of small business. We have more than 13,000 members in Missouri and 600,000 in the United States.

What are some of the biggest obstacles facing small-business owners?

Health care is the largest, fastest-growing problem facing small business. We are at a point that many employees will be without insurance soon, if answers can't be found. One idea is associated health plans. Sen. Talent is co-sponsoring a bill to allow associations such as NFIB to pool its members across state lines to get better insurance rates through large numbers of participants. This could be 10 percent, even 20 percent, savings.

Legal reform put a cap on jackpot lottery size awards for punitive damages. Abolish joint and several liabilities. Limit large medical malpractice awards.

Regulatory fairness Many times these are regulations that deal with a problem in big business that get applied to small business, also. There are bills in Missouri pending that need to be passed. I urge everyone to go to www.nfib.com and read about that, and many other issues affecting small companies.

Tell us about your family.

I have been married to Sally for 33 years. We have two daughters, Angela, 32, and Cari, 24, and a son, Bradly, 22; and two sons-in-law, Matt Beard and Sean McNeilis. We have two grandchildren, Victoria, 9, and Jacob, born April 16. Sally and the three children work in the business; however, Cari is leaving to stay home with Jacob.