Company History

Dedication
This site is dedicated to our founder Thomas F. Janzer; to whom we are eternally grateful.

a.k.a. The “Supreme Commander” as it read on his business card!
Tom was definitely a one-of-a-kind man. He left behind a large happy family consisting of his wife (Alice), daughter (Aliceanne) and 3 sons (Tom, Daryl & Todd). And a growing number of grandchildren (9) Billy,
Brittney, Bobby, Tommy, Taylor, Julia, Zacary, Jessica & Jake Thomas. He also left a growing family business that he had the “testicular fortitude” (one of his coined phrases) to start back in 1986.

Those who had the unique experience of meeting Tom would tell you that "you wouldn't forget him if you met him". He was the kind of person who said things just like they were. He did of course manage to offend some people every now and then, but that was never his intention. The Dr. Suess quote "Those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind" fit him perfectly. He loved to talk to people... all kinds of people! He went out of his way to strike up conversations with people and he would always offer his valuable advice.

How Janzer Corporation came to be
Before embarking on starting his own business, Tom was a successful salesman who like most people, didn’t much care for working for someone else. One day he went looking to find a new mailbox at his
wife’s request. It was then that he first realized that an attractive quality mailbox was hard to find. “If I can’t find a nice mailbox... then neither can anyone else”. Ding, went the light bulb above his head. And everybody needs a mailbox!” Shortly thereafter he designed and produced the “General Store” mailbox. Each one was hand stained and many customers also painted their mailboxes (shown below) so they would match their home. Tom figured out early on, that “there is always someone willing to sell less of a product for less of a price”. He continued to manufacture and sell his products based on quality, not quantity and price.

A few years later Tom was “thinking out-of-the-box” as he always did and came up with a great idea for another new mailbox. He thought instead of having a mailbox sit on a cross-arm attached to a post… why not make the actual post the mailbox? Before long his conception became reality and this product was appropriately named the “Mailpost”. This truly unique product was at least a decade ahead of its time. The original model was only 8” deep by 8” wide, but with the growing amount of mail people were receiving we replaced the original with a wider 14” model. Shortly after that he realized that all the space below the floor, which was located halfway down the 42” tall mailbox, was being wasted. He then came up with the idea of making the floor adjustable so homeowners could travel and allow the entire unit to fill with mail. This way they wouldn’t have to stop & start their mail at the post office... What a great idea! We have recently improved on this unique product by evolving its design to allow for large package deliveries as well as allowing for out-going mail. Many other products were conceived of during this time and many are still being made by us today. Before Janzer arrived, no one heard of a corrosion-free mailbox post being made entirely of aluminum! 

After his business was running steadily Tom moved his growing family business to a larger facility where he left room for a unique kitchen. He fixed it up nicely with neon signs, granite counter tops, a Viking range, wood flooring, pictures of food, restaurant style tables etc. He would stop on his way in to work to pick up the ingredients at the local farmers market. For his last 5 years he did what he thoroughly enjoyed... spending his workdays with his dog Goober and his family, cooking delicious gourmet meals for them at lunch everyday except Fridays.  While making sure he kept a close eye on lunch he would talk with customers, and anyone else who was smart & thick-skinned enough to listen to his unedited “say how you really feel” invaluable advice. Tom knew how to sell product to people because he knew and believed in the value of his products, but more importantly... he really knew how to bring out the best in people. Though Tom only lived to be 65 years of age, he showed others how life should be lived. Spending each day working with, teaching and caring for your family, while controlling what you can of your own destiny. All while having fun and sharing your experiences with others while earning an honest living. 

We look forward to carrying on his legacy as well fulfilling his goals, which are engraved on a plaque hanging on our office wall and reads:

"Our Goals"
The Foundation of a Family is Love, Unity and Financial Strength.
This Foundation is based on Diversified Knowledge and
the Many Skills in Life. The Most Important are Understanding and
Peace of Mind.
As a Person, One can Fail Physically or Materially.
But as a Family the Others pick up the Slack.
Even Large Corporations cannot Compete with a Strong Willed and Talented Family Business, that uses Common Sense and Family Pride to Develop and Market Anything.
The Family Developed Properly will Provide for Many Generations to Come, All the Resources to do What They Desire Most in Life.
To Build a Sound Foundation for Janzer's yet to come, Is What Makes us Run.