Bison, Inc., a testament to the American entrepreneurial spirit, was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1974 as a fabrication and machine shop, initially known as Industrial Machine Specialty. In a remarkable turn of events, the company’s fabrication and machining capabilities led to forming a sporting goods division in the mid-1980s. Starting with a baseball/softball equipment caddy, the company began focusing on specific product production, changing the name to Bison, Inc. by 1985. This was just the beginning of its journey to ascend as a frontrunner in sports equipment manufacturing.
In the early years, before internet sales and marketing, the company relied on independent representatives to sell their products throughout the country. In one meeting, the independent reps reported that while the baseball/softball caddies were selling, they were typically seen as more expensive than the army duffle bags that a lot of teams used to haul their balls, bats, and other equipment in. The reps proposed another product.
The independent reps asked if Bison could make basketball rims because they thought those would be big-selling items. And that’s how Bison got into basketball equipment. For several years, Bison focused on becoming a national basketball equipment supplier. And then volleyball followed. And so did soccer. Now, Bison is proud to be one of the largest suppliers across the country for several team and individual sports, including badminton, field hockey, football, basketball, pickleball, soccer, tennis, tetherball, and volleyball. Their motto or tagline is “A Goal for Every Game,” and they just about have every sport covered.
We asked Nick Cusick, President/CEO, what set Bison apart from their competitors. He said, “I think it’s a couple of things that set us apart. First, our Midwestern, customer-focused values have helped us stay focused on what’s important. We value the mentality “the customer is always right,” maybe even when they’re wrong. We try to keep our customers at the center of what we do. It works for us, and our Midwestern work ethic helps, too.”
“We’re a heavily domestic manufacturer. Especially during COVID, this was critical to our success. Most of our competitors encountered problems during the pandemic because most of their products came from offshore. The supply chain and container shipments were problematic for them but not for us. For the most part, we could satisfy our customers’ needs better than others.”
Bison continues to grow and succeed by building personal relationships and keeping a hands-on approach to leadership. Nick states, “One of the things that’s helped us remain successful is our continued local ownership. Another thing we’re proud of is the longevity of a lot of our employees. Whether they’re leadership, management, or production staff, we have a lot of long-term employees here. And we pride ourselves on long-term relationships. We don’t have vendors we contract with; we have partners we work with, and that’s how we feel about our partnership with Midwest Bank.”
“We like having a personal touch. At Midwest Bank, we work with a number of different staff and everyone is always so willing to help when we need it. The customer service has been great with our day-to-day operations.”
Bison has also become an active part of the Lincoln community. He took the time to explain why he loves Lincoln so much. “Lincoln is just the right size. Small enough to still be friendly but big enough for businesses to grow. Lincoln has become more economically progressive in the last few years and continues supporting businesses and growth. Also, we like having opportunities to get our employees involved in things like Teammates or serving food at The Gathering Place. We encourage our employees to get out in the community to give back, and I’ve been happy to serve on a number of non-profits in my career. I view this as part of who I am and who our company is. I want us to be viewed as active participants in our community, not just another business out to make a buck. But really here to help make our community a better place.” And it’s companies like Bison and leaders like Nick that help support our communities and make us proud to partner with them.
When looking towards the future, Nick is excited for what’s to come for Bison. In partnership with Midwest Bank, the company is building an 85,000-square-foot manufacturing building with planned office space. In addition to the existing 35-40,000 square foot building, they’ve had for years. This new facility allows them to plan for growth and increase efficiency in production; having everything in one building will certainly set them up for growth and continued success.
Bison and the Midwest Bank Lincoln branch have been partners now for a number of years. Nick emphasized how important personal relationships are to him when choosing a partner. “Midwest Bank isn’t as big as some of the banks we’ve worked with in the past. But, it’s important that I have a relationship with who I do business with. I’ve known Brad Koehn for years, and he never pushed me into doing business with him. He always told me that Midwest would be here for us if we ever needed them.” The partnership between Midwest Bank and Bison continues to grow and strengthen with each project.
“We like having a personal touch. At Midwest Bank, we work with a number of different staff and everyone is always so willing to help when we need it. The customer service has been great with our day-to-day operations,” stated Nick.
“When we got to the point that we were ready to talk about our expansion, I’ll be honest, I was a little worried that Midwest might not have the ‘horsepower’ to put something together for us that made sense for us and Midwest Bank. But, they all worked really hard to put together a financing package for us that included just what we needed,” Nick explained.
Midwest Bank and Bison have much in common, which is why our partnership makes so much sense. Nick elaborates, “When you’re looking for a bank, you must make sure you partner with one that fits your needs. Not too big or too small, but one that’s right for your company. Midwest Bank was just the right fit for us. We have a similar culture and similar values, and we are both focused on providing Midwestern-type friendly customer service. Relationships matter; relationships on a purely business basis but also on a personal basis matter to me. It’s important to me to know the people I’m working with. For instance, when I have a personal cell phone number and can text my banker on a Sunday afternoon and get a quick response, that personal service matters to me. Because I’m the same way. I operate the same way and certainly value that with Midwest Bank.”
At Midwest Bank, we understand that you need a bank that goes beyond just the basics. We’re here to meet you where you are, understand your unique business, and find the solutions that work for you. And Nick is one of the first to recommend our way of banking. Nick stated, “I’m more than happy to strongly recommend Midwest Bank to someone looking for the same types of things I was looking for: personalized service, a personal touch, and a lasting relationship.”