By WILL MANLY
Hays Daily News
For decades, the Meckenstock finance firm has been a family affair.
Founded on Mack Meckenstock's life insurance practice in 1937, the Meckenstock group evolved when current president Bobb Meckenstock joined in 1980 and his late brother, David, came on in 1986. Today, three of Bobb's sons-in-law play key roles in the company. Brian Weimar is vice president and chief compliance officer, Daron Jamison is director of operations, and Levi Marconnet heads the Meckenstock Group's mortgage company.
"The joy I have is that, 25 years ago it was my father and I," Bobb Meckenstock said. "Now we've passed the mantle down to the next generation, and these three young men have done just a wonderful job. They've very, very personable guys, very bright, very intelligent. It's going to keep us around, hopefully another 70-plus years."
What's more, Meckenstock said, is this is not a case of giving his darling daughters' husbands a cushy job.
"Surprisingly, it was not planned. It just came together," he said. "God's hand was in this business. God put these sons-in-law into Hays, Kansas. They all could have worked away from Hays. Some of them did in different locations. But it was their destiny to work here in Hays and to work for me. And we work together ... we really work together as a cohesive team."
Perhaps even more surprisingly, he said, the potential office political drama of so many extended family members under one roof has raised no concerns. To the contrary, having family holding down the fort when he's on the road is quite relieving.
"It makes my role, my position much more comforting," Meckenstock said. "I do quite a bit of traveling in the industry, so when I leave the office I feel very confident that things will continue to run as they should run and customers, when they call, will continue to be treated very, very well, as if I was here talking to them."
And the interaction doesn't end after work hours.
"We play together; we all golf together. We socialize a lot together," he said. "As long as they let me win at golf, I'm happy."
Will Manly is a reporter for The Hays Daily News and The Stir. He can be reached at (785) 621-4515, or by e-mail at will@thestironline.com.