PROFILE ...continued from page 36
It hasn’t always been a bed of roses for the company. “The biggest hurdle we met was in 1998 when we needed to put up a new building because we were using a smaller building on our land where we lived, and we were renting warehouse spaces. We went over to Deerfield, a small town west of Jefferson and east of Madison. They welcomed us with open arms, and we were breaking ground within 60 days. We have been in that building ever since.”
CREDITING SUCCESS TO THE EMPLOYEES Schemm is the last person to brag about starting up his own company and making it the success it is today. “If it weren’t for good employees, we wouldn’t be where we are. I’m grateful to all the years our employees have given. It’s not just me; I just sit at a desk and do invoicing. They are responsible for the success of Schemm Bowling.” Schemm is proud of his employee longevity. “Nathan Bukoski has been with us since 2005. He does website design, IT, and office accounting. Jim Everett started with me in 1989 and left just this year to work full-time in a bowling center. He was with me for almost Nathan Bukoski 30 years and was an important part of our growth. Evan is Jim’s oldest son and started this year in the warehouse with shipping and receiving, as well as lane machine rebuilding and service and repair on machines. Chris McDonald has been with me since 1997 as a pinsetter and service technician. He spends most of his time on the road doing service and repair. David Rue also started in 1997 and is our service technician on pinsetters and lane machines. All of our employees are equally Evan Everett important.” Beyond his employees, though, Schemm is grateful for both of his parents’ help over the years. “My father, Cliff Schemm, is a great mechanic and has a tremendous amount of common sense. He can figure out problems and fix just about anything. My mother, Rose Mary Schemm, is an accountant and ran her own David Rue
accounting and tax business for many years. She was a great help in growing SBI over the years, and taught me numerous business lessons. For many years, she provided the accounting and payroll work for Schemm Bowling Service. Without both of them, Schemm Bowling would not have been as successful as it has been. I am 40
IBI
April 2019
very fortunate to still have both parents around. My father is 90 and my mother is 86 years old.”
BOWLING HAS BEEN VERY, VERY GOOD TO HIM Recreational bowling — not just the business of bowling — has played an integral part in Schemm’s life. First, he met Judy at a bowling center in Jefferson, WI, which has led to a 29-year marriage. They bowled in a couples league; Schemm was a more serious bowler, and enjoyed tournaments. Tom has bowled in 30 national tournaments with a lifetime average of 190 plus. He was even a PBA member for two years, bowling in regional tournaments, two national pro tournaments, and the ABC Masters tournament. His best year came in 1986 when he entered “Bowling with the Champs” in Wisconsin. “It was very prestigious. That tournament had maybe 2,800 entries. The top 32 made it to a television show [in Milwaukee]. I was on five different television shows for five different matches. Because of that exposure, the announcers always referred to ‘Tom Schemm and Schemm Bowling.’ That was a big boost for the business; the tournament [broadcast] my name and Schemm Bowling all over the southern Wisconsin TV area.” By winning that one tournament, Schemm couldn’t have asked for better exposure for his little company. So what is down the road for Schemm Bowling Inc.? As far as long-term goals go, Schemm, now 61, said that he wants to start working on an exit plan. “I haven’t quite figured out how to retire yet,” Schemm joked. With a strong team of dedicated staff in place, it may be easier than winning a tournament. ❖
Joan Taylor is a multi-award winning bowling writer based in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.
Chris McDonald