History
To answer your first question, H. O. K. stands for House of Kitchens. In the late 1960s, Ken and Ray Dodge decided to expand their retail business into the Manufacturers' Rep field and named the new division H. O. K. Sales. It could have been worse. They could have been selling gutters.
H. O. K. Sales enjoyed swift and continued success over the next 10 years. In 1976 the business was split and later, Ray teamed up with Joe Murphy to found Dodge-Murphy & Associates. Ken was joined by his son, Casey, in 1977, Patty in 1982 and Bob in 1988. Dodge-Murphy & Associates continued its growth by adding Mark Dodge in 1990. Ken passed away in 1993, still on the job, and Ray retired in 1997. The two agencies remained friendly; sharing industry updates, rides to trade shows and referring competing lines to each other.
By 1999 the respective principals of both companies decided the time had come to reunite as a single agency. The senior partners had a little trouble choosing a new president, so Joe and Casey flipped a coin. Joe lost and so he became the President. In short order, H. O. K. was reborn as a stronger, more comprehensive business entity, able to exploit opportunities available to a larger agency while enjoying the synchronistic benefits of two experienced staffs working together.
In January 2012 H.O.K. Sales, Inc. moved into our current location here in West Chicago, almost doubling our office space and updating our warehouse facilities.
Mark Dodge retired in 2021 and today, Joe and Dan are the partners in the business. All of our additions have refined our process as every new hire brings us the opportunity to improve. We have grown with technology and with our fast-paced world but our current track is similar to the track that started back in the 60’s. We are still a “family” business with key employees taking on leadership roles with the goal of growing not just our own business, but that of our manufactures and customers as well.
H. O. K. Sales enjoyed swift and continued success over the next 10 years. In 1976 the business was split and later, Ray teamed up with Joe Murphy to found Dodge-Murphy & Associates. Ken was joined by his son, Casey, in 1977, Patty in 1982 and Bob in 1988. Dodge-Murphy & Associates continued its growth by adding Mark Dodge in 1990. Ken passed away in 1993, still on the job, and Ray retired in 1997. The two agencies remained friendly; sharing industry updates, rides to trade shows and referring competing lines to each other.
By 1999 the respective principals of both companies decided the time had come to reunite as a single agency. The senior partners had a little trouble choosing a new president, so Joe and Casey flipped a coin. Joe lost and so he became the President. In short order, H. O. K. was reborn as a stronger, more comprehensive business entity, able to exploit opportunities available to a larger agency while enjoying the synchronistic benefits of two experienced staffs working together.
In January 2012 H.O.K. Sales, Inc. moved into our current location here in West Chicago, almost doubling our office space and updating our warehouse facilities.
Mark Dodge retired in 2021 and today, Joe and Dan are the partners in the business. All of our additions have refined our process as every new hire brings us the opportunity to improve. We have grown with technology and with our fast-paced world but our current track is similar to the track that started back in the 60’s. We are still a “family” business with key employees taking on leadership roles with the goal of growing not just our own business, but that of our manufactures and customers as well.