In 1913 when Frank Kenna, Sr., a New Haven, Conn., entrepreneur founded a company to publish news pictorials, little did he know that his small business, Illustrated Current News^©, would become a leading international workplace communications business - The Marlin Company.

Predating both radio and television, Illustrated Current News created posters for local businesses to display in their windows to attract potential customers. The company prospered as a local company serving New Haven businesses until the 1930s, when Mr. Kenna faced a problem: a manufacturing company he had purchased in 1924 was having safety concerns, and no one was paying attention to the safety posters he hung up.  He had a brainstorm to put his news pictorials next to the safety posters to entice employees to read both. That was the genesis of a new product — and company. In 1942 The Marlin Industrial Division, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marlin Firearms, the manufacturing company also owned by Mr. Kenna, was launched. The company published materials on safety, quality and productivity, bundled them with news pictorials, and manufactured a bulletin board fixture for their display. The result was a product that was educational, yet engaging, and that helped improve workplace attitudes and behavior.

The company grew throughout the years, expanding its geographical reach across the county and to Canada and Mexico, and in 1987 was incorporated as a separate company, The Marlin Company. The name Illustrated Current News, however, has remained to this day as part of The Marlin Company’s overall service, making it one of the oldest continually produced news publications in the country.

For over 90 years, The Marlin Company has been under the leadership of the Kenna family. Frank Kenna Jr., son of founder Frank Kenna Sr., ran the company from 1965 to 1995, when he passed the torch to his son Frank Kenna III, who assumed the title of president. In 1999, Frank Kenna III, also became CEO and today continues to serve as both president and CEO.

Under Frank Kenna III, The Marlin Company has grown to serve more than 8,000 locations across the United States, Canada and Mexico. It publishes separate editions of its content for nine vertical markets including: industrial, transportation, health care, business services, warehouse/distribution, hospitality, utility, sanitation and retail. It also has English and Spanish language versions. To give its customers flexibility in communicating to employees, not all of whom have Internet access, The Marlin Company offers its content through Communications Stations that can be managed through print or over the Internet.

The Marlin Company’s strong market position has always been based on the quality, relevance and professionalism of its content. Its materials are researched, written and designed by a team of professional in-house writers, designers and photographers, including award-winning former journalists.

The Whole Person Concept™
Under Frank Kenna III’s direction, the company has expanded its content to encompass what it calls The Whole Person Concept™, an innovative concept that recognizes that employees don’t leave their problems at home when they enter the workplace. For that reason, The Marlin Company’s content not only covers workplace issues like safety, but also family issues like eldercare, health and wellness issues and teenage drug abuse.

To help keep its finger on the pulse of the workplace, the company in 1995 launched The Marlin Company’s “Attitudes in the American Workplace,” an annual poll of workplace attitudes currently conducted by Harris Interactive. In addition to its national poll, it routinely surveys thousands of customers to determine their current issues and works with industry experts across North America. Through its research, The Marlin Company has developed a strong database of, and experience in, issues affecting the workplace, all of which it uses to improve its content.

Today the company remains committed to its historic mission of providing innovative content that helps improve workplace attitudes and behavior as it continues to develop new products and services that help enhance employees’ lives.

For more than 90 years, The Marlin Company has been the Workplace Communication Experts™, helping companies improve employee morale, productivity and performance through the innovative use of original, visually engaging content that is displayed in Communication Stations that can be managed through print or Internet distribution. Its stations, which contain content customized by industry, are helping more than 8,000 companies of all sizes improve workplace attitudes and behavior. It routinely surveys thousands of customers to determine their current issues, works with industry experts across North America, and conducts national polling. Since 1995, it has conducted its annual "Attitudes in the American Workplace" poll. In the early years, the Gallup Organization conducted the polling. Harris Interactive has done so since 2001. For more information, please see www.themarlincompany.com.

Company Name: The Marlin Company

10 Research Parkway
Wallingford, CT 06492
Telephone: 203-294-9800
Fax: 203-294-9900

E-mail address: info@themarlincompany.com

Web address: www.themarlincompany.com

Key executives:
Frank Kenna III, President and CEO
Edward LaFreniere, Vice President, Editorial
David Thibault, Vice President of Finance
Jude Carter, Director of Marketing
Dale Ilko, National Sales Manager

Ownership: The Marlin Company is privately-owned.

Founded: The Marlin Company was founded in 1913 as Illustrated Current News©, which continues today as part of The Marlin Company’s services and is one of the oldest continuously published news operations in the country. The Marlin Company was incorporated as a separate company in 1987.

Nature of business: The Marlin Company helps companies improve employee morale, productivity and performance through the innovative use of original, visually engaging content that is displayed in Communication Stations that can be managed through print or Internet distribution.

Number of employees: 115

Number of countries in: U.S., Canada and Mexico

Products: Visual communication programs that are designed to improve productivity, performance and employee morale in the workplace. Programs are sold by subscription, delivered in print or over the Internet and publicly displayed in Communications Stations. Separate editions are available for nine vertical markets including: industrial, transportation, health care, business services, warehouse/distribution, hospitality, utility, sanitation and retail. English and Spanish language versions are offered.

Number of customers: More than 8,000 companies of all sizes

Major innovations: The Marlin Company’s “Attitudes in American Workplace,” an annual poll of workplace attitudes currently conducted by Harris Interactive.

The Whole Person Concept™, an innovative concept recognizing that employees don’t leave their problems at home when they enter the workplace. For that reason, The Marlin Company’s content not only covers workplace issues such as safety, productivity and morale, but also family issues like eldercare, health and wellness issues and teenage drug abuse.

Trade organizations:
American Healthcare Association
North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association
Florida Health Care Association
Salt Lake Chapter of SHRM
Texas Health Care Association
California Association of Health Facilities
Oltca/Orca
Wastec
Michigan Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
New York State Health Facilities Association Inc
Utah Health Care Association
National Safety Council
American Institute of Stress

Spokesperson: Frank Kenna III, President and CEO