Rogar International

Rogar International, employs about 35 people and manufactures gourmet kitchen products such as pot racks and wine bottle openers. The firms products are sold in more than 2000 retail outlets, from Wal-Mart to Neiman Marcus. Their new 50,000 square foot facility in Oak Lake Business Center should be ready in January 1999.

Rogar originally moved to the Richmond area in 1989 from Texas and began rebuilding their business that was killed by the Resolution Trust Corp. Since starting over here, Rogar’s business has grown steadily at about 10 percent a year.

In September, Rogar was named a winner of the 1998 Blue Chip Enterprise Initiative Award. The honor is sponsored jointly by MassMutual Life Insurance Co. and the U. S. Chamber of Commerce. The ward recognizes small companies that have overcome adversity to become stronger businesses.