Before Photak - In the very beginning (1987/88) there were no UnderDog
dealers. Just John Van Beekum - the original DogFather - making Dog
batteries in his garage in Miami, Florida. By some miracle JVB connected
with the folks at Photak, who then helped put his UnderDog flash battery
system on the map. When Jon Falk at Lights Ltd., Inc., assumed the
UnderDog flash battery operations in 1994/95, Photak was still the
exclusive Dog dealer. Eventually, other selected UnderDog dealers were
added. But Photak was the first.
Who Are They? - Bill Johnston and Diana Leonard created Photak with the
idea that niche products and niche people belonged together. Introducing
everyone to everything was Photaks goal. Just selling solutions to
photographers was never enough. So, in that spirit (plus the radical
idea that they could make some money) their home start-up business in
Neenah, Wisconsin, eventually spread to a main street operation in
nearby downtown Menasha. But, this is America and things change. In
April of 1999 they announced that Photak would fold up its photo tent
and move on to other things. One door closes, another door opens.
Jon Falk Says - Thanks for being there first and thanks for all the good
times in between.