Brothers Curtis and Marty Schmidt probably would’ve been involved in Dixie Seal & Stamp Co. (asi/50120) no matter what happened. But tragedy forced them to step into their family business sooner than they planned.

As the brothers entered college, their father, Stephen Schmidt Jr., passed away. With the company’s future uncertain, their grandfather, Stephen Schmidt Sr., gave them a choice: Commit to running the business after graduation or allow it to be sold. It was a daunting choice for two young men who’d previously only worked a variety of summer jobs at the company.

“There was definitely pressure,” says Curtis, the company’s CEO. “We really enjoyed what we were doing during the summers and seeing how the whole business operated. I just remember thinking it was a great opportunity to continue the family legacy.”

The current owners of Dixie Seal & Stamp Co., brothers Curtis (left) and Marty Schmidt, took over their family business following their father’s passing.

That legacy dates all the way back to 1897, when Dixie Seal & Stamp Co. was founded by Arthur Wrigley. The company originally specialized in rubber stamps, notary seals, embossers and engraving equipment. In 1947, after returning from military service in World War II as a major in the U.S. Air Force and bomber pilot, Stephen Schmidt Sr. joined the business at the invitation of Wrigley, his wife’s uncle. Dixie subsequently expanded into metal tags and nameplates, and secured promotional campaigns for bicycle license plates with major brands like the Kellogg Company, who sent them to kids who responded to special offers on cereal boxes.

Eventually, Dixie became the nation’s largest producer of commemorative aluminum embossed automotive license plates. And by 2007, the company had settled into its 114,000-square-foot facility in Tucker, GA – a far cry from its small downtown Atlanta storefront when Schmidt Sr. had joined the company.

“It’s a privilege to have the pressure of running a business that our dad and grandfather put their blood, sweat and tears into.”Marty Schmidt, Dixie Seal & Stamp Co. (asi/50120)

When they took over the business, Marty and Curtis established a partnership built around their complementary strengths.

“Curtis is really good with people and the marketing side of things, which is what he studied in college,” says Marty, Dixie’s COO. “I like to work on equipment and fix things, so I studied business management in college with a focus on the operational side of things. It was a good division of labor.”

That dynamic continues to drive the company. Curtis may see an opportunity for a new sales initiative or product line based on market needs, and Marty figures out how to make it work logistically. Marty acknowledges the brothers can have “different conversations” than typical co-workers, built on trust and the understanding that they can challenge one another.

“Marty and I go to lunch every single day, and there’s not a lot of personal stuff being discussed,” Curtis says.

Under Stephen Schmidt Sr. and Stephen Schmidt Jr., the company expanded its product offerings and its physical footprint in Greater Atlanta.

Rooted in all of this is their desire to keep their family’s business not only afloat, but thriving and growing. “We saw how much effort both our grandfather and father put into this place,” Curtis says. “They told us early on that if you’re going to run a family business like this, you can’t do it from the golf course. You need to be here every day, showing your face, being responsible for the day-to-day operations.”

Attendance, Curtis says, was always important to their grandfather – unsurprising for a man who also coached high school football after his military career. Their father, highly respected and well-liked at the company before his passing, led with an example of a calm demeanor and upheld the standard that a leader should never ask someone to do a task they wouldn’t do themselves.

“It’s a privilege,” adds Marty, “to have the pressure of running a business that our dad and grandfather put their blood, sweat and tears into.”