Local company sells wall mount to display signed or game balls
Two longtime friends recently designed and launched a product geared to the sports enthusiast wanting to display soccer or basketballs.
Former Addison neighbors Bruce Mell and John Fruzyna started Innovative Sports Displays last month after creating a wall-mounted display bracket for sports balls.
The idea for the new product developed when Fruzyna noticed his daughter's soccer balls that she earned for good games lying around. He designed a mount that would allow her to display the balls.
He took the idea to Mell, who is in the manufacturing field. He created a prototype that they now sell on their Web site, www.innovativesportsdisplays.com.
"It's designed for people in sports so they can display their team ball or favorite ball in their bedroom," Mell said. The mount also allows the athlete a place to hang a uniform shirt, spikes or sports gloves.
The men are just starting to market the bracket. "It's a slow process," Mell said.
The brackets, made of cast aluminum, come in red, white, blue, black and natural or polished aluminum. The bracket is about eight inches long and allows the ball to sit about an inch and a half away from the wall. The cost is $14.95.
The entrepreneurs, who run the business in Addison, are also in the process of designing brackets for footballs and baseballs.
"There's nothing out there quite like this," Mell added.
The men, who used to be neighbors, continue to live in Addison. Fruzyna, who works as an ironworker, and his wife, Sandy, have a 12-year-old daughter, Devin.
Mell works at Meskan Foundry in Chicago. He and his wife, Lisa, have five children ranging in age from 9 to 24.
The men have been selling the product at shows and will be at the upcoming Schaumburg Soccer Fest Aug. 25 and 26 at Olympic Park at Schaumburg and Martingale roads.
For more information, call (630) 913-5627.
Three decades strong: Rozovics & Wojcicki is celebrating its 30th anniversary of providing accounting, tax and consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses.
The firm is at 1580 N. Northwest Hwy. in Park Ridge.
In 1977, founding partner, Michael Rozovics started his public accounting practice at the corner of Higgins and Austin in Chicago.
Today, Rozovics and his two partners have a 15-member team that serve more than 300 clients.
Christopher Wojcicki joined the team in 1989 and became partner in 1995. In 2002, Rozovics' son, Jeffery, joined as a partner.