About Us

Mike Tamerius - Owner

Matt Somers - Owner

The year was 1992. By some accounts the month was May, but they’re pretty sure it happened in July. For the sake of argument, we’ve settled on the 15th. An otherwise unremarkable summer fishing trip would set the course for what would become the life’s work of ’87 high school classmates Mike Tamerius and Matt Somers.

Mike had just completed a stint in Grinnell, Iowa working for an optometrist. He had moved his young family back to their hometown, where his love of all things optical had begun several years earlier while cleaning the offices of Creston Vision Clinic. Mike was now working for his father-in law selling office equipment, but had been toying with an offer to do some lab work for a doctor in Atlantic.

Matt had other ideas. He had just graduated from college, was working on his master’s degree, and was about to be married. His plans to become a teacher and coach were about to be sidelined. The two concocted a plan. Mike would sell his boat and Matt, his motorcycle. On a hunch and a handshake, Precision Optical Group was launched. The "Inc." was inked a couple of years later.

So what were the odds of two 23-year olds with no formal business training and no financial backing growing a top optical laboratory from the ground up in their hometown of Creston, Iowa? Almost nil. Fortunately, neither realized it at the time.

Mike remembers their initial goals as modest. "We just wanted to feed our families. Since I’d quit my day job and Matt had never had one, you could say we had a lot riding on this little venture. We were frugal out of necessity, and that conservative attitude has served us pretty well all these years. For example, we couldn’t afford the free pens and calendars - all the frilly stuff - so we asked 'Do our customers even care about that?' Turns out they really didn’t." Having supportive spouses was also vital; being young and having the energy to work 16-hour days six days a week didn’t hurt either. For two years they drew $100 weekly paychecks and sunk every extra nickel into the business. Mike recalls Matt riding a bicycle to work after his car broke down. They knew the company had reached a milestone several years later, when it was finally able to pay Matt a teacher’s wage.

While both continue to spend full days at P.O.G. Labs, Mike maintains that having a life outside the business has been important. "You’ve got to get your mind off of work in order to let new ideas flow." While he watches very little TV, he confesses that both he and Matt developed a secret addiction to The Bold and the Beautiful over the years while grabbing quick lunches with their employees in the company’s break rooms. (Note: Do Not Disturb between 12:30 and 1:00 pm CST)

Even during the formative years of P.O.G. Labs, Mike seemed to need an outlet for his excess energy. He found it by spending a decade serving the citizens of Creston, first as council member and then as mayor. These days, much of his free time is spent outdoors, enjoying the physical labor of his small farming operation and the occasional game of golf. He and wife Traci keep up with son Alex’s year around school sports and 4-H activities and have watched as daughter Jessica’s dance classes turned into college classes. "I talked my friend out of being a teacher, and now my daughter wants to be one - ironic, but in a good way." Family ties are important. Mike’s sister Deb manages the company’s Data Entry department, while sister Carlene works in Customer Service. Both are long term employees and passionate about the business. Father Don checks in regularly on the trio.

"It’s cliché, but it’s just so important to do something you love. And being a good listener is key. Matt and I had to get out of our comfort zones, call complete strangers, and accept plenty of criticism in order to learn and grow. Every day is a new opportunity and challenge. I just get up, go to work and try to improve one thing, whether it’s an approach to people or a process. Some people are looking for a routine and want to hone a specific skill; others have a deep desire to do something different every day, and when it comes to our employees, we really need both types. I love that I get to work with so many interesting people. The best part of that is challenging someone to be their best and watching them surprise themselves when they exceed their own expectations. I enjoy finding out what motivates people, getting them on the same page with the direction we’re trying to take the company, and then helping them develop their talents so we can get there - any financial reward is a byproduct of that, but if that was my main motivation for coming to work, I’d really be missing out."

Watching the industry itself also fascinates Mike. "We try not to operate on preconceived notions of what will or won’t work. We learn a lot by trial and error and aren’t afraid to take risks, but the risks are calculated and we try real hard to get the timing right. You’ve got to have the right people in place. Often it comes down to instinct. You can do the math on your ROI, but in the end, it has to feel right."

One challenge has been trying to maintain their high level of growth over the years. Building confines have made for some creative uses of space, and at times the available workforce has been limited. "And that old conservative attitude has kept us from jumping in with both feet several times with the ‘next new thing’ that comes along. It’s important for us to really know our customer. When you do that, the sales part is easy. What is ‘sales’? It’s just being willing to really talk to your customers and find out what their needs are. Then figure out how to give that to them! It’s amazing to me how many companies will market what they want to sell instead of what their customer needs - that’s backwards. If you know your customer and simply meet their needs, your business success will follow."

Matt has no regrets in the direction his life took. "There are always new things happening within the industry to keep my interest piqued." While his plans for a teaching career never got off the ground, the optical business itself presents many learning and teaching opportunities. Most new employees have no optical experience, so it’s all very hands on. "I try to teach someone something new every day, and I still coach sports, so I really haven’t given up any youthful dreams, just changed a few of the details."

Matt has coached high school boys’ basketball for eight years. He and wife Debbie have two sons, Kainen and Kyle, and a daughter, Camryn, ranging from grade school to high school. "All three have been very active in sports, so I’ve coached their little league teams and go to all of their events. Deb and I are really enjoying watching the kids grow up. It gives us more time to spend together!" Matt still finds time for fishing, and enjoys hunting and golfing as well.

Matt concurs that people are the best part of the business. "Getting to know all the people that Mike and I have come across is one of the most rewarding things to come from this venture. We owe a debt of gratitude to some great employees and to so many people in the business that have extended a helping hand to us throughout the years - and it has sure made things easier - from other lab owners to salespeople and local business leaders who have willingly given whatever help we needed along the way."

"Figuring out which parts of the business to grow at a given point in time has been challenging, as has knowing when to let go. At times, we have to suppress the urge to micromanage, but learning to trust in our management team has been liberating for Mike and me. Hiring an experienced lab manager and no longer having to make all those production decisions ourselves has allowed us to focus on the big picture - and even take a day off now and then. We’ve found over the years that when we spend too much time in any one area of the lab, we tend to drop the ball in another. Mike and I are still very hands on, but when we can balance our activities, we’re at our best."

The ‘little lab that could’ has come full circle from its modest beginnings, becoming a major employer in this rural community in southwest Iowa, where motorists wave and a great work ethic is the norm. For anyone wondering, Mike - not Matt - eventually got a new motorcycle, and Matt, a boat. Their employees will attest that they give each other plenty of good natured ribbing on a daily basis. And frugal? To this day, they refuse to buy pens, even for their employees. (Get one from your bank, for crying out loud!) Mike and Matt take their business seriously, but themselves? Rarely. It’s clear the friendship has survived the years - what are the odds of that? Pretty good, it turns out.