Ortmann Pens crafts wood products for a global market.

Most people are wary when the government calls. But for Jon and Debbie Ortmann, the call catapulted their part-time woodworking venture to a full-time global operation.

Jon recalls the day in 2017 when he answered the phone to find a woman wanting to buy a supply of the Ortmanns’ handcrafted wood pens and letter openers for President Donald Trump’s inauguration. With Jon convinced it was a prank and Debbie mouthing to him to be nice and play along, Jon made arrangements for the order. It wasn’t until they received a confirmation email with a .gov address that the Ortmanns began to pinch themselves.

The couple was ultimately invited to attend the president’s inauguration as guests of then Sen. Roy Blunt, who made note of the Ortmanns’ beautifully handcrafted inaugural contributions in a nationally televised broadcast. That’s when things really took off for Ortmann Woodcraft, located in Patton, Missouri; and Jon and Debbie were able to leave their full-time jobs to focus full-time on their wood-working business.

“There isn’t a day that I do this job that it feels like work because I like every aspect of it,” says Jon, whose love of woodworking began at age 16.

Now, the Ortmanns’ hand-turned pens have become known in certain markets as the gold standard for writing instruments. In addition to pens, they also make cutting boards, home decor, wood cutouts for craft projects, and specialty items such as wine racks and shaving sets.

Because Missouri is home to so many varieties of trees, the Ortmanns use locally grown woods as much as possible, using their own mill to process the raw product. When they do special order what they call an “exotic” wood, they strive to buy from producers who employ safe harvesting practices. In all, the business uses about 65 different types of wood and makes its own acrylics to enhance the final products.

The Ortmanns take pride in being a custom shop; every product they make, from a single pen to an order of 2,000 keychains to an elegant wood countertop, is custom designed and handcrafted for the buyer.

“We handle what smaller shops can’t and bigger shops won’t,” Jon says.

While barbecue grill handles have become one of the most common items they make, one of their most unique projects was crafting a giant tray for a castle. Debbie also notes they have made products from wood pieces people bring for sentimental value.

“It might be wood from a tree on grandpa’s farm, and they ask us to make a pen for everyone in the family as a remembrance,” she explains.

Jon and Debbie complement each other in the woodworking shop. Debbie loves detail, repetition, and preparation, while Jon is the big picture person and handles product design and construction. The duo handles everything from a shop on their farm. They even manage packaging, labeling, gift wrapping, and shipping for every order. They are fortunate, though, to have trusted family and friends they can call on for help.

While Ortmann Woodcraft products can be found in high-end art shops, craft shops, and sometimes farmers’ markets and trade shows, they primarily rely on word-of-mouth advertising to sell their products. Debbie and Jon believe that treating customers with kindness and respect is the ultimate way to attract new customers and maintain repeat business.

“What really makes us so different is our ability to mold ourselves to what the market demands of that job and what the customer needs, as well as the wide range of products that we’re able to make,” Jon says.

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More information on Ortmann Woodcraft, including an online store, can be found at ortmannwoodcraft.com.