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About UsI started Customized Creations in 1988. I was coaching my daughter's soccer team and decided that a button with the team name and each girls' individual name would be a great "end-of-the-season" gift. Unfortunately, the least expensive supplier I could find wanted almost $7.00 each for buttons with individual names. With seventeen girls on the team, that was just over $100 for those cute little gifts - a bit rich for my blood. Then I met a guy who said he could set me up with nice bench-mounted button press and enough button parts to make 100 buttons, and it would cost me "only" $169.00. The next thing you know, the girls on the soccer team are yelling "Thank you Mr. Fish," and I've got a hobby /part-time home business where I make (and sometimes sell) buttons.
As you'll see when you browse through the web site, Customized Creations has come a long way since I bought that first button press back in 1988. And, in addition to the products and services shown on my Customized Creations web site, I've used my 23 years experience in the fluid power industry to develop a customized Basic Hydraulics course ( www.BasicHydraulics.com ) and an online directory of hydraulic repair shops ( www.HydraulicRepairShops.com ). Customized Creations is a "family-run" business which I operate from home. My kids step in to help out whenever I get swamped or make a trip to teach a "Basic Hydraulics" class. The last part of this page talks about the "family" in my "family-run run" business, since that's the important part of Customized Creations. However, before I move on to that important stuff, I'd like to let you know that I'm aware some people and companies are hesitant to order from a small, family run company like mine. Please rest assured that Customized Creations provides high quality products in a timely manner, and at competitive prices. My satisfied customers (many of whom have been repeat customers for many years) include companies like Arthur Andersen, CNN, Golden Books, HBO, Lockheed Martin, Missouri House of Representatives, Old Navy, St. Jude Medical Center, the US Navy, U.S. Space Camp, hundreds of reunion committees, and thousands of individuals. This shouldn't be considered an endorsement by anyone on the list, but hopefully it will give you some confidence that your order will be processed and completed in a professional manner. I've filled orders ranging from 39 cents to over $20,000.00, and each has been completed in a manner that met or exceeded the customers' expectations. Now back to the important stuff. Paula had a chronic-progressive form of multiple sclerosis. Her physical and mental condition slowly and steadily deteriorated from the time she contracted the disease in the early 1980's. However, while the disease kept her from doing things the rest of us take for granted (like standing, walking, writing, and reading), it didn''t affected her spirit or her attitude. Day in and day out, Paula had an upbeat, positive outlook on life. There's no doubt at all that if I worked half as hard at my business as Paula worked to overcome the limitations imposed on her by multiple sclerosis, Bill Gates would be the second richest person in the world. We live in central Ohio, and Paula and I both graduated from Whitehall Yearling High School in 1971 (although we weren't "high school sweethearts," we did go to the senior prom together). Paula attended Marshall University for a couple of years before transferring to the X-ray technology school of Riverside Hospital here in Columbus. I went to Ohio State University.
I'd post the kids' ages here, but then I'd have to remember to update this page every time one of them had a birthday. To make things as simple as possible for me, if you're really interested in their current ages you'll need to do a wee bit of math and subtract their birth years from the current year. Chris was born in 1977, Brian in 1978, and Sarah was born in 1980. The picture below was taken in 2002 at my mom and dad's 50th wedding anniversary part. The picture includes Chris' wife, Carrie (in the blue dress, standing between me and Chris), and Sarah's fiancee, TJ (standing on the far left, next to Sarah). That is Brian on the far right and Paula in the front row. Paula looks a bit tired because the picture was taken shortly after Chris and Carrie wheeled her out on the dance floor and danced a significant part of the night away.
Paula died suddenly and unexpectedly in February, 2003 - two days after her 50th birthday. To say she is sorely missed doesn't even come close to conveying how we feel about losing her. After much thought and consideration, I've decided to continue operating Customized Creations and try to build it into a business that will be a legacy to Paula in the years to come. You can find more information about Paula at www.PaulaFish.com Welp, that's probably way more than you cared to know about my family business. You'll find a bit more info about our family hidden throughout this Customized Creations web site, and you can always wander on over to my personal web site, www.robfish.com if you're a real glutton for punishment and want to see even more info about us. I hope you enjoy your visit to our web site. Both my mortgage company and I will be very happy if you find some stuff to order (and pay for). If you have any questions or are looking for something you can't find on the site, please scroll down and click on the "Contact Us" link. Thanks, and have a GREAT day! Rob
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Ten
years later, when my wife's multiple sclerosis progressed to the point
where she couldn't be left alone
for more than a few hours at a time, Customized Creations became
my full-time business and sole source of income. That allowed me to work
from home most of the time, take care of my wife, Paula, and try to keep our
creditors
happy. That's Paula in the picture on the right.
Paula and I married in 1974. We have three wonderful kids, Chris, Brian and Sarah. The picture of them on the left is from a long, long time ago... probably 1984. Cute kids, huh? They take after their mom in that department. 
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