Sevier News Messenger Sevier County News and Opinion
KaTom Restaurant Supply, a family-owned business run by Patricia Bible and based in East Tennessee, earned a place on Inc. 5000’s list of fastest growing private companies in America for an astounding 11th consecutive year. According to Inc. itself, of the tens of thousands of companies that have made the list, just .22 percent made it 11 straight years.
“It’s a tribute to our people, to our plan, to persistence and to hard work,” said President and CEO Patricia Bible.
In addition, KaTom was named one of the nation’s 25 fastest growing women-led/women run businesses. That award was presented by Women Presidents’ Organization and Capital One.
“I am just so very proud of the team here at KaTom,” said Bible. “Restaurants can turn to a lot of different places for equipment. They choose KaTom not just for good prices, but for outstanding service, from help choosing the equipment to designing their kitchen through having it all installed and working.”
KaTom was founded in the Bible family garage in Morristown and had just a few employees. Now it’s facility in Kodak has 110,000 square feet and 180 associates. And there are plans to add another 40,000 square feet in the near future.
“It’s been absolutely wonderful,” said Bible. “Having a family owned business is both exhilarating and challenging. I couldn’t be luckier than to be running KaTom with my son Charley and my daughter Paula Chesworth. They make me better every day.”
KaTom will likely top $200 million in sales this year. But according to Bible, that’s just the start. “We intend to eventually hit $1 billion,” she says confidently.
