BIO

Personal

Frank “Lights Out” Kassela was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1968. Frank moved with his family to the Dallas Fort Worth area as a child before moving to Memphis TN where in September of 1993 started Mid-American Specialties. Frank is the father of 5 children and now resides in Las Vegas.

Professional

Frank Kassela established Mid-American Specialties, Inc. in September of 1993. The company distributes promotional products and office supplies to private as well as government offices nationwide. Mid-American Specialties, Inc. has experienced significant expansion in all aspects of the business. The company has grown to a multi-million dollar business and has received recognition from industry peers as well as the community. Mid-American Specialties, Inc. is not only dedicated to its business pursuits, but also to supporting the future of our community through our philanthropic endeavors.

As a result of the company’s prosperity, it has been able to give back to the community in many different ways. Mid-American has been a Diamond Sponsor of the FedEx St. Jude Classic. The company has also given generously to the Make A Wish Foundation as well as the Race for the Cure. The employees have also given their time with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. The focus of the company’s attention over the last several years has been that of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis. Frank Kassela currently serves on the Central Board of Directors and is dedicated to the objectives of the organization. Mid-American Specialties, Inc. is the title sponsor for the club’s annual golf tournament. Our employees spend considerable time and energy preparing for the tournament each year.

Consequently, Mid-American has also received recognition due to the success of the business. The company was nominated and named a finalist for The Memphis Business Journal’s Small Business Award in 1999 for employers with 26-99 employees, in 2002 for employers with 76-350 employees and again in 2005 for employers with 61-Plus employees. Mid-American has been a member of the Advertising Specialty Institute’s Multi-Million Dollar Roundtable since 1995. Listed in Inc. Magazine’s “Inc.500″ as one of the 500 fastest growing private companies in the United States in 1999.

In addition to the recognition that the company has received, Frank Kassela, was listed in the Memphis Business Journal in 2004 as one of the “Top 40 Under 40” businessmen in Memphis. His motto has always been that he wants to make Mid-American Specialties the “Best place in the world to work”.

We are doing our best to make this motto a reality and in October of 2005, Mid-American Specialties was the winner of the Memphis Business Journal’s “Best Places To Work In Memphis” award in the medium-sized business category.

In August of 2009 Frank opened his first Medical Uniform Retail store in Las Vegas called Scrubtastic. A second Scrubtastic location (Uniform Retail store) will be opening in Plano towards the middle of 2011.

Poker

At the World Series of Poker (WSOP), Frank has won two bracelets, cashed twelve times, and made four final tables. The first time he made a final table was back at the 2005 WSOP in the $2,500 Pot Limit Hold’em event which was won by Johnny Chan, Kassela finished fourth earning $68,425, he just missed out making another (eight player) final table when he finished ninth in the 2008 WSOP $1,500 Razz event.

Frank won both of his WSOP bracelets in 2010, the first was at the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship, It began with 170 entries with a final table made up of notable professional poker players such as Allen Kessler (2nd), Jennifer Harman (3rd), Steve Zolotow (4th), John Juanda (5th), Vladimir Schemelev (7th) and Dario Minieri (8th). Along with the bracelet he also earned the first place prize of $447,446.

His second bracelet with the first place prize of $214,085 was at the $2,500 Razz event which included two players that made up the final table from which he won his first bracelet, Jennifer Harman (6th) and Vladimir Schemelev (4th) also at the final table was the Swedish professional poker player Chris Björin (8th).

Frank finished in third place in the 2010 WSOP $25,000 No-Limit Hold ‘Em Six-Handed event for $556,053. He also cashed in the 2010 WSOP Main Event Championship finishing 674th place, earning him $21,327 after his K♦ K♣ failed to hold up to his opponents’ A♠ Q♣.

As of 2010, his total live tournament winnings exceed $2,200,000.