Latest news with #Kaltman
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Ohio custom pen maker fulfills order for Vice President JD Vance
Ohio custom pen maker fulfills order for Vice President JD Vance Show Caption Hide Caption Woman seeks justice after small business theft A break-in is forcing a small business owner to rebuild her livelihood. Police are still looking for a suspect. Fox - 7 Austin Hobbyist turned small businessman Len Kaltman, who makes custom pens for businesses, got an unexpected order this spring: the U.S. State Department on behalf of Vice President JD Vance. Kaltman, who started his business Buckeye Pens & Gifts nearly 20 years ago after becoming obsessed with 'pen-turning,' had sold his product to plenty of company vice presidents – just none in the White House. 'At first, I thought it might be a joke,' said Kaltman, who lives in suburban Cincinnati. 'I thought somebody was pulling my leg.' But two emails from the Office of the Chief of Protocol at the State Department confirmed the order. Officials wanted the pens for Vance's office to hand out as gifts to dignitaries. The order included adding the vice presidential seal to wood boxes that go with the pens. Unique wood from Ohio's official tree Kaltman credits his exclusive work with Buckeye Burl – a knotty wood that frequently grows in the roots of the state's official tree. It can be a little more difficult to carve, but its swirling grain produces unique patterns and can include black, blue, brown, gold and gray. It's pretty and it's pricey – Kaltman sells his pens for between $60 and $100 apiece. Kaltman showed The Enquirer correspondence, an invoice and payment confirmation that showed the federal government bought 20 pens from him for $1,936. State Department officials did not respond to messages seeking comment, nor did Vance's office. Kaltman tries to keep a tidy workshop in the corner of his Liberty Township basement, which smells of sawdust. A semi-retired professional photographer, Kaltman, 72, said his pen-making endeavor began as a hobby. But after he made 50, his wife said he should sell them at craft shows. He later added a website. 'I got addicted,' Kaltman recalled. 'She asked me: 'How much are these costing us and how many pens do we need?''
Associated Press
03-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Ohio Woodworker Surprised by State Department Order
Middletown, OH May 02, 2025 --( )-- Len Kaltman, owner of Buckeye Pens of Liberty Township, Ohio, received an unexpected order from the U.S. State Department this spring. His handcrafted pens were selected by the Office of the Chief of Protocol as gifts to be given by Vice President J.D. Vance to visiting dignitaries. When the U.S. State Department first contacted Kaltman via the Buckeye Pens website, he thought it was a prank. The letter had indicated that since Vice President Vance was from Ohio, they wanted to incorporate his pens into their diplomatic gifts. 'When the first email inquiry came in, I thought someone was playing a joke on me,' Kaltman says. 'When the second email came in, months later with the actual order, I was very excited!' Buckeye Pens are turned on a lathe by Kaltman in his workshop in Liberty Township, Ohio. Made from the wood of an Ohio buckeye tree, the state tree of Ohio, no two of his handmade pens are exactly alike. 'Each of my pens makes a great Ohio themed gift' says Kaltman. 'I use buckeye burl exclusively for its unique grain and colors and of course it's connection to the Buckeye State. Gifts made from the buckeye tree date back to the presidential campaign of William Henry Harrison, when his supporters were reported to carve souvenirs out of the distinctive wood. The patriotic styled pen selected to be given as gifts by the Vice President is one of dozens of Kaltman's custom designs. It features an American flag, bald eagle, and the phrase 'God Bless America' in antique brass and pewter. The executive pens are packaged in a wooden gift box engraved with the Vice Presidential seal and signature. 'It has impressive size and weight and the patriotic design elements are perfect for personal or corporate gifts says Kaltman. The creative and entrepreneurial spirit of Ohio's small businesses will travel the globe in the form of Buckeye Pens, its unique roots a centerpiece for international relations. About Buckeye Pens: Buckeye Pens are individually handcrafted in Ohio, in the Liberty Township woodshop of Len Kaltman. The custom pens make unique and memorable personal gifts for family and friends and are popular corporate gifts for employees and clients. For more info visit Buckeye Pens at: Contact Information: Buckeye Pens and Gifts Len Kaltman 513-313-9324 Contact via Email Read the full story here: Ohio Woodworker Surprised by State Department Order Press Release Distributed by
