Book reveals family's recipe for success!

By Laura Kurella 
Journal correspondent 
Sept. 22, 2009

     Howard S. “Howdy” Holmes Jr., Jiffy Mix president, will be in Sturgis on Oct. 3 to serve as a celebrity guest judge at the annual Ardillacy Sturgis Biscuit Contest, but he will also be on hand afterwards for conversation at a book signing that will also take place courtesy of Lowry’s Books and More in honor of his company’s new book, “Jiffy: A Family Tradition, Mixing Business and Old-Fashioned Values,” written by Cynthia Furlong Reynolds.
     This well-researched and well-written piece explores every facet of the company’s history— the early years of Chelsea Milling Company, a business that has now been owned and operated by the same family for four generations. In remarkable detail further evidenced by actual heirloom photos, this book explains it all, from the mill and the beginnings of Jiffy baking mixes to the changes that have taken this company strongly into the 21st century.
     "I wanted to honor my family before me and I felt a need to record our history,” said Howdy. “It has been a heart warming experience for me.”
     The idea for the book began in 1990, but was put on hold after the unexpected death of its first author, Joseph Clayton. The project was restarted in 2001 after Howdy’s father, Howard, passed away.
     Highlights in the book include what inspired Howdy’s grandmother, Mabel White Holmes, to create Jiffy Mixes; the trials and tragedies the family endured and how the Jiffy Mix brand has grown over the last 80 years to now claim 57percent of our nation’s total muffin mix market— all without ever spending a single dime on advertising.
     The book also details its current president’s rise to power that, before joining the team at Jiffy, pursued a childhood dream of auto racing.
     Competing in six Indy 500 events and claiming Rookie of the Year in 1979, Howdy gained a wealth of experience in business management, marketing, and public relations. Returning to Chelsea Milling in 1987, he ascended to president and CEO after his father retired in 1995.
     The book is loaded with many personal family photos that offer an intimate look into the inner workings of one of the longest running flour mills in Michigan. It is designed to warm you almost as much as a batch of Jiffy biscuits.
     Books are available at Lowry’s Books and More. All purchasers will be given exclusive access to Howdy at the signing on Saturday. For details, call Lowry’s, 651-6817.