Clark Business Solutions
OUR STORY
Like many great stories, ours started with relationships.
Our founders, Jen Clark, Josh Clark, and Steve Buchmeier, built their partnership on a foundation of friendship, hard work, and a shared vision.
Jen Clark and Steve Buchmeier both grew up in Mauston, Wisconsin. Jen later met Josh Clark in college in the fall of 2003, and around that same time Josh and Steve became close friends through their shared love of hunting and fishing. What began as friendships would eventually grow into a business partnership.
In 2011, Jen and Josh took a leap and began the process of purchasing the Culver’s restaurant in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
Jen is a fifth-generation restaurant owner, coming from a family in the restaurant industry. While previous generations built successful restaurants of their own, Jen and Josh set out with a broader goal: to build businesses that invest in people, strengthen communities, and create opportunities for the teams who work within them.
Jen completed Culver’s Franchisee training program training in 2012, and shortly after finishing the program, she and Josh moved to Rhinelander to begin their journey as restaurant owners.
In 2013, Jen and Josh officially took over the Rhinelander location.
Growing the Vision
Not long after, conversations about the future began to take shape. During hunting and fishing trips, Josh and Steve often talked about what growth could look like. One of those conversations — during an ice fishing trip — centered around Culver’s expansion into Florida. The market had just opened, and they believed there was an opportunity worth pursuing. That discussion, followed by many more conversations, helped spark the vision for growing beyond a single restaurant.
During this time, Steve also began his journey toward restaurant ownership. He entered the Culver’s Franchisee training program and completed his training in 2013. Shortly after, they opened their first restaurant in the Florida market, bringing the partnership’s vision of expansion into action.
As time went on, the group expanded with additional locations in Northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida, and Ohio. Each new restaurant brought new opportunities, new team members, and deeper connections with the communities they served.
Building Clark Business Solutions
As the organization grew, it became clear that the business needed stronger internal support to keep pace. In 2015, Clark Business Solutions was created to manage accounting and administrative functions for the growing group of restaurants. What began humbly — with accounting work being done in the basement of Jen and Josh’s home — eventually grew into a dedicated support organization.
Today, Clark Business Solutions operates from its main office in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, supporting 25+ locations in Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Clark Business Solutions supports these locations with accounting, operations, human resources, marketing, and project management.
Investing in Our Community
While the company has grown significantly, the mission has remained the same.
From the beginning, Jen and Josh believed that being part of a community meant investing in it. Since taking over the Culver’s of Rhinelander, they have donated nearly half a million dollars back to the community through local partnerships, fundraising events, and community involvement.
Today the organization continues to grow, but its foundation remains the same — strong relationships, a focus on people, and a team committed to getting better every day.
Where We Are Today
What began with a single restaurant in Rhinelander has grown into a successful multi-location franchise rooted in the same values that started it all: hospitality, integrity, and hard work.
