Bio of DYE, Glen M. (b.1884), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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GLEN M. DYE - Vol III, pg 705-708
Glen M. Dye, president of the Pako Corporation, is one of the successful
business men of the Northwest. A native of southern Wisconsin, his birth
occurred on the 22d of February, 1884, a son of Beecher K. and Florence (Henry)
Dye. Beecher K. Dye was a Baptist minister for many years but on account of
fail­ing health he took up farming when he was about fifty years old, settling
near Madison, Wisconsin. He had a large family and a very meager income.
Glen M. Dye was reared on the home farm, encountering the usual hardships and
work peculiar to a farmer's life in those days, and he had limited
opportunities. He attended the district schools and then worked his way through
Wayland Academy, at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Subsequently he took a correspondence
course and after putting his textbooks aside engaged in photography, in which
line he has since made a name for himself. While becoming familiar with the many
phases of photography Glen M. Dye conceived the idea of manufacturing
photographic machinery. He came to Minneapolis and purchased a small busi­ness,
in the conduct of which he was successful from the start and in February, 1921,
the business was incorporated as the Pako Corporation, which is the only
establishment of its kind in the world. It has two branches. One develops Kodak
pictures for drug stores; and the other manufactures studio equipment for
handling and developing on a commercial scale. Mr. Dye is president of the
corporation and is not only an expert in his line, but is a business man and
executive of high order. Possessing superior intellectual ability he is a
profound student and he has originated a number of new methods to increase the
efficiency of his employes. One essential to business success, according to Mr.
Dye, is constant study of the other man's methods. Three years ago he drew up a
chart of his organization and he revises this chart every year, in order to see
what progress he has made in the direction of the ideal organization which he
has in mind.
A more lucid conception of the business and the methods employed by Mr. Dye may
be obtained from the following extracts taken from his article, "How Borrowed
Ideas Helped Us Grow," appearing in the 1919 December number of System magazine:
"The somewhat elaborate analysis of our affairs that we prepare each month in
report form shows the current results of several clear-cut business policies,
the seeds of which were planted six years ago. * * * Perhaps my own tendency
toward seizing upon the experiences of others leads me to believe that a few of
these policies-some would call them hobbies-that have helped to multiply our
business by fifty will be helpful to others.
"First, a word as to what we do. Our business deals with photography; not
esthetic, highbrow effects, but simply, 'Joe and' the black bass' and 'Baby,
aged ten months' in other words, with everyday kodak snapping of the amateur. We
develop and print the films, variously called amateur finishing, or
photo-finishing
"Our customers comprise some six hundred drug stores in the vicinity of
Minneapolis, and mail order clients extending as far as Montana. And that's jus
tone part of the business.
"The other is the manufacture and marketing of improved picture-finishing
machinery for many other finishing concerns like ourselves.
"It requires fifty machinists to take care of this division and eighty more
employes for the photo-finishing department. Our
twenty-four-hundred-dollar-a-week payroll is small enough compared with that of
many concerns, but it assumes fair dignity when I look back six years to the
time when my two assistants and I held some finished photographs for two days
once because we couldn't spare the postage with which to return them to our
customers.
"At first glance it may seem a bit awkward to handle a picture-finishing
de­partment in connection with a machine shop. In reality they are
interdependent. You see we cannot afford to do our finishing except by most
improved machinery. So we manufacture according to our needs and give each new
machine a thorough tryout before placing it upon the market.
"Conversely, this interdependence makes us absolutely sure we have an improved
machine when, at last, we offer that model for sale.
"But a two-headed business, we find, is doubly apt to get out of control unless
a routine be created that is practically mistake-proof. On the other hand, it
quickly deteriorates unless one can always keep a jump ahead.
"I believe two of the greatest helps in whipping an inexperienced man into a
good executive are books and magazines."
In the same number of System Mr. Dye states that he was interested in an article
written by Julian S. Carr, Jr., appearing in the July number of System, in which
he said: "Then and there we determined that our policy in the future would be
first to find people who would 'fit,' and to treat technical skill as
sec­ondary. That has since been our policy and we have found that the technical
skill always comes along in due season, if only we have the human side of the
equation right."
Mr. Dye says: "I believe in that doctrine. It simmers down to what seems to me
the most important word in any successful organization-'personnel.' A correctly
balanced personnel is of more importance than capital, market or product.
"Further suggestions gleaned from reading have shown me the possibilities in the
use of charts in building up a personnel. Three years ago I drew our first
organization chart. * * * Since then, with us a revised chart has become an
annual affair. The important point is that each revision has been one step
nearer the diagram best suited to our ultimate needs. Each shift in our
personnel is a move toward fitting the men to the diagram rather than being
obliged, as at first, to fit the chart to the men.
"* * * In a business as complicated as ours, charts have enabled us to detect
the weak spots in the organization, and strengthen them in a way utterly
impossible without such visualization.
"Another policy we have adhered to is seeing that every executive has an
understudy entirely capable of doing his work. The advantages of this are that
the chief is left free to do bigger and better work, and at the same time,
should anything happen to him, the mechanism of the business is not thrown out
of gear."
Although the charting system has increased the business fifty-fold, Mr. Dye
realizes that there is another side to healthy growth-a pleasanter, more human
side. He mixes with his employes, asks questions and learns from them
first­hand. He also likes to have each member of the company ask as many
questions as they want to. "The object of asking questions is to get the answer,
but it isn't always as easy as that. I find that sometimes a man closes up like
a clam if I ask him anything direct, yet he will give just the information
desired if I can get him to think that he is taking the initiative."
"One way in which to receive good advertising and pick up valuable trade
pointers at the same time is by making capital of the fact that a trip through
our plant, with so many new mechanical devises actually developing and printing
films, is an interesting experience for anyone.
"Competitors drop in on business. We might easily hesitate to show a competitor
all our so-called 'inside information.' We might. But we do not. On the
contrary, we aim to make everything clear to him in as frank and free a manner
as we can. Why? Because, during the tour, the visitor's enthusiasm grows till,
at the end, he has turned from a potentially critical-possibly
suspicious-busi­ness acquaintance, to a warm personal friend, anxious to air his
own ideas in exchange for the confidences we have more than half-way pushed
toward him. "'Give and grow' we have found a better motto than at first might
appear."
On the 10th of September, in 1908, was celebrated the marriage of Glen M. Dye to
Miss Ellen Merriam and to their union three children have been born: Harry
Marvin, Marjorie and Elizabeth. Mrs. Dye is a woman of much personal charm and
she is prominent in the club and social circles of this city.
Since attaining his majority Glen M. Dye has given his allegiance to the
republican party and the principles for which it stands. Although he has never
sought nor desired public preferment, his influence is ever on the side of
advancement and improvement and he is readily conceded to be one of the most
public-spirited citizens of this city. His religious faith is that of the Judson
Memorial Baptist church. He is a member of Ark Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and a
charter member of the Lions Club of Minneaopolis. Mr. Dye's interests have never
been self-centered. He has courage, enterprise and sagacity and has won success
where many a more conservative man would have feared to venture.