“While we will miss his insight and experience, the entire company is excited for Mark and his wife Susan as they enter a new phase of their lives together,” Debshaw said. “Mark helped develop capable leaders within the company, and we are excited about continuing the company’s success in the future.”
Minges had the original idea to start POLARIS Laboratories®, and he has driven the company to remarkable heights. In just 15 years, a five-person operation in a small warehouse has flourished into a 63,000-square-foot Indianapolis headquarters with six satellite lab locations around the globe. The growth was recognized in many ways, including a place in the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies for six consecutive years (2009-2014).
Under Mark’s Leadership, POLARIS Laboratories® drove the fluid analysis industry forward. It was the first in-line fluid analysis company to earn ISO 17025 accreditation in order to standardize equipment and techniques in multiple locations. Competitors still do not match the number of accredited tests perform by POLARIS Laboratories®.
Mark was instrumental in developing the data analysis process to evaluate test results, which POLARIS Laboratories® uses to provide accurate, reliable and timely maintenance recommendations. The company also reduced the time it takes to get the recommendations to customers with the development of HORIZON®, their award-winning reporting software. This software pulled the industry from printing and mailing reports to emailing reports or accessing them online.
POLARIS Laboratories® is an independent fluid analysis company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company analyzes oil, fuel, coolant and water-based fluids to provide maintenance recommendations that reduce maintenance costs, improve equipment reliability and minimize unscheduled downtime for companies in the transportation, oil and gas, construction, mining and power generation industries. The North American locations are ISO17025:2005 accredited by A2LA and all seven labs worldwide use the same test methods to ensure consistent results. The company serves more than 165,000 customers in 90 countries directly and through more than 125 private label fluid analysis programs, such as Chevron, Phillips 66, Ingersoll Rand, MTU and Cummins Filtration.
