Mountain Flame inc. Receives Recognition from Finland

Brian and Marcia Olenych, owners of Mountain Flame in Arkville, were recognized in 2006 by The Central Chamber of Commerce of Finland for, “twenty years of service rendered to Finnish Commerce and Industry.”  Their business is the distributor of Tulikivi soapstone fireplaces for the northeastern United States.  The award, called the Silver Medal of Merit, was given to the business couple during a recent business trip to Finland. They are the first Tulikivi distributors to receive this honor.

Brian and Marcia were first introduced to Tulikivi, the world’s largest quarrier of soapstone and the world’s largest producer of heat-retentive soapstone fireplaces and tiles, on a life-changing trip to Finland in 1986.  Brian was a masonry heater builder at the time, building mostly with brick.  Soon after their return to the U.S., Mountain Flame Inc. became one of the first distributors for Tulikivi in North America. Their business grew steadily, allowing them to open  a showroom near Kingston, NY in 1999. As sales grew, it necessitated a move in 2004 to building their own expanded showroom facility in the heart of Arkville on Route 28. They now have 5 dealers and service the Northeast and New Jersey.

The Olenych’s have been at the forefront of familiarizing the Eastern United States to Finland’s traditional type of masonry heating, now recognized here for its efficiency and environmental sensitivity.
 
The Olenychs attribute their long-running success to the fact that their business is family-run. Along with their son Jake, and Marcia’s brother John, Brian and Marcia make regular trips back to Finland to keep up with the latest advancements in the industry.  They truly love what they do.

The prestigious award comes with an extensive list of guidelines for wearing the medal of merit, including: 

• The medal of merit may be worn at solemn national occasions.
• The medal of merit may be worn publicly only by the person to whom it has been awarded.
• When the medal-holder dies, the medal goes to his next of kin, who, however, is not entitled to wear it publicly.