For the longest time, when asked who inspired her most in life, Mary Mikesell quickly pointed to her parents. She saw in herself her father’s straightforward openness and her mother’s gift of compassion.

As it turns out, the biggest influence in Mary’s life would arrive in the tiniest of forms.

While expecting her first child, Mary developed a life-threatening pregnancy complication. Consequently, her daughter Brianna arrived prematurely, weighing just two-and-a-half pounds at birth.

Brianna spent her initial months fighting for her life in the hospital, with Mary and her husband, John, by her side. The experience impacted Mary greatly and shaped the person she is today.

“When the toughest person you know is two-and-a-half pounds, that defines you,” says Mary.

As she grew up, Brianna underwent several medical procedures and surgeries. Brianna’s inspiring courage led Mary to find additional inner strength. Today, a healthy Brianna is preparing to enter high school in the fall, where she plans to join the track team.

Born and raised in Toledo, Mary attended Bowsher High School and went on to receive a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University. A human resources position she held at a family-owned healthcare facility was invaluable to Mary’s growth in that field. Keeping track of the industry’s countless HR rules and regulations helped her become extraordinarily organized.

To expand her professional experience, she joined the Kuhlman Corporation in 2020. Although construction is an entirely different industry, it was important to Mary that Kuhlman was family-owned. As the Human Resources Manager of Gerken’s Building Materials and Concrete division, she enjoys being part of a bigger team.

As a self-described people person, Mary enjoys helping team members deal with work-related issues. Her experience following Brianna’s premature birth provided her with empathy for others, and she believes employees feel comfortable talking with her about problems.

A Bigger Family

Mary’s husband, John, is a former Defiance College football player and a current Global Commodities Manager for Dana. They met through a mutual group of friends and married in 2008.

After her first pregnancy, Mary was hesitant to have another child. But Mary’s grandmother, who had been an only child, encouraged her to give Brianna a sibling. Their second daughter, Maggie, was born without any complications.

“She really made our family complete,” says Mary, “and I’m thankful that I listened to my grandmother.”

Mary enjoys distance running and spends much of her free time volunteering to coach her daughters’ cross-country and track teams. Mary also previously volunteered for Graham’s Foundation, which supports parents with premature children. She spent time as their NICU Ambassador, delivering care packages to the Toledo Hospital neonatal intensive care unit.

Mary also likes cooking (including experimenting with making 5-star recipes), drawing and painting, and reading mystery novels.

The family loves being on the water. They enjoy taking lake vacations and visiting St. Augustine on the northeast coast of Florida. Their household includes Scarlet, a rescue dog named as a nod to the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Mary recalls that her aim as a parent was simple: to prepare her children to enter adulthood with the tools necessary to succeed and the compassion to focus on helping others. Indeed, Mary demonstrates those traits in her work and personal life. But the tiny infant who fought to live remains the most significant influence in her life.