16 Companies Celebrate 125th Anniversaries in 2020

125 years in business means your company started in 1895 and has survived well into another century. Though 2020 has not been what any of us expected, those firms operating on longevity principles uncovered in my research ("Lessons From Century Club Companies: Managing for Long-Term Success") will likely survive another year. Ten are generational - even two of the public companies are closely held with family board members; one is employee-owned and one a co-op (basically customer-owned). So now, let's take a moment to celebrate:

Albany International, Rochester NH (public)

Capital City Bank, Tallahassee FL (3rd generation)

J.C. Newman Cigar, Tampa FL (4th generation)

Kansas City Life Insurance, Kansas City MO (public; 4th generation)

Kirlin Lighting, Detroit MI (4th generation)

Lennox International, Richardson TX, (public, 4th generation)

Lincoln Electric, Euclid OH (public)

Louis' Lunch, New Haven CT (4th generation)

McNulty's Tea & Coffee, New York City NY

Mid-Cape Home Centers, South Dennis MA

Rudolph's Meat Market, Dallas TX (3rd generation)

Rumsey Electric, Conshohocken PA (employee-owned)

Stanford Grain, Stanford IL (co-op)

Swann's Furniture, Tyler TX (4th & 5th generations)

Vowell & Sons, Martin TN (5th generation)

W.W. Fairbairn & Sons, Alanson MI (5th generation)

17 Companies Founded 1890 Celebrate 130th Anniversary

Seventeen companies founded in 1890 are still around today to celebrate their 130th anniversaries: four of them public, one 100% employee-owned and nine generational family firms. Congratulations all!

A.M. Castle & Company, Oak Brook IL (public) 

Bartell Drugs, Seattle WA (2nd generation)

Church's Lumber Yards, Auburn Hills MI (4th generation)

Curtis Lumber, Ballston Spa NY (4th generation)

Emerson Electric, Ferguson MO (public)

Engquist Lumber, Harcourt IA (4th generation)

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock, Oak Brook IL (public)

Marshalltown Company, Marshalltown IA

Muskegon Awning & Fabrication, Muskegon MI

Oliver Products, Grand Rapids MI

Pomeroy Funeral Homes, Croswell MI (3rd generation)

Stifel Financial, St. Louis MO (public)

Sundt, Tempe AZ (employee-owned)

Teufel Nursery, Hillsboro OR (4th generation)

Ward Lumber, Jay NY (4th generation)

Wheelwright Lumber, Ogden UT (3rd generation?)

Whitehead's Cutlery, Butte MT (3rd, 4th & 5th generations)

135 Years in Business is a BIG Deal!

At first glance, 135 doesn't necessarily sound like a milestone to celebrate - it's not like a 100th or 125th anniversary. But these 22 companies, which were founded in 1885, passed their 100th and 135th milestones and are still operating today. That's not an easy task. There is only one publicly-traded company in the group, but several generational family firms; these 22 companies span several industries and represent 11 different states. Let's take a few minutes to recognize the accomplishment of 125 years in business!

Belden Brick, Canton OH (4th & 5th generation)

Bemberg Iron Works, Little Rock AR (3rd generation?)

Block Drug Stores, New York City (2nd generation)

Cretors, Wood Dale IL (5th generation)

Central Michigan Paper, Ada MI

Clay City Pottery, Clay City IN (5th & 6th generations)

Cromwell Architects Engineers, Little Rock AR

E.C. Barton, Jonesboro AR (ESOP)

Gibson's Bakery, Oberlin OH (4th generation)

Havertys Furniture, Atlanta GA (public)

HLW International, New York City

Hayden & Sons Hardware, Cassopolis MI

Home Lumber, Whitewater WI (4th generation)

Humphrey's Building Supply, Tirerton RI

John Krtil Funeral, New York City

L. Sweet Lumber, Provincetown RI (3rd & 4th generations)

M.G. Newell, Greensboro NC (4th generation)

P. Flanigan & Sons, Baltimore MD (5th generation)

Randall Brothers, Atlanta GA (4th generation)

Reusch Jewelers, Petoskey MI (4th generation)

Steinkamp Home Center, Huntington IN (4th generation)

W.C. Bradley, Columbus GA (4th generation)

8 Companies Celebrate 140th Anniversaries in 2020

Eight companies founded in 1880 have survived world wars, economic depression and multiple recessions to celebrate their 140th anniversaries this year. If they practice the longevity factors identified in my research ("Lessons From Century Club Companies: Managing for Long-Term Success") I expect they will make it through these trying times as well. 

Ball Corporation, Broomfield CO (Public)

Citizens State Bank, Lena IL

Freeport Press, New Philadelphia PA

L. S. Starrett, Athol MA (Public, 5th generation, ESOP)

Sandersville Builders Supply, Sandersville GA (3rd generation)

Shaver Transportation, Portland OR (5th generation)

Usinger's, Milwaukee WI (4th generation)

Wiederkehr Wine Cellars, Altus AR (3rd & 4th generations)

Eight Companies Celebrate 145 Years in 2020 - Four are 5th Generation

145th anniversary may not seem like a major milestone, but think about what it takes for a company that began in 1875 to survive to 2020. These eight companies did it:

Anderson's Bookshops, Naperville IL, 5th generation (started as a pharmacy that also sold books, now three bookstores)

Chauvin Brothers, Chauvin LA, 5th generation (lumber and building materials)

Columbus McKinnon, Getzville NY, public (global equipment manufacturer)

Daniel Orr Sons Hardware, North Branch MI, 5th generation (retail hardware store)

Keep & Martinson Lumber, Tekonsha MI (lumber & building materials)

Normandin, San Jose CA, 5th generation (retail automotive)

Prudential, Newark NJ, public (global insurance & investments)

Schnipper, Britton & Stobaugh, Hot Springs AR (law firm)

150th Anniversary Celebrations for These Companies

The year was 1870. The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving black males the right to vote, became law. And of the many companies getting started as the United States was recovering from the Civil War, these 13 have survived to celebrate their 150th anniversaries in 2020. Eight are generational family companies; two are public. Five provide food or beverage products; four are in manufacturing; there's a bank, a bus line, a real estate investment firm, and a specialty construction firm (ironwork and masonry).

Androscoggin Bank, Lewiston ME

Brown-Forman, Louisville KY

Case's Pork Roll, Trenton NJ

Challenge Machinery, Norton Shores MI

Clark & Wilkins, Larchmont NY

DeCamp Bus Lines, Montclair NJ

Graeter's, Cincinnati OH

Kissling Interests, New York City NY

Pendery's, Dallas TX

Star of the West Milling, Frankenmuth MI

Tennant, Minneapolis MN

White's Marble Works, Sweetwater TN

Woodward Hexcel, Fort Collins CO

12 Companies Celebrate 155th Anniversaries in 2020

In 1865 the Civil War ended. Of the many businesses founded that year, these 12 have survived to celebrate their 155th anniversary.  A few grew to be large companies, but all except one are privately owned - and ten are generational family businesses. 

American Hotel Register, Vernon Hills IL, 3rd & 4th generation hospitality products and services

Cargill, Minnetonka MN,  6th generation agricultural products

Carter's, Atlanta GA, apparel manufacturer (public)

DWS Printing Associates, Deer Park IL, 5th generation printer specializing in labels

J. Henry Stuhr Funeral Home, Charleston SC, 5th generation funeral services

Kipp Visual Systems, Baltimore MD, commercial security systems (private)

Kositcheck's, Lansing MI, 4th generation retail menswear

Lacy Foundries, Baltimore MD, 5th generation metal products

Langlois Pianos, Bremerton WA, 5th generation piano sales and service

Law Jones Funeral Home, Savanna IL, 2nd generation funeral services

Milliken & Company, Spartanburg SC, 4th generation textile products, floor coverings (and more)

Newman Galleries, Philadelphia PA, 5th generation art gallery and dealer