2026 New Century Club Members

 Congratulations on sustaining your business for 100 years! Following are the companies I have identified, but there may be more so please leave a comment if I have missed one you know of.

Clyde Companies, Oren UT 3rd generation

Fair Hills Resort, Detroit Lakes MN 4th generation

Frank's Diner, Kenosha WI

Graco, Minneapolis MN public

Hartford Technologies, Rocky Hill CT 2nd generation

Hoogerhyde Safe & Lock, Grand Rapids MI

Hostetters News Agency, Grand Haven MI

McKinsey & CO, New York City NY

Prisco's Family Markey, Aurora IL 4th generation

VIP Tires, Auburn ME 3rd generation

2025 Century Club Members

 

Each year I update my database of Century Club Companies on this blog, since the newest members names won't make it into the list at the end of my book until the next issue. Please leave a comment if you know of a company founded in 1925 in continuous, independent operation for the last 100 years that I may have missed. Congratulations to the following companies:

Adams Material Handling & Storage, Fargo ND private

Bartunek Hardware, Astoria NY 5th generation

Berger Chevrolet, Grand Rapids MI 4th/5th generations

Brakebush Brothers, Westfield WI 4th generation

Burris Logistics, Milford DE 5th generation

Bush Brothers Provision, West Palm Beach FL 5th generation

Caterpillar, Irving TX public

Cheney Brothers (CBI), Riviera Beach FL 4th generation

Country Financial, Bloomington IL mutual

Dart Bank, Mason MI private

Delta Airlines, Atlanta GA public

Erie Insurance, Erie PA public

Fisher Companies, Mt. Pleasant MI 3rd & 4th generations

Forward Corp, Standish MI 5th generation

G&J Pepsi-Cola Bottlers, Cincinnati OH 3rd generation

Higley Construction, Cleveland OH 3rd generation

JF Electric (Fowler Copanies), Edwardsville IL 3rd generation

JM Smith, Spartanburg SC private

Kellog Garden Products, Carson CA 4th generation

Levitt Corp (Teddy Peanut Butter), Everett MA 4th generation

Lindstrom's TV & Appliance, Galesburg IL 3rd generation

Neville Chemical, Pittsburgh PA public

Pella Corp, Pella IA 4th generation

Reist Popcorn, Mount Joy PA 4th generation

Reynolds Market, Glendive MI 3rd generation

Sentry Equipment, Oconomowoc WI employee owned

Sherwood Chevrolet, Tunkhannock PA 3rd generation

The Suter Company, Sycamore IL employee owned

Tauck, Wilton CT 3rd & 4th generations

Tollefson's Retail Group, Minot ND 4th generation 

Torani (R. Torre & Co), San Leandro CA 3rd generation & ESOP

W.E. O'Neill Construction, Chicago IL employee owned

Kentucky's Oldest Companies

There are at least 15 Kentucky companies older than 100 years. Eleven are generational family businesses, one of which is also public (Brown-Forman); only one other public firm (Stock Yard Bancorp). Here's my list, but please leave a comment if you know of other continuously operating independent businesses.

1802 Rogers Funeral Home, Frankfort 7th generation

1817 Atkins & Pearce, Covington 7th generation

1853 Luckett & Farley, Louisville ESOP

1861 Heimerdinger Cutlery, Louisville 5th generation

1870 Brown-Forman, Louisville 5th generation & public

1896 Nugent Sand, Louisville 3rd generation

1896 Paxton Media Group, Paducah 5th generation

1904 Stock Yards Bancorp, Louisville public

1907 Lawrenceburg Supply, Lawrenceburg private

1910 Steepleton, Lexington private

1911 Dreisbach Wholesale Florist, Louisville 4th generation

1914 Rodes for Him & for Her, Louisville 5th generation

1919 Don Moore Automotive, Owensboro 4th generation

1921 Flottman Company, Crestview Hills 3rd generation

1922 Coffin Shoe Company, Knoxville 3rd/4th generations

Businesses Turning 100 in 2025

 So far I have identified 14 companies celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2025. If you know of any others, please leave a comment! For now, welcome to the Century Club:

Bartunek Hardware, Astoria NY (5th generation)

Berger Chevrolet, Grand Rapids MI (4th & 5th generation)

Brakebush Brothers, Westfiled WI (4th generation)

Burris Logistics, Milford DE (5th generation)

Bush Brothers Provision, West Palm Beach FL (5th generation)

Caterpillar, Irving TX (public)

Cheney Brothers (CBI), Riviera Beach FL (4th generation)

Delta Airlines, Atlanta GA (public)

JM Smith, Spartanburg SC

Kellog Garden Products, Carson CA (4th generation)

Lindstrom's TV & Appliance, Galesburg IL (3rd generation)

Pella Corporation, Pella IA (4th generation)

The Suter Company, Sycamore IL (employee-owned)

Torani (R. Torre & Co), San Leandro CA (3rd generation + ESOP)

Over 40 Businesses Celebrate 100 Years in 2024

Century Club congratulations go out to these companies celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2024. Only two are public companies; five are employee-owned/have employee ownership; and 27 are generational family-owned! It is becoming more difficult to identify century companies as we lose local newspapers and press coverage, so if you know of a business I have missed that should be on this list, please leave a comment.

Ace Hardware  Oak Brook, IL

Barton Malow  Southfield, MI

A. Duie Pyle  West Chester, PA

Alexander's Hardware  Bay Springs & Ellisville, MS

Barton Malow  Southfield, MI

Bergey's  Souderton, PA

Byrd's Famous Cookies  Savannah, GA

Davis Building Movers  Blue Point, NY

Elmo Tire  Youngstown, OH

Farrey's Lighting, Bath & Kitchen Hardware  North Miami & Coconut Grove, FL

Fligner's Markeat  Lorain, OH

Frank's Restaurant  Zeeland, MI

Genesco  Nashville, TN

H2I Group  Minneapolis, MN

Holman Auto Group  Mount Laurel, NJ

Howell's Grocery & Restaurant  Stuart, VA

Jack's Place  Port Allen, MS

JE Dunn Construction  Kansas City, MO

Joe Jost's  Long Beach, CA

Joetown Garage  Kalona, IA

Johnson Tire Service  Springville, UT 

Kegel's Inn & Beer Garden  West Allis, WI

KS Bank  Smithfield, NC

Mars Supply  New Brighton, MN

McMillen Inc  New York City, NY

Merkel Furniture & Carpet  Chelsea, MI

MDU Resources Group  Bismarck, ND

Na Hoku  Honolulu, HI

Plante Moran  Southfield, MI

Pratt's Country Store  Knoxville, TN

Pressell's Florist  Hanover, PA

Raub's Restaurant  Plymouth, PA

Rubensteins  New Orleans, LA

Schaedler YESCO  Harrisburg, PA

Sipe's Care Care  Robbinsdale, MN

Snelgrove's  Enfield, CT

Spruit Brothers  Grand Rapids, MI

Swanson's Nursery  Seattle, WA

Tadlock Stockyards  Forest, MS

Tate Engineering  Baltimare, MD

Woolley Home Solutions  Maplewood, NJ

Zachry Group  San Antonio, TX

Notable 200 Year Anniversaries in 2024

Fifty-three (53) Century Club Companies celebrate 200 years or more in business this year. Special congratulations to these six with notable anniversaries:

Bachman Snyder Funeral Home & Crematory in Strasburg, PA Founded 1769 and celebrating 255 years in business

Baltimore Equitable Insurance and Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia, both founded in 1794 and celebrating 230th anniversaries 

Bromwell's fireplace retailer in Cincinnati, OH and NYC law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore both began in 1819 and are now 205 years old

Ashaway Line & Twine, 6th generation Rhode Island manufacturer of world class racket strings, hitting the 200 year mark this year

At Least 30 Companies Turned 100 in 2023

At least 30 U.S. companies celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2023 and only two are public, including Walt Disney Company. Of the 27 that are privately-owned, 17 are generational family companies and one is employee-owned. Here is the list I have gathered to date: please let me know if I have missed one. 

Albanese Butcher, NYC, 3rd generation

Avalon Theater, Grand Junction CO

Borr's Shoes, Holland MI

Bradbury Stamm Construction, Albuquerque NM, 4th generation

Burns Chevrolet, Gafney SC

D'Arrigo Brothers, Chelsea MA, 3rd generation

Durable Corp., Norwalk OH 

Estwing Manufacturing, Rockford IL, family

Geissler's Supermarkets, East Windsor CT, 4th generation

Goedecke Decorating, Bedford NH, 4th generation

Harbor Food Groups, Kent WA, 4th generation

John A. Marshall, Lenexa KS, 4th generation

Lake GM Auto Center, Devils Lake ND

L.H. Hayward & Co., Harahan LA, 4th generation (Camellia Beans)

Li-Lac Chocolates, NYC NY

Lou Mitchell's, Chicago IL, 2nd generation?

Luck Companies, Manakin Sabot VA, 4th generation

McNamara Sports, Merced CA, family

Meinholdt's Welding & Machine Shop, Topeka KS

Old Point Financial, Hampton VA

Paielli's Bakery, Kenosha WI, 3rd & 4th generations

Perfect Building Maintenance (PBM), New York City NY, 3rd generation

Phillips Flowers, Chicago IL, 3rd & 4th generations (?)

R.H. White Construction, Auburn MA, 3rd generation

Sunnyside Ford, Holden MA, 3rd generation

Superior Die Set, Oak Creek WI, 4th generation

Walt Disney Company, Burbank CA, public

Wendell August Forge, Mercer PA

West Pharmaceutical Services, Exton PA, public

W.W. Norton & Co., NYC, employee-owned (publisher)

125th Anniversary Companies

 

Twenty-one Century Club Companies celebrate their 125th anniversary in 2023. Three are public (including Goodyear and International Paper), 11 generational family-owned (including Bechtel), and one is employee-owned. Congratulations to all!

Alter Trading, St. Louis MO 3rd generation (recycling)

American Nickeloid, Peru IL (manufacture metal products)

Bank of England, England AR (banking)

Bechtel, Reston VA 5th generation (engineering, construction)

Belletetes, Jaffrey NH 3rd, 4th & 5th generations (lumber & building materials)

Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City MO employee-owned (engineering, construction)

Cox Enterprises, Atlanta GA 4th generation (media conglomerate)

Detroit Store Fixture, Detroit MI (commercial equipment)

Eaton Funeral Home, Sullivan MO (funeral services)

FEH Design, Des Moines IA (architecture, design, engineering)

First Citizens Bancshares, Raleigh NC public - also 3rd generation? (banking & finance)

Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Akron OH public (tires & rubber products)

International Paper, Memphis TN public (paper products)

J. Elmer Turner Realtors, Dallas TX 5th generation (real estate services)

McKelvey Homes, Chesterfield MO (construction)

The Old Print Shop, New York City NY, 3rd generation (retail art)

Rambusch Lighting, Jersey City NJ 4th generation (manufacture electrical products)

Robertson's Building Center, Malvern OH 3rd generation? (lumber & building products)

Walsh Group, Chicago IL 4th generation (construction contractor)

Warnock Furniture, Magnolia AR 5th generation (retail furniture)

Worksman Cycles, Ozone Park NY 3rd generation (manufacture cycles)

Notable Anniversaries for Century Club Companies in 2023

Over 350 U.S. businesses celebrate being in continuous, independent operation for 150 years or more in 2023. Here are a few hitting some pretty significant milestones:

400 years: Zildjian 14th generation (began making cymbals in the Ottoman Empire in1623, U.S. since 1929)

225 years: Alan McIlvain and J. Gibson McIlvain 7th generation (both began as the McIlvain Lumber Company in Pennsylvania 1798)

200 years: Munson Machinery (New York manufacturer of mixing & blending equipment since 1823) 

New Hope Mills 3rd generation (though the mill no longer operates, New Hope still sells flour products - particularly pancake mixes)

175 years: Corning Building 5th generation, Hancock Lumber 6th generation, Maze Lumber 6th generation, Dain's Lumber 5th generation, and Richardson Industries 6th generation (all lumber and building materials businesses begun in 1848) 

Knapheide Manufacturing 6th generation (manufacture truck bodies)

Macomber, Farr & Whitten and Ohio Farmers Insurance (both insurance agents) 

150 years: Fehlig Brothers Box & Lumber 5th generation

Grant Renne & Sons 4th & 5th generations (construction & foundation repair) 

Horizon Bancorp (HBNC - the only public company on this list) 

Kohler 4th generation (well-known Wisconsin manufacturer of plumbing products)

Morgan Lewis & Bockius and Shearman & Sterling (law firms) 

Schantz Organ 4th generation (manufacturing pipe organs since 1873)

White & Associates (insurance agency)

Welcome to the Century Club: Class of 1922

 

Here is the list of companies that have been in continuous, independent operation since 1922 and are our newest members of the Century Club. Just one company is publicly traded (First National Bank Alaska) but it is also 3rd generation. 

Congratulations to these firms celebrating their 100th year in business in 2022:

Barden Lumber, Boyne City MI 4th generation (lumber & building materials)

Coffin Shoe Company, Knoxville KY 3rd & 4th generations (retail)

Copaken Brooks, Kansas City MO 3rd generation (real estate development) 

El Charro Cafe, Tucson AZ 3rd generation 

Ewing Irrigation and Landscape Supply, Phoenix AX 3rd generation (wholesale)

First National Bank Alaska, Anchorage AK public & 3rd generation

Haartz Corp, Bloomfield Hills MI 3rd generation (manufacture auto parts)

Jones Financial Corp (Edward Jones), St. Louis MO employee-owned

Kirwen's Supermarket, Gibonsburg OH 3rd generation

Pennsylvania Paper and Supply, Scranton PA 3rd generation (paper products)

The Lake Forest Shop, Lake Forest IL private (retail apparel)

Shamrock Foods, Phoenix AZ 3rd generation (food products)

Star Grocery, Berkeley CA 2nd generation

State Farm Insurance, Bloomington IL mutual

USAA, San Antonio TX mutual (banking)

Wells Print & Digital, Madison WI private (printing & publishing)

NOTE: Since it is very possible I've missed some, please post a comment if you know of a company that should join this list. 

125th Anniversary Celebrations for 16 Firms in 2022

 

At least 16 U.S. businesses started in 1897 are still operation today, 125 years later. This remarkable achievement is not limited to certain industries or states or type of business - though 12 of the 16 (75%) are generational family businesses. Four of the companies are public, with one (Smucker's) run by 5th  generation family. Representing 15 different industry categories and 11 states, here is the list:

Artkraft Strauss, New York City NY, 3rd generation (special construction trades)

Becton, Dickinson & Co, Franklin Lakes NJ, public (medical equipment)

Chelsea State Bank, Chelsea MI, public (banking & finance)

Clark Family Orchards, Palisade CO, 7th generation (food products/peaches)

First Supply, Monona WI, 5th generation (wholesale plumbing/HVAC)

Glik's, Granite City IL, 4th generation (retail apparel)

Gordon Food Service, Grand Rapids MI, 4th & 5th generations (wholesale grocery products)

Kintzinger Harmon Konrady, Dubuque IA, private (legal services)

Middlesex Water, Iselin NJ, public (utility)

Molin Concrete Products, Lino Lakes MN, 5th generation (building products)

Parker Flavors, Baltimore MD, 4th generation (food & beverage products)

Rathbone Hardware, Springfield MO, 4th generation (retail hardware)

Smucker's, Orville OH, public & 5th generation (food products)

Skerbeck Family Carnival, Escanaba MI, 6th & 7th generation (entertainment)

Tecla, Walled Lake MI, 4th generation (manufacturing/metal fabricator)

United Pickle Products, New York City NY, 5th generation (food products)

Congratulations on 150 Years in Business

 

At least 11 U.S. companies were founded in 1872 and are celebrating 150 years of continuous, independent operation in 2022; five are generational family-owned, three are public. Join me in congratulating them (and leave a comment if you know of more)!

Champion Bridge, Wilmington OH

Chesterman, Sioux City IA 5th generation

First National Bank of Fort Smith, Fort Smith AR 5th generation

Kimberly-Clark, Irving TX public

Lakeland Financial, Warsaw IN public

Matthew's Pub, Portland ME

Meyer Music, Grand Rapids MI 3rd generation

Michigan Supply, Lansing MI 

Ohio Valley Banc Corp, Gallipolis OH public

Russell Abstract & Title, Adel IA 5th generation

Von Maur, Davenport IA 4th generation

4th Edition of "Lessons from Century Club Companies" Now Available

 

This book is the result of over 10 years of research on thousands of companies - large and small, public and private - attempting to identify practices and policies century-old companies use to survive for the long term. The 2022 edition includes an updated list of Century Club Companies, through those founded in 1921. Even though a number of companies have been added since the last edition, the overall number of CCCs has remained fairly stable at around 1350.  Of those dropping off the list (because they closed, were acquired, or broken up) 17% were public. This statistic is interesting because only 11% of CCCs overall are publicly-traded. The percentage of publicly-owned "old" companies has been steadily dropping since I first published my research in 2016. Another interesting statistic: 13% of the CCCs who have publicly-traded stock also have generational family members actively involved - in management and/or on the board.

Enjoy!

Oldest Companies in Maine

 

Maine has nearly 30 companies that have been in business for over 100 years; just one of them, Auburn Bancorp, is publicly-traded and 10 are generational family-owned firms. Over 1/3 are financial institutions and 4 of those are mutuals. There is a well-known retailer (L.L. Bean), 3 manufacturers, a few lumber yards, and a variety of retail businesses. Here is the list - if you know of a Maine company in continuous independent operation for over 100 years that is not on this list, please leave a comment.

1660/67 Seaside Inn, Kennebunkport, 9th generation

1816 Hodgdon Yachts, East Boothbay, 5th/6th generation

1821 Bartlett Yarns, Harmony

1827 Saco and Biddeford Savings, Saco, mutual

1835 Hussey Seating, North Berwick, 6th/7th generation

1844 S.W. Collins, Lincoln (lumber & building supplies), 5th generation

1848 Hancock Lumber, Casco, 6th generation

1848 Macomber, Farr & Whitten, Augusta (insurance agents)

1852 Bangor Bancorp, Bangor

1852 Bath Savings Institution, Bath, mutual

1856 Skowhegan Savings Bank, Slowhegan

1866 Garland Manufacturing, Saco (tools), 6th generation

1866 Norway Savings Bank, Norway

1868 Gorham Bancorp, Gorham

1870 Androscoggin Bancorp, Lewiston, mutual

1871 Kennebunk Savings Bancorp, Kennebunk, mutual

1872 Matthew's Pub, Portland

1878 Geiger, Lewiston (printing & publishing), 5th generation

1887 Auburn Bancorp, Auburn, public

1888 Augusta Fuel (AFC), Augusta

1888 Rockland Savings Bank, Rockland

1889 Bangor Publishing, Bangor, 4th generation

1902 Amato's, Portland (restaurant)

1908 Dennis Paper & Food Service, Hampden (wholesale groceries), 100% employee-owned

1909 Ripley and Fletcher Ford, South Paris

1912 L.L. Bean, Freeport, 4th generation

1913 Hub Furniture, Portland, 3rd/4th generation

1915 Haven's Candies, Portland

Milestones of 200+ Years for These Century Club Companies

 

Fourteen Century Club Companies celebrate amazing anniversaries in 2022. Just one of them (Wiley) is publicly traded, though the involvement of the founding family is ongoing. Join me in congratulating the survival of these companies for 200 years and more:

200 years: Stuard Funeral Home, Ardmore PA, 6th generation, founded 1822

205 years: Atkins & Pearce, Covington KY, 7th generation, producer of high performance textiles

                 Claflin, Warwick RI, medical equipment distributor, founded 1817

210 years: Bear Funeral Home, Churchville VA, 6th generation

                 Rider's Inn, Painesville OH, founded 1812

215 years: John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken NJ, 6th & 7th generation, publisher of academic materials, founded 1807 (also listed on the NYSE)

220 years: Rogers Funeral Home, Frankfort KY, 7th generation, founded 1802

225 years: Birkett Mills, Penn Yan NY, founded 1797

                 Gruber Almanack, Hagerstown MD, 8th generation

                 Wayside Inn, Middleton VA, founded 1797

230 years: Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, New York NY, law firm founded 1792

270 years: Caswell-Massey, Edison NJ, soap & fragrance producer, founded 1752

                 Philadelphia Contributionship, Philadelphia PA, mutual insurance company founded 1752                   by Benjamin Franklin

355 years: Seaside Inn, Kennebunkport ME, 9th generation, founded 1667 or earlier (perhaps 1660)

Welcome 1921 Class to the Century Club!

 

Here is the list of new Century Club members - those businesses started in 1921 in continuous, independent operation for the last 100 years. They will tell you it has not been without struggle and various crises (including a global pandemic), but they are proud to still be here.  If you know of a business that should be on this list but is not, please leave a comment or send me a message at centuryclubcompanies@gmail.com

Anderson Concrete Columbus OH 5th generation

Avnet Phoenix AZ Public

Blenko Glass Milton WV 4th generation

Brookshire Brothers Lufkin TX Employee-owned

Canova's Galena IL 3rd generation

Clore Furniture Madison VA 4th generation

Coborn's St. Cloud MN 4th generation; ESOP

Colonial Group Savannah GA 4th generation

Fairfield Chair Lenoir NC 

Flottman Company Crestview Hills KY 3rd generation

Hughes Bros. Tire Wilmington DE

LandO'Lakes Arden Hills MN co-op

LBS Des Moines IA Employee-owned

Luecke Jewelers Freeport IL 3rd generation

Mel Foster Co. Davenport IA

MRPC Butler WI 3rd generation

Paige & Bynes Warren OH

Peacock-Gladstone Financial Bedminster NJ Public

Staplcotn Greenwood MS Co-op

St. Julian Winery Paw Paw MI 4th generation

Texas Coffee Company Beaumont TX 3rd generation

Trimini Brothers Philadelphia PA 3rd generation

Unique Pretzel Bakery Reading PA 6th generation

Utz Quality Foods Hanover PA Public; 4th generation management

White Castle Columbus OH 4th generation

Wilbur-Ellis San Francisco CA 3rd generation

Wolfgang Confection York PA 

Generational Companies As Tourist Attractions

 

Keramion Pottery  Margarites, Crete

3rd+ generation potter who digs his own clay and fires pots in the traditional manner, with no glaze needed

My husband and I recently returned from a long-awaited trip to the Greek Islands. This was a trip organized by a tour operator specializing in small group walking tours and we spent a delightful seven days visiting Crete, Naxos, Mykonos, Delos, and Santorini. Besides the many amazing archaeological sites, we went to wineries, an olive farm, a small-village potter, a hand-made baklava baker, and a number of small restaurants/tavernas. It didn’t take me long to realize that all these unique visits were generational, family-owned and run operations – some 5th generation. The tour operator realizes these businesses are cultural treasures. Now back home, it makes me wonder whether we honor our generational companies the same way: My hometown has the Lake Michigan beach and Windmill Island and Dutch Village for tourist attractions, but part of its charm is the vibrant downtown with a number of Century Club retail shops. People visiting Holland, Michigan go to the Peanut Store for old-fashioned candy, shop for shoes at Lokers, stop for a bite at Crane's in the City, look for Holland gifts & souvenirs or art supplies at Fris; and maybe venture out to the Holland Bowl Mill to see unique wooden bowls being made or to Graafschap Hardware for a stroll through an old-fashioned hardware store. I’ve become convinced that ‘old companies’ – particularly generational family businesses – help make a community special. Which ones should be on the tourist list for your community?

Colorado's Oldest Businesses

 

I can only find nine Century Club Companies based in Colorado; by listing them here I'm hoping you can help me find more - just leave a comment. Thank you.

1857 R&R Market, San Luis 5th generation

1868 Watkins Stained Glass, Englewood 4th generation

1870 Woodward, Fort Collins public

1880 Ball Corp, Broomfield public

1893 The Buckhorn Exchange (steakhouse), Denver

1897 Clark Family Orchards, Palisade 5th & 6th generation

1905 Agfinity, Eaton co-op

1907 Talbott Farms Palisade 4th & 5th generation

1909 Sterling Lumber & Investment, Westminster 

Nebraska's Oldest Companies

These 18 companies have indeed found the good life in Nebraska. Several generational or employee-owned, they have all survived for over 100 years. If you know of a business that has been in continuous, independent operation for 100 years and is not on this list, please let me know in a comment.

1855 NP Dodge, Omaha, Real estate services 5th generation 

1856 Byron Reed Company, Omaha, Property management 

1857 First National of Nebraska, Omaha Public?

1882 Drake-Williams, Omaha, Custom steel fabrication Employee-owned

1884 Kiewit, Omaha, Construction & engineering Employee-owned

1884 Lueder Construction, Omaha, General contracting & construction 

1886 Magnolia Metal Corp, Omaha, Bronze castings & bearings

1891 Wm Krotter Co, O'Neill,  Home & auto center 5th generation

1895 Renze, Omaha, Manufacture display products/signage, 3rd & 4th generation

1899 Sack Lumber, Crete, Lumber & building materials 4th generation

1901 Diamond Bar Ranch, Stapleton, Cattle & horses 5th generation

1902 Physicians Mutual Insurance, Omaha, Insurance carrier 

1909 Mutual of Omaha, Omaha, Insurance carrier

1910/1928 Mead Lumber & Knecht Home Ctr, Columbus, Lumber/building materials Employee-owned

1916: Burwell Butter Factory (Independent Oil Co), Burwell

1917 HDR, Omaha, Engineering/architecture/construction Employee-owned

1917 Omaha Steaks, Omaha, Food products 5th generation

1917 Union Bank & Trust, Lincoln, Banking & financial services Family-owned

1918 All Makes, Omaha, Office furnishings & fixtures 4th generation

12 Companies Celebrate 125th Anniversaries in 2021

 

Of the 12 companies founded in 1896 still operating independently in 2021, just one is public (Tootsie Roll Industries) - and even they are run by a 2nd generation owner family member. Nine others are generational family firms. Representing a variety of industries and multiple states, here is the list:

Donckers Candies & Gifts, Marquette MI (retail confectionery)

Ed Miniat, South Holland IL (meat & poultry products) 4th & 5th generation

Hill and Griffith, Cincinnati OH (foundry & die casting products)

Lester Group, Martinsville VA (lumber products & real estate) 2nd generation

Leys, Christie & Co. Scarsdale NY (retail jewelers) 3rd generation

Lodge Manufacturing, South Pittsburg TN (manufacture cast iron pans) 5th generation

Matthews & Fields Lumber, Henrietta NY (lumber & building materials) 4th generation

Nugent Sand, Louisville KY (mining sand & gravel) 3rd generation

Paxton Media Group, Paducah KY (printing & publishing) 5th generation

Schmitt Music, Brooklyn Center MN (retail musical instruments) 3rd & 4th generations

The Breakers Palm Beach, Palm Beach FL (accommodation services) 4th generation

Tootsie Roll Industries, Chicago IL (candy products) public; 2nd generation

Note: Faultless Healthcare Linen  of Kansas City MO, also celebrates their 125th anniversary this year. I don't include them in the list, above, because a majority interest in the company was purchased and they are now listed as "an ImageFIRST company" rather than an independent firm.