Ohio has over 70 companies that have prospered for 100 years and more. Of these, 13 are public and at least 45 are generational family firms. (One, Smuckers, is both publicly-traded and run by 5th generation family.) If you know of a company that has been in continuous, independent operation for over 100 years and should be added to this list, or have a correction to any of the information provided here, please let me know.
1803: Golden Lamb, Lebanon Run by the family that purchased it in 1926 - generation?
1812: Rider's Inn, Painesville
1833: Austin Powder, Cleveland
1836: Stevenson Manufacturing (agricultural service), Wellsville
1839: Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati public
1840: Candle-Lite, Leesburg private (manufacture candles)
1840: End of the Commons General Store, Mesopotamia
1842: Verdin Company, Cincinnati 6th generation
1845: Wise Funeral Service, Bucyrus 5th generation
1846: Powell Valves, Cincinnati 3rd generation?
1847: Cleveland-Cliffs, Cleveland public
1848: Ohio Farmers Insurance (Westfield Insurance), Westfield Center private
1855: Schoedinger Funeral Services, Columbus 6th generation
1860: Requarth, Dayton 5th generation
Wilson Bohannan Lock, Marion 7th generation
1866: Baker & Baker Jewelers, Marietta
Huntington Bancshares, Columbus public
Sherwin-Williams, Cleveland public
1868: Gordon Lumber, Fremont
1868: A.I. Root Company, Medina 5th generation
1870: Graeter's, Cincinnati 5th generation
1871: Ritter's Office Outfitters, Mansfield employee-owned
1872: Champion Bridge Co, Wilmington
1872: Ohio Valley Banc Corp, Gallipolis public
1873: Schantz Organ, Orrville 4th generation
1877: Greif, Delaware public
1880: Freeport Press, New Philadelphia
1881: Seeger Metal & Plastics, Toledo 5th generation
1882: Ohlman Greenhouse, Toledo 5th generation
1885: Belden Brick, Canton 5th generation
Gibson's Bakery, Oberlin 4th generation
1886: Mennel Milling, Fostoria 5th generation
1887: W.H. Fay, Cleveland 2nd generation
1888: Coyle Funeral & Cremation Services, Toledo 5th generation
1891: Acme Fresh Market, Akron 5th generation
1892: Rieck, Dayton 4th generation
1895: Lincoln Electric, Cleveland public
1896: Hill & Griffith, Cincinnati
1897: Smucker's, Orrville public & 5th generation
1898: Gebauer Company, Cleveland
Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Akron public
Robertson's Building Center, Malvern 3rd generation?
1899: Timken Company, North Canton public
Wayne Savings Bancshares, Wooster public
1900: Block Communications, Toledo 3rd generation
French Oil Mill Machinery, Piqua 4th generation
McNerney Companies, Northwood 4th generation
1901: Fifth Avenue Floral, Columbus
Kuhlman Corp, Maumee 5th generation
1902: Hyde Park Lumber & Design Center, Cincinnati 4th generation
1905: E.F. Boyd & Son, Cleveland 4th generation
Fremont Company, Fremont 4th generation
1906: American Electric Power, Columbus public
American Greetings, Cleveland
1907: Bolin-Dierkes Funeral Home & Crematory, Zanesville 3rd generation?
1908: Cellar Lumber, Westerville 4th generation
Graves Lumber, Copley 4th generation
1909: Ansonia Lumber, Ansonia 4th generation
Geiger Brothers, Jackson
1910: Elford, Columbus
Henry Bierce Supply, Tallmadge 3rd generation
Toledo Ticket, Toledo 4th generation
1911: Woolpert, Dayton
1912: Diamond K Meats (dba ChefKo), Cleveland 4th generation
1914: Bard Manufacturing, Bryan 4th generation
1915: Kottler Metal Products, Willoughby 4th generation
Midmark, Dayton 4th generation
Ruhlin, Sharon Center 3rd generation, ESOP
1916: Ondrus Hardware, Toledo 3rd generation
Walt Sweeney Ford, Cincinnati 3rd generation (and more?)
Wangler Hardware, Fort Recovery 5th generation
1917: LEWCO, Sandusky 2nd generation
Parker Hannifin, Cleveland public
RMS Freight Systems, Roseville 2nd generation
Rulli Brothers, Youngstown 3rd generation
1919: Mill-Rose, Mentor 4th generation
Schauer Group, Canton 4th generation
1920: Copp Systems, Dayton
If you'd like to learn more about how companies such as these have managed to survive for 100 years and more, you can find my book Lessons from Century Club Companies: Managing for Long-Term Success at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Dobry Dzień
ReplyDeleteHey there. I'm trying to figure out when Ohio first developed a mechanism for creating private companies -- beyond public charters.
I'm admittedly being stupid, but have hit a wall.
Thoughts?
Dzięky
James
Hello. Wise Funeral Service (Wm. Wise & Sons, Inc.) was established in Bucyrus in 1845 and is now operated by David Wise, 5the generation).
ReplyDeleteThank you for this information - I have added 5th generation Wise Funeral Service to the Century Club data base
ReplyDeleteGood morning. I enjoyed reading the list of companies that you've compiled- thank you for your work. I work for Champion Bridge, a steel fabricator that was begun in 1872 in Wilmington, Ohio.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the information on Champion Bridge - I just added them to my list of Century Club Companies - congratulations on 150 years!
ReplyDeleteHello - I just wanted to mention that the Ohio Farmer's Insurance Company (Westfield Center, OH) was chartered as a company in Ohio in 1848, and definitely deserves to be on your list!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this information about Ohio Farmer's Insurance/Westfield Insurance - I will add them to my list!
Deletethe AI Root Company in Medina was founded in 1869, and I believe they are fifth generation. They make beautiful candles for liturgical and consumer purposes, and they still maintain a newsletter to bee keeping, which is part of the company's older history (bees make wax, which goes into liturgical candles, as the Pope decreed that at least 50% of church candles must be beeswax!).
ReplyDeleteThe Gebauer Company in Cleveland was founded in 1898 and manufactures topical anesthetics, etc. We call it a 125-yr-old start-up, because they are still innovating!
ReplyDeleteThank you Grant for these two companies - I will add them to the list!
ReplyDeleteI am 4th generation owner of of Diamond K Meats, Inc. (dba Chef-Ko) Founded in Cleveland in 1912. I found this blog in a search to see the longest wholly Cleveland based company. I may be the longest private/family owned company.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your information - I have added Diamond K Meats (Chef-Ko) to my database!
ReplyDelete