Employee-Owned King Arthur Flour Turns 230

"Try it once, trust it always"  

"Shaped by hand, powered by heart"  

"Baking with joy since 1790"

These are just a few of the sayings King Arthur Flour posts on the website.They are an employee-owned company whose stated mission is "to be the ultimate resource and inspiration in the kitchen, to inspire connections and community through baking, and to use our business as a force for good." 

In 2007 they became a B Corp, saying this reflects their commitment to all stakeholders - customers, business partners, community and the natural environment. "After all, healthy relationships with all of these stakeholders will enable our centuries-old business to continue toward our mission for another 200 years."  You would be hard-pressed to find a company more reflective of the longevity factors uncovered in my research on 100-year-old companies. 

U.S. Oldest Jeweler and Second Oldest Law Firm Celebrate 235 Year Anniversaries

1785 saw the beginning of two of America's oldest continuously-operating firms: Bixler's Jewelers in Allentown, PA and Cooper, Erving & Savage legal services in Albany, NY. 

In 2006 the 6th generation Bixler to own the jewelry store sold the business to another jeweler; in 2016 it was sold once again to Perry Sporn who changed the name of his company (Sporn Co.) to Bixler's. Once a Century Club company leaves the family, that is often the beginning of the end. However, in the case of Bixler's it looks like Sporn intends to celebrate all that enabled Bixler's longevity as a retail jeweler and do what is necessary to ensure its operation into the future by establishing Bixler's as a wholesale brand. 

The "Cooper" in the Albany, NY law firm Cooper Erving & Savage comes from the son and grandson of author James Fenimore Cooper. Paul joined the firm in 1850 and his son James became a partner in 1882. The firm was founded, however, by Abraham Van Vechten in 1785 when he became the first lawyer admitted to practice in New York after the adoption of the state constitution. He has since been referred to as the "Father of the New York Bar." Today's lawyers with the firm are still providing legal services to individuals and businesses in upstate New York.

America's Oldest Distiller Celebrates 240 Years in Business

My economist colleagues tell me the oldest business in many countries is a distillery or brewery. Though Laird & Company may not by America's oldest business it certainly holds a position of distinction (it's #12 on my list of oldest continuously operating U.S. companies). The founding Laird (Alexander) immigrated to the New Jersey area from Scotland in 1698 and there are records of Laird providing applejack to colonial troops and even of George Washington asking for his recipe. So - though there were likely earlier sales of Laird applejack - since the first recorded commercial sale was in 1780, that is considered the founding date of the company.

The 6th generation Laird to run the company (Joseph) faced prohibition and kept the company in business by producing non-alcoholic apple products such as sweet cider and applesauce. During WWII Laird converted a portion of their distillery into the dehydration of apple pomace to produce pectin, which was used as a preservative for war food rations. These are just a few examples of how Laird exhibits longevity factor #2 from my research: Unique Core Strengths + Change Management.

Today the company is run by 8th generation Larrie Laird. Congratulations on 240 years in business!

John Stevens Shop Celebrates 315 Year Anniversary

One of the oldest continuously operating businesses in the United States is Newport, Rhode Island's stone carver John Stevens Shop. John Stevens immigrated from England in 1698 and later set up shop in Newport in 1705. For more than 220 years three generations of Stevens produced some of colonial America's most beautiful gravestones, many of which can still be seen in the Common Burying Ground near the carving shop. The business was purchased by John Benson in 1927 and is now run by third generation Nicholas Benson. Profiled by the History Channel and studied by Google, "this olde shop" exemplifies what it takes for a business to survive over the centuries. Nicholas Benson has been awarded both the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship and a MacArthur Fellowship. Stone carving is a craft and Benson says each job requires personal, painstaking execution, one chisel stroke at a time. "The minute you try to turn this into a growth business, you lose all sight of what the product is, what you have devoted years and years to getting good at. You don't get rich doing it. So unless you really love it and you have a great legacy like this one, why bother?"

42 Companies Celebrated 100th Anniversaries in 2019

Before we begin to celebrate those firms joining the Century Club in 2020, I need to update the list of those who achieved that milestone in 2019. Less than 1/2 of 1% of U.S. companies last 100 years or more - survival over the long term is truly one of the best (if not THE best) success measure for a business. Of these companies, 29 are generational family-owned businesses and three are employee-owned; only two are publicly traded. These companies represent many industry categories and 24 states. (As always, please let me know if I have missed a company that should be on this list.)

Baird, Milwaukee WI
Balise Motor Sales, West Springfield MA
Community Coffee, Baton Rouge LA
Crescent Electric, East Dubuque IL
Cummins, Columbus IN
C.W. Driver, Pasadena CA
D-A Lubricant, Lebanon IN
Deering Construction, Norwalk CT
Don Moore Automotive, Owensboro KY
Doyle Security Systems, Rochester NY
Durkee-Mower, Lynn MA
Elebash Jewelry, Pensacola FL
Elverson Supply Company, Elverson PA
Famers Elevator & Exchange, Monroe City MO
First National Community Bank, New Richmond WI
Garris Evans Lumber, Greenville NC
Gordon Auto Parts, Racine WI
Halliburton, Houston TX
Hayden Corporation, West Springfield MA
Hy-Point Dairy, Wilmington DE
Jefferson Lines, Minneapolis MN
Kuhnhausen's Furniture Showcase, Portland OR
Lake Union Dry Dock, Seattle WA
Lamour Printing, Monroe MI
Markstein Sales, Antioch CA
Meadowlark Dairy, Pleasanton CA
Michuda Construction, Tinley Park IL
Mill-Rose, Mentor OH
Palmetto Brick Company, Wallace SC
Reno Agency, Wayland MI
Rosendin, San Jose CA
Rowerdink, Grand Rapids MI
Scully-Monroe Agency, Monroe City MI
Serrano's, Chandler AZ
Servco, Honolulu HI
Standard Electric Supply, Milwaukee WI
Stockwell Elastomerics, Upper Holmesburg PA
Wahl Clipper, Sterling IL
Walter's Hot Dogs, Mamaroneck NY
Whipple & Company, Moorestown MI
Wimmer's Diamonds, Fargo ND
Woodman's Market, Janesville WI

Christmas Gift for your Student of Business

Whether for an actual student or a lifelong learner with an interest in business, if you think "survival is the ultimate performance measure" this book may be the gift you are looking for:

Here's what some reviewers have said:

"This book is one of the most power-packed books on business I've ever read." Ian Cassel, Founder of Intelligent Fanatics Capital Management

"This should be required reading for college business students as well as anyone who has a passion for small companies." Jim Connell, Founder of Craftsman Media.

"Very insightful and thought-provoking for any business, young or old. I am anxious to have our board and senior leaders read this book." Dan Gordon, Chairman of Gordon Food Services

TenHaken has identified a crucial question for any business: how to incorporate the goal of long-term survival into the life of the organization and the lives of the people who work there." Brian Walker, retired President and CEO of Herman Miller, Inc.

The book is available in both paperback and digital format from Amazon (where you can read more indepth reviews) or barnesandnoble.com

Updated List of Century Club Companies

A second edition of my book is now available in paperback and as an e-book. Having discovered a number of "new" US companies in continuous operation for over 100 years, membership in the Century Club is now up to 1086 firms. 86% of these are privately-owned, many are generational family companies: 43% are in their 4th generation or higher. Century Club companies cross industries, though some industries have a higher concentration of "old" companies, such as manufacturing, banking and finance, mining and utilities. Every state except Alaska has at least one company over 100 years old. Find out the lessons for long-term success based on research of these companies!