OTIS, WILLIAM A. (2 Feb. 1794-11 May 1868), merchant, industrialist, banker, and civic leader instrumental in developing the WESTERN RESERVE as a trading partner with eastern markets, was born in Massachusetts to William and Philina Shaw Otis. He moved to Pittsburgh about 1818, working in ironworks.
Category: Business and Industry
OUTCALT AND GUENTHER, an architectural firm, was founded by Richard Franklin Outcalt and Carl F. Guenther in 1942. Outcalt, born in Wauseon, Oh, had practiced architecture in Cleveland since 1928, while Guenther, a Cleveland native and WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY alumnus, began almost a decade later.
PACE, EUGENE LEONARD (17 Oct. 1915 - 7 April 1997) was professor of chemistry at CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY and a co-founder of the EAST CLEVELAND THEATER. He was born in Potsdam, New York, to Laura Graziani and Vincent Pace. He earned his B.S.
PALMER, WILLIAM PENDLETON (17 June 1861-17 Dec. 1927), steel industrialist who worked from apprentice to president of American Steel & Wire Co. (1899-1927), and president of the WESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY (1913-27), was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., to James Stewart and Eleanor Pendelton Mason Palmer.
PARAMOUNT DISTILLERS, INC., Cleveland's only distillery, produces cocoa and coffee essences for cordials, vodka, gin, and a number of blends. Privately held, the company was established in 1934 soon after the repeal of Prohibition by Jacob F. Moessmer. Moessmer, who also established Federal Fruit Prods. (now Federal Flavors, Inc.), a manufacturer of flavoring extracts, in 1919, opened Paramount's first distillery on W.
PARK-OHIO INDUSTRIES, INC., a diversified manufacturer engaged in energy development and the production of forged and machined products, induction heating systems, containers, industrial rubber products, and metal abrasives, was formed in 1967 by the merger of Park Drop Forge Co. and the Ohio Crankshaft Co.
PARKER HANNIFIN CORP., the global leader in motion and control technologies, was originally established as the Parker Appliance Co. by Arthur LaRue Parker on March 13, 1917. Before launching his company, Parker completed his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering at Case Institute of Technology.
The PEERLESS MOTOR CAR CO., noted for its luxury automobiles, was established in Cleveland in 1889 as the Peerless Wringer & Mfg. Co., located on the city's east side at the junction of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh and the New York, Chicago & St. Louis railroads. By 1892 it had become the Peerless Mfg. Co. Originally a producer of washing-machine wringers, Peerless moved to 2654 Lisbon St.
The PENN CENTRAL TRANSPORTATION CO. was created in 1968 by merging the NEW YORK CENTRAL and PENNSYLVANIA RAILROADS, the nation's 2 largest trunklines, extending from the Atlantic to Chicago and St. Louis.
The PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD was one of the 3 major components of the CONRAIL network, which included the ERIE-LACKAWANNA RAILROAD and the NEW YORK CENTRAL RAILROAD.
PENTON MEDIA, a publisher of business and professional magazines, directories, and handbooks, is descended from 2 old-line Cleveland firms, the Penton Publishing Co. and the Industrial Publishing Co. John A.
PENTON, INC., See PENTON MEDIA.
PERKINS, ROBERT KENNETH (ca. 1936-11 Jan. 1993) was the founder of PERKINS SCHOOL OF PIANO TUNING AND TECHNOLOGY, the only such institution in Ohio and one of only about a handful of its kind in the United States.
PETTIBONE OHIO CORP., A DIVISION OF THE PETTIBONE CORP., existed for many years as the Cleveland Frog & Crossing Co. Geo. C. Lucas and N. P. Bowler organized the Cleveland Frog & Crossing Co. in 1884 to produce their patented railroad frog which permitted a train traveling on one track to pass over an intersecting track.
PICK-N-PAY. See FIRST NATIONAL SUPERMARKETS.
PICKANDS MATHER & CO., a chief supplier of raw materials to the steel industry and one of 4 major ore houses in the U.S. at one time, had its headquarters in Cleveland. The company started in 1883 when SAMUEL MATHER joined Jay Morse and Col.
PICKANDS, JAMES S. (15 Dec. 1839-14 July 1896), cofounder of PICKANDS MATHER & CO., was born in Akron, Ohio, the son of Rev. James D. and Louisa Pickands. He moved to Cleveland, and left his cashier job to enlist in the 1st Ohio Volunteer Infantry in 1861, eventually becoming 1st sergeant before being mustered out in Aug. 1861.
PICKER INTL., INC., see MARCONI MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
The PILSENER BREWING CO., once located at the southwest corner of Clark Ave. and W. 65th St., was established by Bohemian brewer Wenzel Medlin (1849-1912) in 1892 and was incorporated the following year. The corner site of the Pilsener Brewing Co. was once known as Pilsener Square. The name Pilsener comes from the Czech city of Pilsen, where the light Bohemian lager beer was first made.
POLYONE CORP., a global corporation involved in the production of plastics, was formed in 2000 after a merger between the M. A. Hanna Co. and Avon Lake-based Geon Co. The M. A. Hanna Co. was formerly one of Cleveland's major iron-ore houses, which shifted into the field of polymers in the aftermath of the recession of the early 1980s.
POTOCSNY, JULIUS (8 Jun. 1929 - 7 Oct. 2002).
POTTER & MELLEN, INC., one of Cleveland's prominent jewelry stores, was founded in 1900 (sometimes given as 1899) by Horace Potter, a noted jeweler, teacher, designer, and master craftsman.
PREDICASTS, INC., a company that specializes in providing computerized data for businesses and industries, was established by Samuel A. Wolpert in 1960. Wolpert, a native of Baltimore, came to Cleveland in 1954. Predicasts began as a publisher of economic indexes and surveys and was originally located at 10609 Euclid Ave. in the UNIV. CIRCLE area.
The PREFORMED LINE PRODUCTS CO., a manufacturer of hardware and accessories for electrical and telephone transmission cables, was organized in 1947 by inventor Thomas F. Peterson to produce his preformed spiral armor rod for reinforcing or splicing overhead high-tension cables. The company, located at 1051 Power Ave., had sales of $250,000 after its first year and grew rapidly, purchasing new facilities at 5349 St. Clair Ave.
The PREMIER FARNELL PLC, was created from the 1996 merger of the Premier Industrial Corp. and the British electronics part distributor Farnell Electronics PLC. The Premier Industrial Corp. was a multimillion-dollar distribution company based in Cleveland, which grew out of the purchase of Premier Automotive Supply by Joseph C., Jack N., and Morton L. Mandel in 1940, with an initial investment of $900.