DAYTON TOP 100

Top executive: Richard Schiewetz
Street: 3110 Kettering Blvd.
City & Zip: Dayton 45439
Year started: 1956
Phone: (937) 294-6878
Fax: (937) 293-9591
Principal business: Distribution
Thumbnail sketch: Primus controls and helps 383 wholesalers around the U.S. that deal in plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electronics, electrical, refrigeration, fastener and industrial supplies.
Sales for 1997: $780 million
Miami Valley employees: 175
Employees elsewhere: 2,000
No. of shareholders: 105
Hdqtrs county: Montgomery
Outlook: Primus-assisted wholesale companies are located in 36 states. The business is expected to expand 10 percent or more. "I have no reason to think that we can't continue the growth rate that we've had," Schiewetz said.

Top executive: Clayton L. Mathile
Street: 7250 Poe Ave.
City & Zip: Dayton 45414
Year started: 1946
Phone: (937) 264-7450
Fax: (937) 264-7342
Principal business: Manufacturing
Thumbnail sketch: Manufacturer and marketer of premium dog and cat foods.
Sales for 1997: $500 million
Miami Valley employees: 475
Employees elsewhere: 800
No. of shareholders: 1
Hdqtrs county: Montgomery
Outlook: Iams expects to bring on line late this year two new dry pet food production facilities in Leipsic, Ohio, and Coevorden, The Netherlands. The latter will be the company's first international operation and will supply the growing pet food market in Europe.

Top executive: Tom Danis
Street: 2 Riverplace, Suite 400
City & Zip: Dayton 45405
Year started: 1916
Phone: (937) 228-1225
Fax: (937) 228-1217
Principal business: Construction
Thumbnail sketch: Water and wastewater plant construction, and real estate operations.
Sales for 1997: $165 million
Miami Valley employees: 150
Employees elsewhere: 400
No. of shareholders: 4
Hdqtrs county: Montgomery
Outlook: Danis has begun work on its biggest contract, a $73 million wastewater treatment plant in the Tampa, Fla., area. The 40-month project will boost employment by 100 people. Other new jobs include $20 million treatment plants in Panama City, Fla., and Roanoke, Va. This year, the company may expand into the Southwest.

Top executive: Lee Morgan
Street: 888 Dayton St.
City & Zip: Yellow Springs 45387
Year started: 1926
Phone: (937) 767-7379
Fax: (937) 767-6293
Principal business: Manufacturing
Thumbnail sketch: Produces scrapbooks and accessories sold through workshops. Also sells journals, diaries and bookmarks through mass retailers and book sellers.
Sales in 1997: $132 million
Miami Valley employees: 130
Employees elsewhere: 450
No. of shareholders: 45
Hdqtrs county: Greene
Outlook: The Antioch Co. will continue its expansion into non-U.S. markets as it offers several new products to complement its existing lines. Meanwhile, a planned enlargement of the Yellow Springs facility will add 200 employees, resulting in a 33 percent growth.

Top executive: John Danis
Street: 2 Riverplace, Suite 400
City & Zip: Dayton 45405
Year started: 1916
Phone: (937) 228-1225
Fax: (937) 228-7443
Principal business: Construction
Thumbnail sketch: General construction including office, commercial, health care, retail and industrial, through offices in Dayton, Cincinnati, and Columbus.
Miami Valley employees: 140
Employees elsewhere: 120
No. of shareholders: 11
Hdqtrs county: Montgomery
Outlook: This Danis company will establish a remote headquarters beyond the current operating area of central and southern Ohio. Current projects include the $40 million expansion at Miami Valley Hospital and the Reynolds and Reynolds Co. office complex in the Miami Valley Research Park.

Top executive: Kay Akey Creech
Street: Ohio 503 P.O. Box 129
City & Zip: Lewisburg 45338
Year started: 1963
Phone: (937) 962-2661
Fax: (937) 962-4753
Principal business: Manufacturing
Thumbnail sketch: Supplies feeds and ingredients to the livestock and poultry industries. The company uses its own fleet to distribute products in a 40-state market area.
Sales for 1997: $129 million
Miami Valley employees: 242
Employees elsewhere: 20
No. of shareholders: 1
Hdqtrs county: Preble
Outlook: Since Jan. 1, the company has added 20 jobs in management, transportation, and the nutritional/technical areas.

Top executive: Michael Paxton
Street: 55 Merchant St., Suite 200
City & Zip: Cincinnati 45246
Year started: 1860
Phone: (513) 612-3250
Fax: (513) 612-3350
Principal business: Manufacturing
Thumbnail sketch: O-Cedar is the leading manufacturer of cleaning tools, such as mops and brooms, in the U.S. Most manufacturing is in Springfield.
Sales for 1997: $122.5 million
Miami Valley employees: 435
Employees elsewhere: 256
No. of shareholders: 25
Hdqtrs county: Hamilton
Outlook: The company is considering acquisitions in the household cleaning tools business. Currently, O-Cedar is focused on marketing new products introduced last year, including a triangular sponge mop for corners and under cabinets.

Top executive: Stanford Smith
Street: 1546 Stanley Ave., P.O. Box 1295
City & Zip: Dayton 45404
Year started: 1936
Phone: (937) 223-5544
Fax: (937) 226-1908
Principal business: Manufacturing
Thumbnail sketch: With seven plants in the Dayton area, Gem City builds specialty automation equipment for the microelectronics industry, including IBM, Intel and Motorola. The company also produces stampings for the automotive and microelectronics industries.
Sales for 1997: $120 million
Miami Valley employees: 630
Employees elsewhere: 30
No. of shareholders: 4
Hdqtrs county: Montgomery
Outlook: After growing 40 percent and adding 165 jobs in 1997, Gem City launched a new business line: custom kiosks for remote computerized purchasing of items ranging from shoes to books and automobiles.

Top executive: Richard V. Tschirhart
Street: 4424 Interpoint Blvd., P.O. Box 24389
City & Zip: Dayton 45424
Year started: 1946
Phone: (937) 236-8602
Fax: (937) 237-3838
Principal business: Service
Thumbnail sketch: Provides engineering, design and technical to support customers worldwide.
Sales for 1997: $118 million
Miami Valley employees: 535
Employees elsewhere: 1,978
No. of shareholders: 2
Hdqtrs county: Montgomery
Outlook: Significant revenue growth is expected in Europe and Mexico, with steady growth in the U.S. The company is looking for acquisitions, partners and joint ventures. It will establish operations in Brazil.

Top executive: Jane Gosiger Haley
Street: 108 McDonough St.
City & Zip: Dayton 45402
Year started: 1922
Phone: (937) 228-5174
Fax: (937) 228-5189
Principal business: Distribution
Thumbnail sketch: Value-added distributor of machine tools operating in eight states with six sales and service centers. The company imports multi-spindle turning machines.
Sales for 1997: $115 million
Miami Valley employees: 91
Employees elsewhere: 81
No. of shareholders: 4
Hdqtrs county: Montgomery
Outlook: Enjoying double-digit growth, Gosiger celebrated its 75th anniversary last year as the expanding economy encouraged continued retooling by customers. The company introduced its Engineered Systems Group, which provides turnkey sales in the U.S. and abroad.


DAYTON TOP 100 1998
The stars of a bright local economy
The robust condition of the region's economy is mirrored in the optimism of most of the Miami Valley's largest privately held firms. Arthur Andersen LLP surveyed 160 closely held local companies and more than 70 percent think there are more good times ahead. The top 100 firms in the Arthur Andersen ranking are profiled in this seciton.
Information provided by ARTHUR ANDERSEN