Scott Hays, executive vice president of Radio Engineering Industries (REI)
said
many third-generation family members remain active throughout the company. Sister Terri Jukes is CEO, brother Jeff is VP of new product development, sister Lorri Taylor is warranty manager, and Terri’s husband, Guy, is VP of national accounts. “Working with family can be challeng-
ing because we’re all passionate about our company and building up on our past successes, so we don’t always agree — but, like with any family company, blood is thicker than water,” said Scott, who joined the business in 1984. While grandfather Clyde Hays set up
shop in 1938, his son, Robert, eventually took the company in another direction: electronic manufacturing. Once Scott came aboard, he said REI became “more technology driven.” Still headquartered in Omaha, Neb., REI has four locations, including a service facility in Florida and offices in Brazil and China.
NEW GENERATIONS KEEP ALIVE COMPANY IDEALS Sol
Englander became owner
Since becoming Pierce Coach Line’s first of
Rosco Inc. in the early 1960s with wife Trudy, and remains company president at age 90. Founded in 1907, Rosco Inc. has changed both its name and focus in the past 20 years, becoming Rosco Vi- sion Systems. Brothers Ben and Danny joined the company in the 1980s and have become VP of engineering and VP of finance, respectively. “Sol and Trudy are still involved in the
business today,” said Ben, who stressed the same family values as many of his in- dustry peers. “Treating our customers and employees with the same family values of honesty and integrity have been the foun- dation of our company since its inception.” Communication and innovation have
driven Pierce Coach Lines since 1918, when founder Forrester “Pop” Pierce launched the first American day camp in Deal, N.Y.
and only president in 1948, Pop’s son Larry, and Larry’s wife Fran, remain involved in the family business. Son Troy is director of operations. Larry recalled how he took over for his
father, whom he likened to P.T. Barnum because of his innovative ideas. “Dad had some camp buses and we
started working for some school districts. It evolved from two or three buses…to about 60 buses by the time I graduated in 1958. We now operate 105 school buses, 75 of them large buses,” Larry told School Transportation News in 2005. Today, Fran could not be more proud
of the company’s legacy of hard work and strong ethics. “It’s always been the four brothers, and
now it’s the nephews,” she said. “It’s very unusual that a family has maintained this relationship and success for so many years. I think it’s their upbringing, their morals and their work ethic.” ■
www.stnonline.com 33
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