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When 24-year-old Arthur
Spangler purchased the Gold Leaf Baking
Powder Co. in 1906 with money saved from
his paper route, he couldn't have imagined
that the company would become one of the
nations largest producers of hard candies.
But thanks to the tremendous popularity of
Dum Dums lollipops, Saf-T-Pops and candy
canes, the delightful aroma wafting through
the Spangler Candy Co. in Bryan, Ohio
(pop. 8,333), is the sweet smell of success lor
a third generation of the Spangler family.
During the early years, Ernest and
Omar Spangler joined their brother Arthur,
and the company shifted its focus from
baking products to candy,
particularly chocolates.
"The first generation
was a true partnership of
equals,” says Dean Spangler,
company president and the
grandson of Omar Spangler.
“The three brothers walked to work together
every morning and ate lunch together every
day. That's really how they managed the
business."
Among them, the three brothers had six
sons, all of whom joined their fathers in tire
family business. “The second generation ran
the business from around World War II until
the early 19705,” Spangler says. “During that
time, they acquired a number of companies,
of which two were outstanding."
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Dean Spangler with taste-testing son Christopher
In 1953, Spangler Candy acquired the
Dum Dums brand by buying the assets of
the Akron Candy Co., and the following year,
the Spanglers purchased A & Z Candy Cane
Co. Those two acquisitions transformed
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Page 10
•American Profile
> Hard Candy,
„>weet
Success
Spangler from a regional chocolate company
into a national producer of hard candies.
Today, Spangler Candy is best known
as the Dum Dums company, with its 400
employees producing 9 million of Americas
favorite giveaway lollipops each day. Each
individually wrapped lollipop costs 2 cents,
just a penny more than in 195.3.
“Dum Dums are a convenient treat,"
Spangler says, “and the price is reasonable for
a business that wants to give away a candy
product or a teacher who wants to provide
a small treat."
Spangler, whose individualized Ohio
license plate is Dum Dums, recalls driving
DUM DUMS
A personalized license plate
plugs the company’s suckers.
Dum Dum car was heading down die
turnpike,” Spangler says, laughing. “When
I reached out the window to hand the toll
taker my ticket and money, she said, ‘Excuse
me, sir, but do you have any cream soda?'
So people are definitely loyal to their favorite
flavors.”
Spangler employees are loyal, too, 23
percent of the employees having worked for
tlie company more than 25 years. With 67
years of service, Ernest Spangler, who died
in 1975, holds tlie company record, but
close behind and still going strong is Saf-T-
Pop wrapfiing machine attendant Dorothy
Parks, who has been on tlie job for 56 years.
"This company has been such a big
part of my life that the people here are
like family to me,” Parks says. “1 get very
emotional when I think about retiring
and leaving here.”
For now, however. Parks has no plans
to retire. In fact, she hasn't missed a day of
work in the last 10 years.
In addition to Dean Spangler, several
otlier third-generation members are involved
in tlie family business, including Chairman
C. Gregory Spangler, grandson of Ernest
Spangler.
down the West Virginia
Turnpike in 1998 handing
out Dum Dums along
with his ticket at each
toll booth. “By the time I
reached tlie third booth,
word had spread that the
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Spangler Candy Co. produces 9 million Dum Dums daily at its plant in Bryan, Ohio.
“We have a strong, underlying
commitment to the business in terms
of our family members,’’ Dean Spangler
says. “Were more interested in earnings
for the next generation than earnings for
the next quarter, so we tend to approach
decisions in terms of valuing tlie long
term impact."
That same commitment extends to
the community as well. To honor tlie
second generation, tlie company recently
established the Spangler Foundation to
provide scholarships and contribute to the
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Bryan Area Foundation for the betterment
of the community.
“In a small town, a business is a part
of tlie fabric of the community," Spangler
says. “If we want Bryan to continue to be a
great place to live, we have to support our
people and our community.”
Jo Aim Judy is afr&Lme writer in Columbia, Ofm
For more information, call (419) 636-4221
or log on to www.spanglercandy.com.
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