IV. The Greenhill Era -- "As an employee of the Acklin Stamping Company...you are much the same as a member of a large family, working together for the success and happiness of the family group." --New Employee Procedure Manual 1947.

A. Rags to Riches -- The C. F. Greenhill Story

In1944, as the war came to a close, Frank Graper passed away following a brief illness and C.F. Greenhill took the reigns of the company. The story of Greenhill's rise through the company ranks would make 19th century novelist Horatio Alger proud. Born in Surrey, England, Cyril F. Greenhill came with his family to a farm on the Canadian prairie. As a teenager, Cyril went to Banff, Alberta a resort town in the Canadian Rockies, and got a job as a pack train guide. For his efforts he received $75 a month plus room and board. A Banff hotel guest who was struck by the 19 year old's ability and ambition invited Cyril to return to Toledo with him.

C.F. Greenhill arrived in Toledo in early 1913 he immediately took a $5 a week job at the Ohio Electric Car Company. Within two months, however, the car company closed its doors and Cyril was jobless. Fortunately, he had met a member of the Acklin family and was offered a job sweeping the plant's floor. Greenhill accepted and began work the day after Thanksgiving, 1913 for 11 cents an hour. During the next twelve years Cyril climbed his way up the management ladder working nearly every job in the plant along the way -- moving up to press operator, then die setter, machine shop worker, time keeper, shipping clerk. From there he crossed over into management becoming an office boy, and then moved to production control and into purchasing.

When the Acklin Stamping plant moved from its Dorr Street location to Nebraska Avenue in 1925, Greenhill became a general superintendent, then a salesman under Harold Jay, and eventually, by the early 1930's Sales Manager. In 1936 Greenhill was named Vice President in charge of Sales, and in 1939 was named to the Acklin Board of Directors. When W. C.. Acklin died late that same year the company's business holdings went to Greenhill along with Frank Graper and Mr. Seeman. Greenhill maintained his Vice Presidency under Frank Graper, and when Mr. Graper died in 1944 Greenhill took over the presidency