REMINISCENCES OF THE CHAIRMAN

Harry Aldrich, my stepfather, was eighty years old, being "forcefully" retired from Spencer Kellogg & Sons. By no means ready to give up, he decided to start a consulting business, specializing in insurance, safety and industrial relations (his responsibilities as an officer of Kellogg's).

I was thirty-six, having worked a total of fifteen years with two different insurance brokers in New York City (three years in between in the Navy in World War II). I had attended New York University nights, receiving a B.S. in Business Administration in 1943.

Wanting desperately to have a business of my own, I started two launderettes on Long Island "on the side." Desiring something more professional, I suggested to dad Aldrich that I join him with my heavy insurance background (including fire prevention inspections).

Thus, the formation of the partnership, Aldrich & Cox, on July 1, 1951. "Operations" began with desk space and telephone answering service on the first floor of the Jackson Building at Delaware Avenue and Chippewa Street in Buffalo.

I typed letters and made "cold" prospect calls. Rather discouraged until the fourth month, when I obtained two clients in the same week! One was for a report concerning their insurance program and accident prevention, the other just an accident prevention report. Both assignments came with caveats. The president of a firm on Broadway said, "If your report mentions guarding of machinery, I won't pay for it," and the president of a firm in Tonawanda said, "I won't pay unless I like your report."

Shouldn't have accepted the first one, since we found several employees with missing fingers. We overcame the issue through wording in the cover letter of the report. As a result of the inspection tour with the president in Tonawanda, instead of a report, I came away with a continuing contract as "advisors and directors of safety" (his wording).

After six months, Harry Aldrich decided to leave the partnership. I shall always be grateful to him, since it was his original idea that culminated in A&C. Later, I incorporated, keeping the name Aldrich out of respect for my stepfather.

From a sales letter written in August of 1951 to a corporate giant in Rochester, we obtained a continuing insurance and accident prevention contract, effective January 1, 1953. It both directly and indirectly helped us get other clients. Another letter written in August of 1951 to a Buffalo firm ended up in their file (not waste basket), and we were contacted several years later when a need arose. That client helped us obtain clients in Rochester and Tennessee.

At one point, our larger clients were predominately in the Rochester area (proving the adage, "an expert is someone away from home"). When one of those clients in Rochester sold their television station to a Buffalo firm, I came along as part of "the package." Subsequently, that officer went to Atlanta and about a year later sent for us. Eventually, two of our Western New York clients ended up in California and we then became a nationwide consulting firm.

In 1974, Charlie joined us and in a few years obtained his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Buffalo. Prior to 1974, he had no interest in working at A&C, frequently stating, "I don't want to come home like my dad with his hand out for a drink!"

In 1975, my son-in-law, Jim Hood, came up from Charlotte to join us. He had graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from Wake Forest and was in Wachovia Bank's management training program.

Looking back, the best part of my thirty-six years of active participation was meeting so many great people: clients, A&C staff, accountants, attorneys and even insurance salesmen! So many of them helped us, it doesn't seem appropriate to name just some of them.

We spent nearly twenty years in the Jackson Building, at one point giving up our desk space and relying on a telephone on a shelf in the basement. Subsequently, we moved into several different small offices and eventually into a modest suite on the sixth floor. When a noisy manufacturing tenant moved next door to us, we knew it was time to move.

Here are a few humorous and not so humorous recollections while in the Jackson Building:

• The "cold" prospect call when the receptionist relayed the message "nothing today."
• The insurance company reps trying to arrange to pay us commission for any business they obtained as a result of our recommendation.
• Charlie Cox, as a small lad attending our first office party, had a hilarious time riding up and down in the elevator with the young secretaries.

The old Touraine Hotel on Delaware Avenue was being converted into apartments, except the basement and first floor. Madar Corporation built us a suite in the former dining room and kitchen. They even voluntarily went beyond our specifications. The original lease was for five years at $3 per square foot! After about ten years, someone bought the building for subsidized housing and convinced us we didn't want to stay.

One outstanding event while in the Touraine was the blizzard of 1977. One tenant brought blankets and pillows down six floors for those of us stranded in the office (the elevator was out of service). A girl on the fifth floor had some of us up for soup. With such nice people in the building and a restaurant with bar in the basement, some of us hated to leave once the streets were cleared!

In 1981, we found attractive space on Ridge Road in West Seneca over Ethan Allen (a very cooperative Landlord). The building was subsequently sold to a contractor/developer and things were never the same. I retired from the Ridge Road building in 1987 and became Chairman.

The subsequent move to Orchard Park in 1991 was another step up and a long way from the telephone in the Jackson Building basement. You can be sure I'm still keeping an eye on things, but surely do miss the day-to-day operations.

-- Herbert C. Cox, Chairman

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