... History
The Company’s Founders Shaped Its Culture
 .D. and Ruth continued to be involved in the business until their deaths, Ruth’s in 1989 at the age of 82 and O.D.’s in 1995 at the age of 90. Their influence on the company and its culture continues to this day.
O.D.’s favorite saying was Thomas Edison’s “There’s a better way to do it. Find it!” O.D.
adapted the saying to the less demanding and more
inclusive, “There’s a better way.
Let’s find it” and applied it to everything he did at the company. Throughout his career he was constantly looking for ways to automate processes, develop new products, and streamline procedures.
“Firm but fair,” is how the people who knew Ruth frequently describe her. Employees, suppliers, and  vendors gained confidence knowing where they stood — she would be fair with them, but they would be held accountable for their actions. Ruth is responsible for many of our human resources policies and procedures still in place today.
In 1996, the O.D. McKee Research Center was built in Collegedale and dedicated to the memory of
our co-founder O.D. McKee.
The building houses engineering and product research
and development, O.D.’s areas of interest, and purchasing, which Ruth managed for many years.
In 2005, the company reached more than $1 billion in sales. O.D. was ambitious, but even
he didn’t dream of that eventuality the first morning he took the back seat out of the Whippet and loaded it up with Virginia Dare snack cakes.
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