NORTH BERWICK — For 175 years, one family has been at the helm of Hussey Seating Company in North Berwick, and as it sought to remind people on Friday, that’s a long time.
Friday evening marked the 175th anniversary celebration of the seating manufacturer, and as throngs of media, employees and others flooded the company gates to take part in the day’s events, President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Hussey reveled in the atmosphere.
While the keynote address of the evening was delivered by U.S. Senator Susan Collins, it was Hussey’s speech that kicked off the official celebration, following on the heels of factory tours that highlighted the Hussey legacy.
“Today we’re taking an opportunity to shine a light on ourselves and who we are,” said Hussey. “And it’s our hope that that light shines back on the community.
“Our light can serve as a guide to this complex world that we live in.”
Summarizing the history of the company, and paying homage to its founder, William Hussey, the theme that pervaded Tim Hussey’s speech was that of family, as he pointed out that the seating manufacturer is the longest-running family-run company in the state of Maine.
“Family businesses are not uncommon at all,” he said. “What is unusual is how those businesses succeed over time.”
Founded in 1835 as a plow manufacturer, Hussey seating eventually morphed into a provider of what it calls “seating solutions,” largely manufacturing spectator seating for sports venues and for telescopic gyms. Its website boasts that “Hussey began doing business 56 years before the invention of modern basketball. 45 years before the invention of American football. 4 years before the invention of modern baseball. And 40 years before the invention of modern ice hockey.”
Some of the venues for which the company has provided seating include Covenant Church in Tacoma, Wash., Investco Field in Denver, Colo. (home of the Denver Broncos National Football League franchise), the Panasonic Theater in Toronto, Ontario, and Hadlock Field in Portland.
“One hundred seventy-five years is pretty cool,” said Hussey. “One of our distinctions is that of perseverance. We never give up.”
While making her own remarks, Sen. Collins sought to draw parallels between the Hussey family and her own. Collins, who originally hails from Caribou, belongs to a family that has owned and operated a lumber business since 1844.
On Friday, she offered words of congratulations.
“The first time I came to see Tim, I remember driving in and seeing the sign that said, ”˜Founded in 1835,’” said Collins. “I couldn’t believe it. It’s Maine’s multi-generational family businesses that commit the most to their communities.
“Hussey stands tall whenever people need a good place to sit.”
Offering a short history lesson of her own, Collins spoke about the fire in 1895 that almost ended the company, and how the family showed strength in turning tragedy into opportunity, shifting its business focus from plows to stadium seating.
Some of the artifacts of that history were on display at the company’s on-site museum. As Hussey employees gave guided tours of the factory, they made sure to stop at the museum to let those on the tour hear a few words from Hannah Hussey, a member of the seventh generation of Husseys to serve her company. A college junior in the fall, Hannah Hussey worked for the family business last summer, and in doing so found a new appreciation for its heritage.
“I was struck by the length of the history here,” said Hannah Hussey. “My father’s great-great-grandfather went to Palestine, so I found the letter that he sent back to his wife while he was over there.
“I think my favorite (items) are the old documents.”
Back on the podium, Senator Collins unveiled a surprise tribute to the company: She said that she has requested that an American flag be flown above the Capital Building in Washington, D.C., in honor of Hussey Seating.
Framing it a gesture from one who is the product of a long-running family business to another, she saved her kindest words for last.
“This company has more than just a history,” she said. “It has a heritage. It has a legacy.”
— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 319, or at jlagasse@journaltribune.com.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
