A.Y. McDonald celebrates 150 years

Dubuque, Iowa -- A.Y. McDonald celebrated its 150th anniversary in grand fashion last month with a private reception for nearly 1,000 of the company’s employees, retirees, clients, friends and family. With over two years of planning and coordinating the event, everything went off as planned. “The evening was fantastic. To celebrate 150 years like this; it couldn’t have gone any better,” said Rob McDonald, vice president of sales for AY McDonald. Capping off the dinner and cocktail reception was the stand-up comedy routine of Jay Leno from The Tonight Show. Leno was such a good sport that he stuck around to announce raffle winners of prizes, which included a jet ski, a home entertainment system, a rider lawn mower, a four wheeler and a pop-up camper. This gave the excited winners an opportunity to meet the talk show host.

From one grows many
Firmly grounded as a family-based company, a sense of family couldn’t be more evident than with the professed words of founder A.Y. McDonald -- “I’ve started it, and you can take it as far as you want to go.” Little did Andrew Young McDonald know when he made this statement over 125 years ago, that his small family-owned company would remain family owned and grow to become a national industry leader 150 years later.

Considering the continuous ownership and management by one family for 150 years, together with its size and scope of operations, A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co. is a truly unique company.

Descendents of A.Y. McDonald operate the com-pany. Seated chairman emeritus R.D. McDonald, who recently passed away in September; stand-ing (from left) are: Mike McDonald, president and CEO; Scott Knapp, director-marketing; Sarah McDonald Hasken, manager-risk management and corporate secretary; and Rob McDonald, vice president-sales.

Based in Dubuque since 1856, when A.Y. McDonald started his own plumbing business, the company now employs more than 375 in its brass foundry, manufacturing plant and corporate offices. The company is a national player in several markets manufacturing water works service line brass; plumbing valves and fittings; pumps and water systems; and high-pressure gas valves and meter bars.

The fifth generation of McDonald family members leads the company today and carries on the Scottish-born immigrant’s entrepreneurial spirit and pride in being an American manufacturer. Michael McDonald, president and ceo, said, “Our blueprint for success has come from working smart and working hard for the past 150 years. We are incredibly proud to be able to say that our ancestor had a dream and we are living it today. That dream is fueled by our true commitment to quality products, fair pricing and quality people making it happen.”

McDonald also noted, “Our history is a slice of Americana. A.Y. was quite a man, as we have learned from the stories told by my father, grandfather and great-grandfather. His desire to succeed is something that we carry with us today. Our marketplace continues to shrink as our competitors either merge or go out of business. We are extremely proud to remain an Iowa company with McDonald blood in our veins, and we owe that to the work ethic of the hundreds of employees who have been part of this company for 150 years.”

A.Y. was orphaned as a child in Glasgow, Scotland. He emigrated to the U.S. with an aunt when he was 20 years old. He started his own plumbing business in Dubuque, left to fight in the Civil War, was wounded twice and returned home to Dubuque to grow his business. He loved America and became a U.S. citizen at the age of 26. His ingenuity spurred him to expand the company and to seek a patent on an improvement to what is commonly known as the “monkey wrench.” He married and had five children -- three daughters and two sons. Both sons would later guide the company, along with their cousin.

The company was able to weather the Great Depression and World Wars I and II. In fact, World War II helped to buoy the company’s sales as it had contracts with the federal government for the production of brass valves and bilge pumps for the U.S. Navy; stationary gear carriers for bomb fuses and bomb parts for the U.S. Army; shut-off and drain cocks for the U.S. Air Force; and hose nozzles, swing joints, gate valves and throttle valves for the U.S. Army and Air Force.

In addition to Mike at the helm, other fifth-generation McDonald family members in key leadership roles include: Rob McDonald, vice president-sales; Sarah McDonald Hasken, manager-risk management and corporate secretary; and Scott Knapp, director-marketing.

Fourth-generation McDonald family member John McDonald III is still active in chairmanship roles.

The Dubuque plant runs three shifts and is represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers-Lodge #1238, and Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics, & Allied Workers International-Local #236B.

The company also has manufacturing and/or distribution facilities in Albia, Iowa; Elizabethton, Tenn.; and Sparks, Nev. A sales force of more than 25 representatives covers the U.S. selling primarily to wholesale distributors, municipalities, and natural gas utilities. End users of A.Y. McDonald products include underground contractors, plumbers, municipalities and well drillers.

To mark the milestone anniversary this year, the company is planning several events to celebrate with employees, retirees, family members and the Dubuque community. A special history book and video are under development. The company attends numerous national trade shows and will highlight the anniversary to vendors and customers at those events.