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- Title
- Interview with Jim Culley, 2018 April 25, edited transcript
- Date(s)
- 2019-03-08
- Contributor(s)
- Culley, Jim, 1944- (interviewee), Plasky, Joseph G. (interviewer)
- Description
-
In his oral history, Jim Culley traces his career through college, the Army and graduate school to teaching to working for DuPont to his final 20 years working for a DuPont medical products technology spin-off. Culley stresses the importance of DuPont STAINMASTER as a marketing success story and the importance of looking at marketing as a career and not just a stop for managers moving up the corporate hierarchy.
- Collection ID
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department (Accession 2010.215)
- Hagley ID
- 2010215_20180425_Culley_transcript_edited
- Collection
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department
- Title
- Interview with Robert "Bear" Ferranto
- Date(s)
- 2019-02-19
- Contributor(s)
- Spohn, Benjamin (interviewer), Ferranto, Robert (interviewee)
- Description
-
In this interview Ferranto (1938) Talks about his career in the mushroom industry. He explains that shortly after graduating from Pennsylvania State University, he became discouraged by low prices on mushrooms so he left the industry in 1963 and returned in 1988 to help run the growing company started by his wife, Rosemarie Ferranto, in 1972. He talks about how that company, Buona Foods Incorporated has grown over the decades and currently grows its own mushrooms, works a brokerage with other...
Show moreIn this interview Ferranto (1938) Talks about his career in the mushroom industry. He explains that shortly after graduating from Pennsylvania State University, he became discouraged by low prices on mushrooms so he left the industry in 1963 and returned in 1988 to help run the growing company started by his wife, Rosemarie Ferranto, in 1972. He talks about how that company, Buona Foods Incorporated has grown over the decades and currently grows its own mushrooms, works a brokerage with other famers selling mushrooms to retailers, and promotes mushroom consumption. He also talks about the Pennsylvania Farm Show and how his family's company has operated the mushroom industry's booth at the food court since the 1970s.
Show less - Collection ID
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry (2018.219)
- Hagley ID
- Ferranto_Robert_20190219
- Collection
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry
- Title
- Interview with Gale Ferranto
- Date(s)
- 2019-02-05
- Contributor(s)
- Spohn, Benjamin (interviewer), Ferranto, Gale (interviewee)
- Description
-
In this interview Ferranto talks about her role as President of Buona Foods Incorporated, she explains that before coming to the mushroom business she had a career in the children's fashion industry. She talks about how her mother founded the company and the dayd to day responsiblites of running it. Ferranto talks about promoting mushroom consumption and her company's role at the Pennsylvania Farm show. She elaborates on the Pennsylvania Farm Show and explains how her company runs the...
Show moreIn this interview Ferranto talks about her role as President of Buona Foods Incorporated, she explains that before coming to the mushroom business she had a career in the children's fashion industry. She talks about how her mother founded the company and the dayd to day responsiblites of running it. Ferranto talks about promoting mushroom consumption and her company's role at the Pennsylvania Farm show. She elaborates on the Pennsylvania Farm Show and explains how her company runs the mushroom industry booth at the foodcourt. Ferranto talks about the challenges of being a woman in the mushroom industry and other women who have held leadership postions in mushroom farms, the American Mushroom Institute, and the Mushroom Council.
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- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry (2018.219)
- Hagley ID
- Ferranto_Gale_20190205
- Collection
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry
- Title
- Interview with Don Sturgeon, 2019 January 24
- Date(s)
- 2019-01-24
- Contributor(s)
- Sturgeon, Don (interviewee), Plasky, Joseph G. (interviewer)
- Description
-
In his interview, Don Sturgeon gives a comprehensive account of his involvement with Kevlar applications at DuPont. He first describes his early life in Argentina. He then details the interview process he went through to get a position at DuPont. He describes in detail his first assignment at the PRL (Pioneering Research Laboratory), providing a snapshot of how DuPont managed technology in the late 1960s. He describes the application of Kelvar to both the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar airplane and...
Show moreIn his interview, Don Sturgeon gives a comprehensive account of his involvement with Kevlar applications at DuPont. He first describes his early life in Argentina. He then details the interview process he went through to get a position at DuPont. He describes in detail his first assignment at the PRL (Pioneering Research Laboratory), providing a snapshot of how DuPont managed technology in the late 1960s. He describes the application of Kelvar to both the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar airplane and to non-rubber reinforcement uses. He comments at length on the competition of Kevlar with Fiberglass and steel. He recalls the transition of Kevlar to venture status and the birth of Kevlar Special Products as initially a lesser contributor to venture economics that relied more heavily on tires and mechanical rubber goods.
He then describes his time (1976-1980) in the technical section of the DuPont Seaford plant, focusing on personnel management and frustrations. From his perspective, the first line technical personnel felt they had much responsibility but little authority and support from management. He describes the unsuccessful attempt by Human Relations staff to improve morale of the technical section of the Seaford plant. Concerning his time at Seaford, Sturgeon also details his attempt to bring a staple process CPU (Continuous Production Unit) online and his role in developing new carpet products for DuPont's commercial and residential carpet shows.
Sturgeon then discusses his return to Wilmington in Kevlar special products, which grew to include such applications as missiles, aircraft, armor, helmets, aero-engines, personnel protection, and optical cables. Many of the special products Sturgeon and his group developed were for specific niche applications but required large engineering and management efforts to design, test, and qualify. Sturgeon comments on the massive effort required to develop Kevlar in the marketplace and recalls DuPont's strategic efforts at forward integration, moving from being a materials supplier to a manufacturer of parts and sub-components. He also comments on high-density polypropylene, a competitor of Kevlar. In this discussion of Kevlar, Sturgeon remarks on the difficulties encountered in obtaining export licenses for Kevlar products to Asia and South America.
Sturgeon also describes his leadership of an Advanced Composite Systems products group, which was part of DuPont's efforts at forward integration. The multi-specialty group was formed to integrate DuPont product and processes and add any technology to make composite products using DuPont specialty fibers and resins. According to Sturgeon, however, management ultimately did not support the group due to the high labor costs and small market inherent in the products they were developing. Sturgeon remarks that the similar European composites group also did not succeed. He notes that reduced military spending after the end of the Cold War further contributed to the failure of the groups at DuPont, as the military had been a major customer for advanced composites products.
Show less - Collection ID
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department (Accession 2010.215)
- Hagley ID
- 2010215_20190124_Sturgeon
- Collection
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department
- Title
- Interview with Sam Bookhart, 2019 January 2
- Date(s)
- 2019-01-02
- Contributor(s)
- Bookhart, Sam, 1931- (interviewee), Plasky, Joseph G. (interviewer)
- Description
-
In his interview, Sam Bookhart describes in depth the development of the DuPont Fibers quality system. After describing his early career, he details his transfer to Uentrop, Germany in 1971 and the difficulties he encountered there.
A significant portion of the interview is dedicated to Bookhart's perspective of the development of the PQM (process quality management) system at DuPont. With support from management, Bookhart formed a quality committee comprising six engineers and a statistician...
Show moreIn his interview, Sam Bookhart describes in depth the development of the DuPont Fibers quality system. After describing his early career, he details his transfer to Uentrop, Germany in 1971 and the difficulties he encountered there.
A significant portion of the interview is dedicated to Bookhart's perspective of the development of the PQM (process quality management) system at DuPont. With support from management, Bookhart formed a quality committee comprising six engineers and a statistician representing six DuPont Dacron plants. They initially addressed cleanup testing and quality controls before developing procedures to quantify process and product. Bookhart identifies Don Marquhart's role with statistics in the project and Jim Lucas' implementation of CUSUM (cumulative sum control chart) statistical quality control into Dacron's production process. Using CUSUM methods reduced or eliminated the need for quality measurement rechecks during production.
Bookhart also describes procuring a PDP-8 computer at the Experimental Station in Wilmington, Delaware to run CUSUM for multiple plants. He goes into detail about the initial network set-up, the software his group created, and the series of improvements they made to the quality system which they implemented across the entire Dacron division.
Bookhart later describes his development and attempt to implement a Customer-Focused New Product Development program. As a part of this work, Bookhart used benchmarking across multiple departments and other corporations, and he describes the result of his efforts.
Show less - Collection ID
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department (Accession 2010.215)
- Hagley ID
- 2010215_20190102_Bookhart
- Collection
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department
- Title
- Interview with Clinton and Rosa Blackwell
- Date(s)
- 2018-12-07
- Contributor(s)
- Spohn, Benjamin (interviewer), Weiss, Michael (interviewer)
- Description
-
In this interview Clinton and Rosa Blackwell describe their lives in the mushroom business. Rosa Blackwell talks about the mushroom industry that existed in New Castle County, Delaware. Clinton Blackwell talks about his training as a carpenter and a builder and how he became a mushroom grower after his carpentry business failed. Blackwell and his father-in-law started the business in 1969, before then he had no experience with mushrooms, after his father-in-law died in 1973 he ran the...
Show moreIn this interview Clinton and Rosa Blackwell describe their lives in the mushroom business. Rosa Blackwell talks about the mushroom industry that existed in New Castle County, Delaware. Clinton Blackwell talks about his training as a carpenter and a builder and how he became a mushroom grower after his carpentry business failed. Blackwell and his father-in-law started the business in 1969, before then he had no experience with mushrooms, after his father-in-law died in 1973 he ran the business on his own, and describes how difficult it was to run a business with only four years of experience. Clinton and Rosa Blackwell explain how the costs of doing business have changed as has mushroom growing technology, and the labor force. Clinton Blackwell talks about the manufacture and sale of compost for growing mushrooms.
Show less - Collection ID
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry (2018.219)
- Hagley ID
- Blackwell_Clinton_and_Rosa
- Collection
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry
- Title
- Interview with Keith Silfee
- Date(s)
- 2018-12-04
- Contributor(s)
- Spohn, Benjamin (interviewer), Weiss, Michael (interviewer), Blackwell, Rosa (interviewee)
- Description
-
In this interview, Keith Silfee discusses his experience working at various small banks that provided loans for mushroom growers and other agricultural operations. Silfee describes how he worked at several different banks between 1981 and 2017, and often changed jobs upon his employer's acquisition by a larger bank. Silfee talks about his career as a loan officer and explains agriculural lending. Silfee compares and contrasts financial and banking regulations before and after the 2008...
Show moreIn this interview, Keith Silfee discusses his experience working at various small banks that provided loans for mushroom growers and other agricultural operations. Silfee describes how he worked at several different banks between 1981 and 2017, and often changed jobs upon his employer's acquisition by a larger bank. Silfee talks about his career as a loan officer and explains agriculural lending. Silfee compares and contrasts financial and banking regulations before and after the 2008 recession. Silfee explains why he likes his job and his lifelong interest in agriculture
Show less - Collection ID
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry (2018.219)
- Hagley ID
- Silfee_Keith_20181204
- Collection
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry
- Title
- Interview with Marshall Johnson, part 2, 2018 October 24
- Date(s)
- 2018-10-24
- Contributor(s)
- Johnson, Marshall B., 1938- (interviewee), Spohn, Benjamin (interviewer), Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation (originator)
- Description
-
In this interview, Marshall Johnson tells the story of how he became an industrial designer after he read about it on a pamphlet at school; the various companies he's worked fo over the years; some of his favorite projects inlcuding a research ship and a cookie gun; he describes how he used his skills to aid charitable causes. He explains the ways in which industrial design is different from engineering; he says designers envision how a customer might expect to use a product rather than...
Show moreIn this interview, Marshall Johnson tells the story of how he became an industrial designer after he read about it on a pamphlet at school; the various companies he's worked fo over the years; some of his favorite projects inlcuding a research ship and a cookie gun; he describes how he used his skills to aid charitable causes. He explains the ways in which industrial design is different from engineering; he says designers envision how a customer might expect to use a product rather than building the product from scratch.
Show less - Collection ID
- Oral history interview with Marshall Johnson (Accession 2023.204)
- Hagley ID
- 2023204_20181024_Johnson_interview_002
- Collection
- Oral history collections gallery
- Title
- Interview with Marshall Johnson, part 1, 2018 October 24
- Date(s)
- 2018-10-24
- Contributor(s)
- Johnson, Marshall B., 1938- (interviewee), Spohn, Benjamin (interviewer), Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation (originator)
- Description
-
In this interview, Marshall Johnson tells the story of how he became an industrial designer after he read about it on a pamphlet at school; the various companies he's worked fo over the years; some of his favorite projects inlcuding a research ship and a cookie gun; he describes how he used his skills to aid charitable causes. He explains the ways in which industrial design is different from engineering; he says designers envision how a customer might expect to use a product rather than...
Show moreIn this interview, Marshall Johnson tells the story of how he became an industrial designer after he read about it on a pamphlet at school; the various companies he's worked fo over the years; some of his favorite projects inlcuding a research ship and a cookie gun; he describes how he used his skills to aid charitable causes. He explains the ways in which industrial design is different from engineering; he says designers envision how a customer might expect to use a product rather than building the product from scratch.
Show less - Collection ID
- Oral history interview with Marshall Johnson (Accession 2023.204)
- Hagley ID
- 2023204_20181024_Johnson_interview_001
- Collection
- Oral history collections gallery
- Title
- Interview with Peter Alonzo
- Date(s)
- 2018-08-01
- Contributor(s)
- Spohn, Benjamin (interviewer), Alonzo, Peter, 1943- (interviewee)
- Description
-
In this interview Alonzo talks about his family's history in the mushroom industry. He describes the production of compost for mushroom growth and how it has changed over time. He talks about how his family's business grew from the 1940s to the present day. He talks about the political situation in the United States and how the Wal Mart in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania was built on land he sold to them. Alonzo talks about the role of Pennsylvania State University and the American Mushroom...
Show moreIn this interview Alonzo talks about his family's history in the mushroom industry. He describes the production of compost for mushroom growth and how it has changed over time. He talks about how his family's business grew from the 1940s to the present day. He talks about the political situation in the United States and how the Wal Mart in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania was built on land he sold to them. Alonzo talks about the role of Pennsylvania State University and the American Mushroom Industry in mushroom education and promotion repspectively.
Show less - Collection ID
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry (2018.219)
- Hagley ID
- Alonzo_Peter_20190801
- Collection
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry
- Title
- Interview with James A. Angelucci
- Date(s)
- 2018-07-24
- Contributor(s)
- Williams, Amrys O. (interviewer), Spohn, Benjamin (interviewer), Angelucci, James A., 1949- (interviewee)
- Description
-
In this interview, Angelucci discusses his experiences growing up in an Italian mushroom-growing family, his time with the military during the Vietnam War, his reluctant return to mushrooms after his release from the service, and his long career at Phillips Mushroom Farms starting in the early 1970s, where he was a key player in the company's turn toward specialty/exotic mushrooms and organics. He also discusses his longstanding affiliation with the American Mushroom Institute, the Mushroom...
Show moreIn this interview, Angelucci discusses his experiences growing up in an Italian mushroom-growing family, his time with the military during the Vietnam War, his reluctant return to mushrooms after his release from the service, and his long career at Phillips Mushroom Farms starting in the early 1970s, where he was a key player in the company's turn toward specialty/exotic mushrooms and organics. He also discusses his longstanding affiliation with the American Mushroom Institute, the Mushroom Short Course at Penn State University, and other groups devoted to promoting mushroom production and consumption.
Show less - Collection ID
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry (2018.219)
- Hagley ID
- angelucci_james_a_20180724
- Collection
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry
- Title
- Interview with Emidio "Junior" and Barbara Frezzo
- Date(s)
- 2018-07-19
- Contributor(s)
- Williams, Amrys O. (interviewer), Frezzo, Emidio (interviewee), Frezzo, Barbara (interviewee)
- Description
-
In this interview, the Frezzo's describe the family's path toward the mushroom business in the early 20th century, the growing business Frezzo got started with his family's assistance, the growth of the family business and changes in machinery and technology, the shift from canned to fresh mushrooms, Frezzo's work advising the Kennet Square Bank on loan applications from mushroom growers, his time in the peat moss business, and their travels to the annual mushroom conference.
- Collection ID
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry (2018.219)
- Hagley ID
- frezzo_emidio_jr_and_barbara_20180719
- Collection
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry
- Title
- Interview with Thomas "Tom" McAndrews, 2018 January and February, edited transcript
- Date(s)
- 2018-07-12
- Contributor(s)
- McAndrews, Thomas P. (interviewee), Plasky, Joseph G. (interviewer)
- Collection ID
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department (Accession 2010.215)
- Hagley ID
- 2010215_20180712_McAndrews_transcript_edited
- Collection
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department
- Title
- Interview with John and Sara Cordivano
- Date(s)
- 2018-06-28
- Contributor(s)
- Williams, Amrys O. (interviewer), Cordivano, John (interviewee), Cordivano, Sara (interviewee)
- Description
-
In this interview, the Cordivano's reflect on their longstanding involvement in the mushroom industry, from their experiences growing up in mushroom families, to John's experience with making better mushroom compost. John Cordivano describes his family entering the business and his own work for several mushroom companies over the years (Cordivano Brothers, John Swayne, a farm in Maryland, Oxford Royal, Laurel Valley) and the various jobs he performed there. Sara Cordivano, talks about her...
Show moreIn this interview, the Cordivano's reflect on their longstanding involvement in the mushroom industry, from their experiences growing up in mushroom families, to John's experience with making better mushroom compost. John Cordivano describes his family entering the business and his own work for several mushroom companies over the years (Cordivano Brothers, John Swayne, a farm in Maryland, Oxford Royal, Laurel Valley) and the various jobs he performed there. Sara Cordivano, talks about her experience in mushrooms, converting a dairy barn into their personal mini mushroom farm, managing the marketing for it, and describes their children getting involved, but eventually moving on to careers they desired.
Show less - Collection ID
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry (2018.219)
- Hagley ID
- Cordivano_John_and_Sara_20180628
- Collection
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry
- Title
- Interview with Linda Kearns, 2018 June 28
- Date(s)
- 2018-06-28
- Contributor(s)
- Kearns, Linda W. (interviewee), Plasky, Joseph G. (interviewer)
- Description
-
In her interview, Linda Kearns focuses on her role with Lycra marketing with DuPont, providing insight into the brand's development and market research.
- Collection ID
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department (Accession 2010.215)
- Hagley ID
- 2010215_20180628_Kearns
- Collection
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department
- Title
- Interview with Dolores Williams Kelly, 2018 June 22
- Date(s)
- 2018-06-22
- Contributor(s)
- Kelly, Dolores Williams (interviewee), Plasky, Joseph G. (interviewer)
- Description
-
In her interview, Dolores Kelly describes her career in various roles at the DuPont Kinston plant.
- Collection ID
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department (Accession 2010.215)
- Hagley ID
- 2010215_20180622_Kelly_Dolores
- Collection
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department
- Title
- Interview with Earl W. Kelly, 2018 June 22
- Date(s)
- 2018-06-22
- Contributor(s)
- Kelly, Earl W. (interviewee), Plasky, Joseph G. (interviewer)
- Description
-
In his interview, Earl Kelly details his career in plant operations at the DuPont Kinston facilities. He provides a thorough description of the ETF spinning process at Kinston. The process was one of the first times that split processes were converted to a coupled process, which was a major process change invented and lead by DuPont. His interview provides an example of the day-to-day contributions of individuals to a large manufacturing entity.
- Collection ID
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department (Accession 2010.215)
- Hagley ID
- 2010215_20180622_Kelly_Earl
- Collection
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department
- Title
- Interview with Dominic Manfredini
- Date(s)
- 2018-06-19
- Contributor(s)
- Williams, Amrys O. (interviewer), Manfredini, Dominic (interviewee)
- Description
-
In this interview, Dominic Manfredini reflects on his lifelong career in the mushroom growing industry, including the range of companies he owned. Manfredini inherited the family business from his father he also talks about his business travels to New York and Italy. Manfredini's interview covers the period 1946 to 2018, revealing how consumer tastes, farming technology, and scientific innovations changed business practices for mushroom growers over the course of 70 years.
- Collection ID
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry (2018.219)
- Hagley ID
- manfredini_dominic_20180720
- Collection
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry
- Title
- Interview with Donald and Marshall Phillips
- Date(s)
- 2018-06-19
- Contributor(s)
- Williams, Amrys O. (interviewer), Phillips, Donald (interviewee), Phillips, Marshall (interviewee)
- Description
-
In this interview, the Phillips' discuss their early experiences growing up in a mushroom family, their training at Penn State University, their leadership of the company, the move into exotic mushroom production, and the challenges and rewards of growing mushrooms.
- Collection ID
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry (2018.219)
- Hagley ID
- Phillips_Donald_and_Marshall_20180619
- Collection
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry
- Title
- Interview with Thomas "Tom" McAndrews, 2018 January and February, unedited transcript
- Date(s)
- 2018-06-13
- Contributor(s)
- McAndrews, Thomas P. (interviewee), Plasky, Joseph G. (interviewer)
- Collection ID
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department (Accession 2010.215)
- Hagley ID
- 2010215_20180613_McAndrews_transcript_unedited
- Collection
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department
- Title
- Interview with Carol Gee, 2018 June 11
- Date(s)
- 2018-06-11
- Contributor(s)
- Gee, Carol (interviewee), Plasky, Joseph G. (interviewer)
- Description
-
During her interview, Carol Gee discusses ingredient marketing with references to Nylon, Lycra, and Teflon. She particularly details her view on the positive and negative uses of end user advertising. She also discusses her opinion that DuPont did not receive enough value from the large advertising firms with which they contracted. She later comments on the personnel shift that occurred in 1993 in regards to marketing and communication staff. Gee also discusses several marketing efforts she...
Show moreDuring her interview, Carol Gee discusses ingredient marketing with references to Nylon, Lycra, and Teflon. She particularly details her view on the positive and negative uses of end user advertising. She also discusses her opinion that DuPont did not receive enough value from the large advertising firms with which they contracted. She later comments on the personnel shift that occurred in 1993 in regards to marketing and communication staff. Gee also discusses several marketing efforts she was involved in, providing insights into Textile Fibers' approaches to marketing.
Show less - Collection ID
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department (Accession 2010.215)
- Hagley ID
- 2010215_20180611_Gee
- Collection
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department
- Title
- Interview with James Cortada, 2018 June 7
- Date(s)
- 2018-06-07
- Contributor(s)
- Cortada, James W., Dr. (interviewee), Williams, Amrys O. (interviewer), Spohn, Benjamin (interviewer), Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation (originator)
- Description
-
In this interview, James Cortada discusses the collection of computing history books that he donated to Hagley. He describes how he acquired the collection, his philsophy on collecting, and some of what he feels are the most important titles in the collection.
- Collection ID
- Oral history interview with James Cortada (Accession 2018.227)
- Hagley ID
- 2018227_20180607_Cortada_interview
- Collection
- Oral history collections gallery
- Title
- Interview with Mary Vane, 2018 June 7
- Date(s)
- 2018-06-07
- Contributor(s)
- Vane, Mary K. (interviewee), Plasky, Joseph G. (interviewer)
- Description
-
In her interview, Mary Vane discusses her career in marketing, management, and trade relations at DuPont. She provides insight into DuPont's approach to marketing in the 1970s and 1980s, distinguishing between end-use research and market research.
Addressing her career chronologically, she describes her role as a marketing representative in Mew York in DuPont's expansion with Lycra into women's swimwear and activewear. She then details the challenges she faced after moving into a management...
Show moreIn her interview, Mary Vane discusses her career in marketing, management, and trade relations at DuPont. She provides insight into DuPont's approach to marketing in the 1970s and 1980s, distinguishing between end-use research and market research.
Addressing her career chronologically, she describes her role as a marketing representative in Mew York in DuPont's expansion with Lycra into women's swimwear and activewear. She then details the challenges she faced after moving into a management positions in 1980 at a time when Nylon was being oversold.
She then discusses her move to Wilmington in 1981, first as a Business Strategist for Lycra and later as Marketing Manager for the intimate apparel, swimwear, and activewear business. She gives insight in DuPont's involvement in the fashion industry at this time, detailing how DuPont had to maintain a presence at the major New York fashion shows in order to stay relevant in the business.
Vane then discusses the business strategies involved in her next position as Business Manager for nylon, Lycra, and the polyester warp knit business. She follows this by detailing the mergers and acquisitions she was involved in as Business Planning Manager and Global Sourcing Manager for industrial fibers.
Vane then details her 1997 assignment as Director of International Trade and Business Development, where her focus was to shape U.S. government trade policy to help our businesses proactively make better business decisions. She discusses NAFTA and other efforts underway and her wide depth of experience in the international trade arena.
Vane also spends a portion of the interview discussing DuPont's implementation of a sexual harassment policy around 1990s and her role as a course instructor for Textile Fibers employees.
Show less - Collection ID
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department (Accession 2010.215)
- Hagley ID
- 2010215_20180607_Vane
- Collection
- Oral history interviews with former employees of DuPont Company's Textile Fibers Department
- Title
- Interview with John B. Swayne III
- Date(s)
- 2018-06-05
- Contributor(s)
- Williams, Amrys O. (interviewer), Swayne, John B. (interviewee)
- Description
-
In this interview, Swayne tells the story of his family's move into mushrooms, his own upbringing in the industry, and his efforts to run his own company and improve the quality of mushroom spawn available.
- Collection ID
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry (2018.219)
- Hagley ID
- Swayne_John_20180605
- Collection
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry
- Title
- Interview with Charles and Jane Brosius
- Date(s)
- 2018-05-31
- Contributor(s)
- Williams, Amrys O. (interviewer), Brosius, Charles (interviewee), Brosius, Jane (interviewee), Strunk, Nicole (interviewer)
- Description
-
In this interview, the Brosiuses reflect on their family history with mushrooms, their experiences in the mushroom industry, the challenges and frustrations of agricultural policy and politics in Pennsylvania, and changes in the labor situation in the mushroom industry.
- Collection ID
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry (2018.219)
- Hagley ID
- Brosius_Charles_and_Jane_20180531
- Collection
- Oral history interviews on cultivated mushroom industry