Person:Clayton Whiteman (1)

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Clayton Whiteman, Retail & Wholesale Executive
m. Bef 1880
  1. Clayton Whiteman, Retail & Wholesale Executive1880 - 1956
m. 19 Sep 1907
  1. Lowell Wheeler Whiteman1918 - 2001
Facts and Events
Name Clayton Whiteman, Retail & Wholesale Executive
Gender Male
Birth[1] 7 Jun 1880 West Clarksville, Alleghany County, New York
Marriage 19 Sep 1907 Denver, Denver County, Coloradoto Augusta Olivia Wheeler
Death[1] 6 Apr 1956 Claremont, Los Angeles County, California

About Clayton Whiteman

Clayton Whiteman was born 7 June 1880 in Allegany County, New York, son of George H. Whiteman and his wife Jan Swartout. Clayton moved out west with his family at age 7 and spent his early childhood in Colorado and Nebraska, where his father farmed land for corn and wheat. In September, 1900, he entered the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where he played right half on the football team and developed such an interest in the game that became his favorite spectator sport. Terminating his college career in 1901, he went to work for G.A. Cramer Co., a wholesale art store in Lincoln.

When the firm's business changed from quick turnover items like picture frames, art supplies and easels to larger, more costly and slower selling objects like pianos and furniture, Mr. Whiteman moved on to Hayden, Colorado, in January, 1906. His first contact with the grocery business came in April, 1908, when he went to work for J.W. Hugus & Co., a general mercantile store in Hayden. But he went from peddling groceries to peddling stamps in April, 1909, when he was nominated postmaster at Hayden. He was reappointed postmaster in 1911. After a change in administration terminated his postal career, Mr. Whiteman returned to the business field and in 1915 went into partnership and bought the Hayden Drug Store.

Two years later he added to his holdings by buying two other drug stores, one at Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and the other at Craig, Colorado. He operated the three stores until 1921, when he sold the Steamboat Springs store. By January, 1923, he had disposed of his interest in the other stores, and July of that same year found him in California.
Looking for work, he found employment on September 1, 1923, with the Baldwin Park Department Store. When death took the owner, Mr. Joseph Foto, his widow named Mr. Whiteman superintendent of the entire store. This store held membership in the recently organized co-operative called Certified Grocers.
. In January, 1926, Mr. Whiteman was elected to Certified's Board of Directors. He exhibited such leadership as a Director that the Board named him Manager [later "General Manager"] on August 1, 1926. Clayton Whiteman "steered Certified from turbulance to triumph. Considered the "father" of Certified Grocers, Whiteman established policies and principles still followed today at Certified. Early in Whiteman's tenure, Certified took a major step by merging in 1928 with Co-Operative Grocers, another small retailer-owned wholesaler. That year, Certified's sales volume exceeded $1 million, almost three times greater than the sales volume for 1926." (Source: Certified Grocers 75th Anniversary Publication).

Clayton Whiteman remained as General Manager of Certified until late in 1945 when ill health forced him to relinquish active leadership of the organization, afterwhich he was given the "less-trying" position of President [a newly created position], a post he held until January 1951. Whiteman was succeeded as General Manager of Certified Grocers by Campbell "Cam" Stewart in 1945. After 1951, Whiteman remained as a member of the Board of Directors with the title of Honorary Chairman of the Board and Advisor to the Directors.

Clayton Whiteman passsed away on 6 April 1956 in Claremont, Los Angeles County, California. His contributions to the retail industry have been many and remain a lasting tribute to his dedication and integrity.

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References
  1. 1.0 1.1 Family tree maker. (MyFamily.com, Inc., c2003).

    Clayton Whiteman1 was born June 07, 1880 in West Clarksville, Alleghany Co., New York1, and died April 06, 1956 in Claremont, California1. He married Augusta Olivia Wheeler on September 19, 1907 in Denver, Colorado.

    "Clayton son of George H. and Mary Jan Swartout Whiteman
    born June 7, 1880 in Allegany County, New York
    Married September 19, 1907 in Denver, Colorado
    Died April 6, 1956 in Claremont, California
    Had Parkinson's Disease for several years.
    Children:
    George Kenneth September 7, 1908 married Bernice Meeker
    Florence Arlene January 18, 1912 married Henry William Jones
    Lowell Wheeler February 7, 1918 married Madelyn Turner
    married Marian Davis

    Testimonial Dinner by Members of the Food Industry of Southern California Honoring
    Clayton Whiteman
    Thursday, September 11, 1952
    Embassy Room, Los Angeles Ambassador
    On this evening of September 11, 1952, members of the food industry of Southern California are gathered together to honor Mr. Clayton Whiteman, whose business acumen, initiative, and integrity have won the admiration and respect not only of local food circles but of the entire food industry of the nation.
    First as general manager, then, president, and now Honorary Chairman of the Board of Certified Grocers of California, Mr. Whiteman has probably done more to change the methods of food distribution in Southern California than any other single person.
    By sheer determination and insistence on operating principles which assured equal treatment of all members, he reared Certified Grocers from a puny, struggling retailer-owned cooperative, without a home of its own, to be the largest company of its kind in dollar volume of business in the United States.
    Although he was born in New York state, Mr. Whiteman moved west with his family when he was 7 years old and spent his early childhood in Colorado and Nebraska, where his father farmed land for corn and wheat. In September, 1900, he entered the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where he played right half on the football team and developed such an interest in the game it is still his favorite spectator sport. Terminating his college career in 1901, he went to work for G.A. Cramer Co., a wholesale art store in Lincoln.
    When the firm's business changed from quick turnover items like picture frames, art supplies and easels to larger, more costly and slower selling objects like pianos and furniture, Mr. Whiteman moved on to Hayden, Colorado, in January, 1906.
    His first contact with the grocery business came in April, 1908, when he went to work for J.W. Hugus & Co., a general mercantile store in Hayden. But he went from peddling groceries to peddling stamps in April, 1909, when he was nominated postmaster at Hayden. He was reappointed postmaster in 1911. After a change in administration terminated his postal career, Mr. Whiteman returned to the business field and in 1915 went into partnership and bought the Hayden Drug Store.
    Two years later he added to his holdings by buying two other drug stores, one at Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and the other at Craig, Colorado. He operated the three stores until 1921, when he sold the Steamboat Springs store. By January, 1923, he had disposed of his interest in the other stores, and July of that same year found him in California.
    Looking for work, he found employment on September 1, 1923, with the Baldwin Park Department Store. When death took the owner, Mr. J. Foto, his widow named Mr. Whiteman superintendent of the entire store. This store held membership in the recently organized co-operative called Certified Grocers. In January, 1926, Mr. Whiteman was elected to Certified's board of directors. He exhibited such leadership as a director that the board named him general manager on August 1, 1926.
    From then on the story of Clayton Whiteman is the history of Certified Grocers of California. In addition to an integrity of thought and action which has been described by Certified's Chairman of the Board, Henry Carty, as "super-honesty," he administered his post with impartiality, sound business practices, and an enlighted employee relations program.
    Mr. Whiteman remained as general manager of Certified until late in 1945 when ill health forced him to relinquish active leadership of the organization. The value of his experience and his discerning counsel still were made available to the company, however, by his immediate elevation to the less trying position of president, an office which he held until January, 1951. Since that time he has remained as a member of the Board of Directors with the title of Honorary Chairman of the Board and Advisor to the Directors.
    Mr. Whiteman's influence has been felt as well in the industrial development of Los Angeles. He served for several years on the Board of Directors of both the L.A. Chamber of Commerce and Merchants and Manufacturers Association.
    Emerson once said: "An institution is but the lengthened shadow of one man." If this is so, then Certified's success is a lasting tribute to the policies and personality of Clayton Whiteman." (1)
    1) Arlene Whiteman

    More About Clayton Whiteman:
    Fact 5: Businessman.1

    More About Clayton Whiteman and Augusta Olivia Wheeler:
    Marriage: September 19, 1907, Denver, Colorado.1

    Children of Clayton Whiteman and Augusta Olivia Wheeler are: i.+Lowell Wheeler Whiteman, b. February 07, 1918, Hayden, Routt County, Colorado1, d. May 12, 2001, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona1.

    http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/o/p/John-E-Hope-CA/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0011.html