Bernard D. Rubin
Encyclopedia
Bernard D. Rubin was president and chief executive officer of Sweets Company of America, makers of the famous Tootsie Rolls, from 1936 to his death in July 1948.
Rubin was born in Manhattan
's Lower East Side
in 1893, the second of seven children. He attended public school in Brooklyn but left before completing high school to join his father's paper-box manufacturing business. In 1917-19 he served in the American Expeditionary Force
in France.
Until 1935 he worked alongside his younger brother, William, in their father's business. When the Rubins learned that Sweets Co., one of their major customers, was in serious difficulty, they became interested in acquiring control of the company. The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange
, but Bernard Rubin acquired a list of shareholders and approached them in person in order to purchase their shares. The Rubins eventually achieved control and agreed that Bernard would run the company as president.
He changed the formula for Tootsie Rolls and increased its size. He moved the manufacturing plant from West 45th Street in Manhattan to Hoboken, New Jersey
in 1938.
He guided the company successfully through the war years, despite increasing difficulties in accessing the necessary raw materials. Not only did the company survive this critical period, but at his death its volume had increased from about $1,000,000 in 1935 to more than $12,000,000 in 1947.
Rubin was born in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
in 1893, the second of seven children. He attended public school in Brooklyn but left before completing high school to join his father's paper-box manufacturing business. In 1917-19 he served in the American Expeditionary Force
American Expeditionary Force
The American Expeditionary Forces or AEF were the United States Armed Forces sent to Europe in World War I. During the United States campaigns in World War I the AEF fought in France alongside British and French allied forces in the last year of the war, against Imperial German forces...
in France.
Until 1935 he worked alongside his younger brother, William, in their father's business. When the Rubins learned that Sweets Co., one of their major customers, was in serious difficulty, they became interested in acquiring control of the company. The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
, but Bernard Rubin acquired a list of shareholders and approached them in person in order to purchase their shares. The Rubins eventually achieved control and agreed that Bernard would run the company as president.
He changed the formula for Tootsie Rolls and increased its size. He moved the manufacturing plant from West 45th Street in Manhattan to Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
in 1938.
He guided the company successfully through the war years, despite increasing difficulties in accessing the necessary raw materials. Not only did the company survive this critical period, but at his death its volume had increased from about $1,000,000 in 1935 to more than $12,000,000 in 1947.