MANSFIELD, Ohio – Two members of the Taylor family, local businessman Dick Taylor and his late son Jon Taylor, were honored for their contributions to the community at The Rehab Center on Wednesday with a special tribute and check presentation.
The Taylor family’s patriarch Dick Taylor was honored on Wednesday with a $100,000 donation from Medical Mutual to Progress Industries, in honor of Dick Taylor and in recognition of his invaluable contributions to The Rehab Center and to Progress Industries.
Jared Chaney, Executive Vice President of Medical Mutual of Ohio, explained the donation amount was inspired by Dick himself – $1,000 for almost every year of Dick’s life; he will celebrate his 100th birthday next year.
“We really want to recognize people who aren’t looking for it, and I understand Dick is a reluctant recipient of this kind of recognition and yet isn’t that where all the best work gets done, by people who are doing it for the right reason,” said Chaney.
Dick Taylor has been instrumental in Mansfield’s manufacturing industry over the years. Chan Stevens, a Catalyst Life Services board member and close friend of Dick’s, shared a number of stories about his friend in the 50 to 60 years since he’s known him.
“One time he had an operation a few years ago, and he was supposed to spend a couple days in the hospital,” Stevens recalled. “They got him back to his room and checked him out and everything was fine, they went back to check on him a few hours later and no Dick. Dick was back at work.”
As an “old school” entrepreneur, work is a place Dick Taylor has always been happy to be, said Stevens. Dick Taylor started his manufacturing career with the purchase of Taylor Metal in the height of the Depression.
“Dick is a different kind of industrialist,” said Stevens. “He did not have a corner office, Dick was the one who worked on the floor, knew the people and knew the manufacturing process. He did not keep a fancy building, his lobby at Taylor Metal consisted of two chairs, a picture on the wall of Dick and his sons, a few Red Cross plaques and a bullet hole in the lobby door that Dick never replaced.”
Stevens said Dick Taylor has always been involved in community endeavors involving youth and the town itself – and noted he can easily be bribed with apple pie.
“We now have the Energizer Bunny at the end of 100 years, and we’ll ask [Medical Mutual] to come back in a few years to see what else Dick has done, because at the rate he’s going he’s still going to be going,” said Stevens with a laugh. “He’s the oldest person in Richland County working in business; he’s probably one of the oldest people living and working in the state.”
Progress Industries holds a special place in the Taylor family’s heart as the employment place of their son and brother, the late Jon Taylor. Jon Taylor was an employee of the vocational workshop at Progress Industries for more than 30 years, rarely missing a day of work. He took great pride in his favorite job, assembling Sterno stoves.
“Jon was a member of the Dream Team of the 2009 Capital Campaign for The Rehab Center,” said Stevens. “Jon rode through the neighborhood on his three-wheel bike and raised more than $300,000 – he was a worker. He was probably the largest single contributor to the fund drive.”
“Jon loved Progress Industries, he looked forward to coming to work every day,” said Jon’s brother, Rick Taylor. “He loved this and he loved Raemelton Therapeutic. And he loved the outdoors.”
In memory of Jon Taylor and his spirit, courage and accomplishments with Progress Industries, the Taylor family donated a bust of Jon to Progress Industries. The bust will be placed in the walkway between The Rehab Center and Progress Industries.
As an additional recognition of Jon Taylor, Dick Taylor and the Taylor Family, the Board of Directors of Catalyst Life Services have voted to name the Progress Industries building after the Taylor family. Such an honor was described by Dick Taylor with one word: Unbelievable.
“It was 100 percent unbelievable, such a wonderful thing,” said Dick Taylor. “I didn’t in any way think it was going to be like what they had today. Everything is beautiful, I was really surprised and appreciative.”
Appreciative was the emotion most felt by the Taylor family after all the honors bestowed upon them Wednesday.
“When Chan called me to tell me about this gift from Medical Mutual, I was really shocked and surprised at their generosity to honor dad,” said Rick Taylor. “And it was a wonderful way to honor Jon; we had talked about putting the bust of Jon and didn’t know when and where to do it. This event turned out to be the perfect time.”
“As a lot of these people say, Jon was one in a million,” said Dick Taylor.
