MANSFIELD — Jerry Miller finds a new piece of Ohio manufacturing history nearly every day.
The president of the North Central Ohio Industrial Museum has curated a collection of artifacts including stoves, bicycles, entryways, time clocks and newspaper clippings on display in the Ohio State Reformatory.
The museum, located between the cell blocks in the Ohio State Reformatory at 100 Reformatory Road, also features a hall of fame of north central Ohio manufacturers.
The “Champions of Industry” exhibit inducted more than 20 people on Thursday night to a sold-out crowd.
Miller chooses the inductees each year based on their contributions to Mansfield manufacturing and industry history.
“Some of our history-makers are getting older, and I want everyone to have the chance to recognize them,” Miller said. “And this region is so rich with manufacturing history that I’m realizing some people we haven’t inducted yet.”
Students from The Ohio State University at Mansfield and North Central State College who are interested in manufacturing attended the ceremony on Thursday.
“I’m looking forward to students finding these role models and learning about all the different paths they can take in manufacturing,” Miller said.
The inductees of 2023 include four individuals and five families listed below.
- Angela Phillips of Phillips Tube Group
- Paki Goyal of Ohio Brass and Goyal Industries
- Jim Snyder of Hi-Lo Trailers
Posthumously:
- Don Snyder of Tappan Stove Company and Snyder/ Hi-Lo Trailers
- Rudolph(1873-1948), Frank(1877-1954), Lewis(1910-1960) & Albert (1915-2002) Hartman of Hartman Circuit Board/ Electric Company (now TE Connectivity)
- Henry Huggins(1857-1936) & Henry Bostwick(1895-1979) Sanford of New Method Stove Company
- John(1909-1990), Buss(1913-1961) & Hod(1915-1996) Bolesky, and Dutch(1901-1974) & Jim R(1929-2015) Germany of Mansfield Electric Controls/ Therm-O-Disc
- Thomas J(1871-1918), William H(1873-1960), Albert I(1880-1959), Samuel(1883-1972), John Jr(1885-1931), Harold(1887-1950), Frank A(1888-1968) & James G(1891-1945) Davey of Mansfield Sheet & Tin Plate Company (now Cleveland Cliffs)
- William J(1860-1936), Paul(1887-1978), Alan(1894-1972) & Dick(1914-2007) Tappan of Eclipse/ Tappan Stove Company
Each inductee received a personalized cutting board from Miller Fabricating and Welding. Descendants or business partners accepted the awards for posthumously inducted family members.
The hall of fame will include a display where Industrial Museum visitors can watch DRM Productions videos profiling each inductee.
Paki Goyal & Angela Phillips thank family and community
Jay Goyal, Paki Goyal’s son and current president of Goyal Industries, said his dad still contributes to the business each day.
“If you ask him, he’ll tell you he’s part-time,” Goyal said. “But this is a man who was easily working 100-hour weeks when he started the company, and I think that’s one of the things that made him successful.”
Paki Goyal reflected on his journey from working at Ohio Brass to starting his own company, thanking his family and friends.
“There were many people who helped us tremendously in terms of support and advice,” he said. “I’m thankful for all of them, and I couldn’t have done it without my wife, Kiran.”
Angela Phillips, CEO of Phillips Tube Group, joined the Hall of Fame 15 years after her father Ralph Phillips was inducted.
Angela grew up around manufacturing and has led PTG since her father’s death in 2009.
“We’re now 250 employees strong,” she said. “It’s difficult as CEO to not know people’s names when you’re walking on the floor, but I try my best to remember who they are and keep them a part of our success.”
Phillips is also highlighted in the Women’s Manufacturing Hall of Fame with Gayle Gorman Green.
“Growing up, I saw a lot of women answering phones, filing and assisting in the business, but I didn’t see that as a career path that I wanted to take,” Phillips said.
“There were a lot of challenges just being a woman in the manufacturing industry when I became part of the business. Part of my role is to show young women that the sky’s the limit — if you’re passionate, there’s a place for you in manufacturing.”

Museum free to visit with Reformatory admission
The North Central Ohio Industrial Museum is located between the cell blocks in the Ohio State Reformatory at 100 Reformatory Road. It is closed for Blood Prison and other Reformatory special events.
Hours from November 15 to March 31 are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday–Sunday. It is open 7 days a week from April 1 to Sept. 1.
Visitors are welcome to donate to the museum in-person or online at ncoim.wordpress.com.
Videos of previous inductees to the Champions of Industry Hall of Fame can be viewed on Rumble or YouTube.