OMC

The Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC) produced the Evinrude, Johnson, and Gale lines of outboard motors as well as a line of fiberglass boats, boat trailers, and sterndrives. The company was formed from the merger of Ole Evinrude's second outboard motor venture, the ELTO Outboard Motor Company, with the Lockwood-Ash Motor Company and the Evinrude Motors, then owned by Briggs and Stratton. The Johnson Motor Company was purchased and added to the line in 1935. In 1956, OMC bought Industrial Engineering Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. At the time, this was the largest chainsaw producer in Canada. This added a "Pioneer" Chainsaw product line for OMC. Production was shifted in 1958 to Peterborough, Ontario.

With manufacturing facilities in Galesburg and Waukegan, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Peterborough, Ontario, OMC produced a wide variety of consumer products sold worldwide. These ranged from the well-known outboard boat motors, but also Pioneer chainsaws, Lawn-Boy lawnmowers, and even snowmobiles. For a time, they even owned Cushman Motor Works.

In January 1960, OMC formed the Outboard Marine Engine and Equipment Division in Waukegan to handle sales, marketing and service of OMC's lawn, garden and farm equipment divisions. It also was in charge of selling OMC's motors to equipment manufacturers. Frank S. Fenton, formerly sales manager for Gale Products, had moved to head the Pioneer Chainsaws Division and OMC's Midland Co. lawnmower and estate equipment subsidiary (January 26, 1960 Galesburg Register-Mail).

On January 20, 1961, Stephen F. Briggs was re-elected as chairman of the board with newly elected vice chairman Ralph Evinrude, also chairman of the executive committee. Joseph P. Rayniak retired as vice-chairman and planned to retire from the position of manufacturing research director, but would continue as director and member of the executive committee. His son, Joseph L. Rayniak was executive vice-president; William C. Scott president and general manager. Other vice-presidents included W.J. Webb (manager of Evinrude), E.W. Kreager (Johnson), and H.L. Bourdon (Gale), H.F. Larson (sales/marketing) (January 21, 1961 New York Times).

1957 Information