Consumer >> CEO Interviews >> December 1, 1998
Entrepreneur THOMAS W. ITIN, Chairman since 1988 and President and CEO
since 1993 of Williams Controls, Inc. (and subsidiaries), originally
acquired the company from Dana. Currently also Chairman and CEO of Ajay
Sports, Inc. since 1993, Mr. Itin acquired Ajay from Fuqua in 1988 for
Roadmaster, a company of which he was co-founder and served on the Board
of Directors 1987-1993. Involved many years in private and public
ventures, Mr. Itin founded TWI International, Inc. in 1968. Work
included import and export, insurance, consulting. To offer full
services, he maintains licenses in insurance, real estate and business
brokerage. Other ventures include Colorado ridge Corporation, Itin Oil
Co., Dearborn Wheels, SteelTree Group, Lilliendahl Corp., Acrodyne
Corporation, CompuSonics video Corporation, First Equity Corporation,
LBO Capital Corp. ' Chairman since 1987. Mr. Itin graduated from Cornell
U. in 1957, BS-ILR. In 1959, he earned an MBA at NYU's Stern School at
night while embarking upon a business career at Mobil Oil Corp.
headquarters in New York. Postgraduate studies for a Ph.D. in finance
were interrupted when he accepted a transfer to Tripoli, Libya with
Mobil Oil of Canada, Ltd. After five years with Mobil, he left corporate
like to pursue private ventures in insurance, brokerage, sales and real
estate. Special interests include Cornell Council, Cornell Tradition
Fellowships, Cornell Clubs of Michigan and New York, Princeton/NYU Club
of New York, Union League Club of Chicago, Orchard Lake Country Club.
Involved in junior alpine ski racing programs, he was co-founder of Ski
Racing Patrons, Inc. of Michigan whose goals included improving
coaching, training and USSA event participation. From 1975-1976, Mr.
Itin served as Councilman for the City of Orchard Lake Village, where he
has lived since 1964. Born in Mt. Holly, Ohio in 1934, son of Robert B.
Sr. and Carrie Crouch Itin, he married Shirley Besemer in 1955 and the
couple have two children and four grandchildren. Profile
company just so our readers understand what Ajay Sports is all about?
Mr. Itin: We're a 50-year-old company that's been in
