Jon K. Tabor, chairman emeritus of Allied Mineral Products, is retiring effective March 31, 2020. He celebrates 50 years with Allied on February 16.
In 1955, Tabor began a 65-year career in the refractories industry working for Norton Company (Saint Gobain), in Worcester, Massachusetts. He joined Allied as sales manager in 1970, when Allied was a small and relatively unknown refractory company. At that time, Tabor was the only salesman.
Tabor’s vision helped transform Allied from a two-man partnership into a multi-national corporation with nearly 1,000 employees in 25 countries, and manufacturing facilities in eight countries and four U.S. states. His Allied career included stints as sales manager, vice president of sales, president, CEO, chairman, and most recently chairman emeritus.
Tabor led the transformation of Allied to an employee-owned (ESOP) company in 1986 and employee ownership continues to be the cornerstone of Allied’s success.
Determined to expand Allied overseas, Tabor started a joint venture in South Africa in 1997, a wholly owned affiliate today. In 1998, he led Allied into China while others hesitated. Allied’s overseas manufacturing presence continued into The Netherlands in (2005), India (2012), Brazil (2012), Chile (2015), and Russia (2017). Under his leadership, many of these locations have expanded — some more than once.
Tabor’s passion for smart growth included domestic acquisitions of Matrix Refractories (1991/1997), Chicago Fire Brick (2002), Pryor Giggey Company (2017), and Riverside Refractories (2017).
Throughout his career and leadership, Tabor was relentless in his pursuit of success for Allied. His energy and passion for customers and employees showed in everything he did to make Allied successful.
Tabor attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy for two years; served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves; graduated from Alfred University (1955), Alfred, New York; and earned an MBA from Northeastern University (1962), Boston, Massachusetts.
Tabor served on the Board of Trustees of Alfred University, was chairman of The Refractories Institute, and chairman of Allied’s affiliates in China, South Africa, and The Netherlands. He was honored with the Tredennick Award from The Refractories Institute, The Alfred University Distinguished Service Award, The Alfred University Founders Society Honor, The Ohio Exporter of the Year (1985), and the Ceramic Industry Refractory Man of the Year Award (2006).
Tabor remains on Allied’s Board of Directors.
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