G.A. Bentley, the pied piper of industry

BY EDDIE WALKER

G.A. Bentley is a name that would not be familiar with many people in Cocke County today. Yet, his work here has had lasting effects for many families. As an industrial recruiter in the 1950s and 1960s, he helped to bring industry here and in so doing greatly improved the economy of Cocke County and lifestyles of its citizens. He was so adept at doing this that one community dubbed him “the pied piper of industry,” as he had a way of convincing industries to follow where he led.

He was George Allen Bentley and was born in Coatesville, Chester Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, on March 2, 1890.

Chester County, which is near Philadelphia, has been called “the land of iron and steel,” because of its number of such industries through the years. Lukens Steel Company began in 1810 in Coatesville and is still in operation. The steel industry was the founda- tion for Bentley’s work ethic. His father was the superintendent of The Century Company, and G.A.’s first job was at Lukens Steel. In 1920 he was manager of an automobile works there. Mr. Bentley told that left work in a rubber plant in Ohio to begin as an industrial recruiter in 1928.

Eventually he developed what was called the “Bentley System” which acted as a “go-between” for communities who were seeking industry and industries that were looking for new locations. It was his job to see that each “got the most for the money.” In the Breese (Illinois) Journal, Dec. 2, 1937, his mode of operation was explained: “He makes a survey of a community, learns of its facilities, including power, water, schools, churches, streets, mail service, finances and everything that might be of interest to an industrial organization if it is seeking a new location for its factory. His report on what he found in Breese was most favorable, stating the only thing we lacked was natural gas. He commented very highly on our low tax rate and the fact that our city was out of debt. He asked for the number of people between the ages of 18 and 50 living in Breese who are wanting work in a factory … “

This was how it was done for any location where he was engaged. In 1935, he was in Long Beach, New York, in 1938 St. Louis and in 1940 he was located in Chicago. One report said that when he was before the leaders of a community, he spoke “with the air of an evangelist” which “instilled excitement and then enthusiasm in the men attending.”

Over the years, he amassed a tremendous network of contacts, both of communities and industries, and seemingly keeping all of this in his head, whenever a need arose, he could retrieve it to make the necessary contacts, usually starting at the top with the heads. Some of the places Bentley assisted, in varying degrees, included Kirksville, Missouri, Breese, Spencerville, Ohio, Versailles, Kentucky, Groton, Vermont, Falls City, Nebraska, Seymour, Indiana, Mt. Carmel, Illinois, Casper, Wyoming, Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, Sikeston, Missour and Smyrna, Delaware.

It was while Mr. Bentley was living in Chicago that he was severely injured when he was struck by a car. He recovered, though badly stooped and walking with the aid of two canes. He chose to use canes because “who would pay attention to an industry locator who walked into an office on crutches?”

He was unable to drive car afterward, but his vast knowledge of industrial recruiting was not harmed and his career continued.

In 1946, he left Chicago and went to Newport News, Virginia, as industrial commissioner for the Peninsula Industrial Committee which comprised all of Virginia’s Lower Peninsula. On Jan. 1, 1951, he began a similar job for the Beckley, West Virginia, Chamber of Commerce where he was until December 1952. On Jan.

1, 1953 he began work in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and was there a year when he moved to Middlesboro, Kentucky. This begins his connection with Newport and Cocke County.

Following World War ll, Americans had a new vision as to the role that industry could play in a community. Through the cooperation, modifications and labor force, America’s industries had played a vital role in winning the war. Many communities were interested in the development that new industry could bring. Such was a vision in Cocke County. At that time, the major industries here were Rhyne Lumber Company, Stokely-Van Camp and

Unaka Tannery, along with some smaller operations and American Enka in Hamblen County. There previously had been a Chamber of Commerce but it was defunct. In 1951 it was revived with M.M. Bullard, a true visionary, as president. The new chamber also created an Industrial Development Committee with a purpose to stimulate industry here. Contacts were made but nothing substantial developed until the committee learned about G.A. Bentley in Middlesboro in 1954. Having only been there a short time, Bentley was ready to leave because he would not work where there were union issues.

James Franks, Burnett Shepherd and Luther Cooper went to Middlesboro to see if he would be interested in coming to Newport. He was, and he began his work here Jan. 1, 1955.

In the next 20 months, he made over 60 contacts with industries. Once he put the communities and industries in touch, it was up to the community to “sell” their location to the industry.

Within 90 days in 1956, three industries made plans to locate here: WallTube from Plymouth, Michigan, Heywood-Wakefield from Gardner, Massachusetts and National Cylinder Gas of Chicago.

Once here, the latter was known as Chemtron. Bentley was here until Oct. 1, 1956, when he moved to Erwin, Tennessee. When Mr. Bentley left Newport, Col. Bullard was quoted in the Erwin Record saying that Bentley had more than lived up to the expectations and the only reason for his leaving was that his contract has expired and his industrial program was ahead of the city planning program. He was in Erwin until 1958 when he moved to Corbin, Kentucky. In May 1960, he returned to East Tennessee as industrial commissioner for Elizabethton and Carter County.

While Mr. Bentley was here, Col. Bullard also worked with him to bring industries and civic improvements to the county, continuing during the times Mr. Bentley wasn’t here.

Mr. Bentley returned here in 1963, starting on Sept. 1 as industrial recruiter for both Cocke and Jefferson Counties. During this time, his work brought three more industries here: Vernco from Columbia, Indiana, Electro-Voice from Buchanan, Michigan and Sonoco from Hartsville, South Carolina.

An article in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Aug. 13, 1967, said Bentley “seems to attract industries like sugar draws ants.” At that point, Bentley said in his 39 years in that field, he had relocated 329 industries. In that interview,

Bentley was asked what Newport had that other East Tennessee communities didn’t have when it came to attracting industry. He mentioned that it was an “open shop” town, there was labor peace and a wage scale far under what is found in northern and midwestern cities. He also pointed out that Newport was on I-40, existing industries here are expanding, a sewer system is extending, the high school has a new football stadium, NGS had made a $1 million addition, Smoky Mountain Golf Course has a new club house, Holiday Inn is about to open and other new motels are planned.

Bentley left Newport the second time in 1968 and was next in Pana, Illinois, until 1970 when he retired to Erwin. While doing recruiting work there in 1956, he met and married an Erwin lady, Mrs. Minnie Weaver in 1957. This was his third marriage. His first wife was Margaret Nolan, whom he married in 1927. She died in 1953. His second wife was Mrs. Margaret Durando, whom he married in 1955; that marriage was short-lived. When Mr. Bentley died Aug. 2, 1971, at the age of 81, this was said about him in an editorial in the Johnson City Press-Chronicle: “He was a pusher, a go-getter, a doer … Getting new industries was his specialty, and his talents in this field were almost uncanny … He could open doors that seemed closed. He could succeed where others failed. He seemed to know intuitively where to go and what to day … To arrive at what we owe this man, it would necessary to look into the lives of all the people who have jobs because of him.”

Many such people in Cocke County have been recipients because people like G.A. Bentley have made a difference.