Transition going smoothly

GENEVA — The transition in ownership for a long-time local manufacturer has gone smoothly.
And Terrell Vieth, the new president of Geneva Manufacturing Corp., gives all credit for that to former owner Larry Miller and the company’s loyal and hard-working employees.
Vieth, an Adams County native who spent 15 years in the world of corporate banking, smiles as he describes the past few months since the transfer was completed in late August.
Miller, whose son Scott Miller remains as general manager of the firm that manufactures hardware and decorative fixtures for the casket industry, approached the process of selling the business more like a job interview, says Vieth.
And although Larry Miller, a rural Bryant resident, now has more time to enjoy doing the things he loves, he is still available “24-7” to answer questions posed by the new owner.
“He’s more of a consultant,” Vieth says of Larry Miller, who had been with Geneva Manufacturing for 50 years and owner for 20-plus years. “He is definitely available to help out … 24-7 as far as questions and concerns. That kind of experience, you can’t buy it. His experience is priceless. You can pick up the phone and ask him anything … he knows exactly what’s going on.”
Larry Miller was on a hunting trip and not available for an interview.
“It’s been a very good experience. The people here and the contacts Larry has …  there’s just great relationships. That has helped out significantly,” Vieth says.
And Vieth says the same about the company’s 17 full-time workers, who have been on the job an average of 15 years.
“I can’t say enough about the people we have. We’re all in this together. Everyone wants to do what they can to make us successful … our employees are outstanding,” he says. “We have very low turnover, which has helped ease some of the stress (of running a manufacturing operation for the first time).”
A 1992 graduate of Bellmont High School in Decatur, Vieth holds masters and bachelors degrees in finance from Ball State University. He and his wife, who have boys ages 13 and nine, live in Ossian in northern Wells County.
Vieth, who spent most of his banking career in Fort Wayne, says he had been looking for a business opportunity for the past three years and aggressively looking for the past year. Vieth didn’t have a specific sector of manufacturing in mind, but wanted to remain in northeast Indiana.
He learned of Geneva Manufacturing through a broker, and began a process that became left him feeling more like a job candidate than a prospective buyer.
“He almost interviewed me to run the business. He wants to continue to see it succeed,” Vieth says of Miller. “A lot of companies, they’re not selling for the right reasons … at the end of the day, you want to find a (selling) motive, and Larry’s got a pretty good one. He’s been in this for 50 years. (Miller) was interviewing me to make sure I had the same long-term goals as he would if he was going to stay. This is his baby.”
The company, founded in the early 1950s, is located a stone’s throw west of U.S. 27 on the south side of town, but may go unnoticed by those who drive through even on a regular basis. The company has approximately 40,000-square feet of manufacturing space, and additional room in a large warehouse facility behind the plant.
Although the company’s employment level remains relatively constant, Vieth says the business of casket components is surprisingly seasonal.
And while business has not suffered to the same extent as others during the economic turmoil over the past four years, Vieth says that many customers are choosing lower-cost options when making final arrangements for loved ones.
Indiana, long a worldwide leader in the casket industry, still holds that position. Astral Corp., located on U.S. 27 just north of Lynn, is a major player, with many other companies in east central and southeast Indiana — especially in and around Batesville — also contributing.
The majority of Geneva Manufacturing’s customers are located in the U.S., although it does supply some parts to the international market.[[In-content Ad]]