Tolco Corporation Founder William Ernest Spengler, Bill, passed away peacefully on August 30, 2011. Upon his passing, the family released the following statement:

Bill was born on July 27, 1920 in Toledo, Ohio to Ruth and Otto Spengler. He graduated in 1942 from Purdue University with a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and served as a Lieutenant Commander on the U.S.S. Bang, a submarine that participated in numerous war patrols in the South China Sea during World War II.

Bill and Ruth Virginia Sperry were married on September 13, 1947. They raised four children, William, Susan, Peggy, and Amy. They were the proud grandparents of 8 grandchildren, Molly, John, William, Betsy, Caroline, Patrick, Michael, and Jack.

Bill founded Tolco Corporation on January 11, 1961 after a successful career at National Labs. Tolco had humble beginnings and because of his visionary leadership and steadfast dedication to quality, Tolco soon became the leader in Trigger sprayers and pumps for the janitorial industry. Through his partnerships with long time associates around the world, Bill was able to lead Tolco and expand its market presence at an unprecedented rate.

Bill was a private man, but his friends and employees knew he had a heart of gold. Tolco was an extension of his family and he treated them as such. Perhaps that is why numerous employees at Tolco have been with the company for over 20 years. Many have never known another employer.

Bill remained at the helm until 2008 when he handed the day-to-day operations over to his son, William J., and his son-in-law, George Notarianni. In January of 2011, William J. stepped down as CEO and George assumed the role of President and CEO.

Tolco was started as a family business where every order shipped FOB, “From Our Basement”. Today it remains a family business with two generations actively involved in the day to day business. Tolco and the Spengler family look forward to many more successful years as a family owned business.

We thank all of you for your kind words in consoling us with our loss. Our dedication to his legacy is to continue to lead Tolco as a family business for generations to come.