Happy 90th Birthday Beekley! In 1934 this great small company started its mission to improve the lives of its customers, their patients, and guests and hasn’t slowed down since.
Founded as The West Hartford Printing and Lithographic Company by F. Cheney Beekley, Beekley Corporation is now a world-leading supplier of niche medical and hospitality products.
From the start, F. Cheney Beekley realized the key to success was through specialization and he became the only printer in the Greater Hartford area to wholly supply business forms. This specialization led to the development of new processes and equipment that enabled the business to improve production and cut expenses. This small printing company not only survived through the latter half of the great depression and the second world war but began international distribution soon after the war ended.
Finding a niche in healthcare
Eventually son W. Mason Beekley took over as the leadership role and under his watchful eye the company underwent another period of growth and transformation in the early 1960s. Sensing an opportunity to fulfill an unspoken need for specialized paper products in its hospital market, Beekley, operating under the name Beekley Hospital Systems, became the leading manufacturer of hospital charting sheets. These sheets helped protect against financial loss, improve data presentations, and just like the products we sell today, they also helped save time.
With the advent of the information age and the eventual demise of paper-based systems, Beekley began to look at new opportunities within healthcare and other potential new markets in the 1980s.
From charting sheets to disposable medical devices
In 1984, under the new name of Beekley Corporation, X-SPOT®, the first ever professional skin marker for diagnostic imaging was introduced. Used to replace makeshift methods for communicating an area of concern on film, X-SPOT quickly became a staple in radiology departments across the country.
The success of X-SPOT led Beekley to develop additional modality-specific skin markers for radiological imaging and radiation therapy. This division, now operating under
Beekley Medical®, is devoted to developing simple, low cost, disposable medical product that help improve communication, productivity and patient care. Since then, under the guidance of President and CEO, Ayn S. LaPlant, Beekley Medical has introduced a multitude of new products across a wide range of modalities that fulfill a need in our industry and that make a difference in people's lives.
A belief in corporate citizenship
Over the last ninety years Beekley Corporation has established itself in both the eyes of it’s external and internal customers as a great small company not only by the products it develops and sells, but also for its continued dedication to giving back to the communities it serves.
In addition to corporate sponsorships of several educational programs, conferences, and advocacy groups for our imaging community, Beekley donates a portion of its proceeds to local and national organizations that fund research, awareness, early detection, and treatment programs in the fight against cancer.
On a more local level, ARC Angel™, the associate-run fundraising arm of the Beekley Family Foundation, holds two major fundraiser events each year, the Arc Angel Golf Tournament and Designer Handbag Bingo® with all proceeds going towards the Beekley Center for Breast Health and Wellness as well as other breast health initiatives. Combined these events have donated over $700,000!
Investing in people the key to longevity and success
According to Maureen Gallo, Executive Vice President, "There aren’t many family owned businesses that can claim 90 years in business. Not just in business but in a growing and thriving business where we have reinvented ourselves a few times and have found a success formula that works: Put your people first and they will take good care of your customers, success will follow, invest in continuous learning and improvement, and work hard and play hard as a team."
That said, it isn’t unusual to find Beekley employees engaged in some type of activity whether it be a themed holiday day with treats, games, and raffles, a mid-year luncheon, award ceremony, or participating in a continuous learning session. Employees have acknowledged how much they appreciate the company's belief in them and helping them grow in their career as well as their personal lives.
Martha Flannery, Vice President of Sales and Marketing sums it up best, "It is such an honor to be an associate at a company celebrating 90 years in business. A company that can thrive through decades of change speaks to our strong vision, our ability to innovate, and our amazingly talented team that lives by a strong set of core values. We have expanded and broadened our product offering over the years in order to change with the times and reinvent ourselves to ensure the future success of the company and to provide a great place to work for our incredible team."
Megan Sargalski
Marketing Communications Specialist
