Frederick C. Crawford

Frederick Coolidge Crawford (March 19, 1891 - December 9, 1994) was an American industrialist and philanthropist. He was also the president of Thompson Products, Inc. and a major promoter of the National Air Races in Cleveland.

Crawford was born in Watertown, Massachusetts and went to Harvard College graduating magna cum laude for his B.A., and in 1916, earned his Masters of Engineering. Soon after he moved to Cleveland, Ohio where he worked as a millwrights assistant. During World War II, Thompson Products and Crawford did their patriotic duty by manufacturing auto and aviation components critical to the allied war effort. In 1993 he was elected to the National Aviation Hall of Fame. He had previously been elected to the Business Hall of Fame and the Automotive Hall of Fame. [ Storyettes ]

He was recognized worldwide for his leadership in the automotive and aviation industries as a pioneer in the human relations field, and a leader in the philanthropic community in Cleveland, Ohio. As head of Thompson Products for more than 25 years, Crawford oversaw the company's transformation from an automotive and aircraft parts manufacturer to a leader in the aviation and aerospace industries. [Frederick C. Crawford Family Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society.]

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