Contents
1
Letter from Harold Leviton:
HL reflects on the transformation of his father’s small
manufacturing business into an industry giant.
Letter from Donald Hendler:
Don looks back on a young America filled with hope and
possibilities for the innovative entrepreneurs of the early 19th century.
Today continuous innovation holds the key to Leviton’s future.
The First 100 Years:
2
8
10
12
Arriving from Russia with
little more than a dream, Evser and Isidor Leviton start up a small
tinsmithing business that 100 years later reigns as the
industry leader.
IL: “I’m not glamorous. I have no hobbies. I like to
work, that’s all,” said the man with the vision who
started it all.
HL: For more than 40 years he’s presided at
Leviton’s helm as one of the foremost icons in
the electrical industry.
The Mechanics of Serving
the Marketplace: Through a mix of strategic
business units and affiliated companies, Leviton is positioned to
meet the needs of an ever-changing market.
15 Strategic Marketing: It’s more than a mantra, it’s a mission.
16 Leading the Industry: A sector-by-sector approach to
offering it all.
17
22
Generosity and
Compassion: They’re part
of Leviton’s rich heritage.
20
Passing the
Ultimate Test: Enter the
Leviton test lab and you enter a world
of exacting standards.
Name that Product: You’ll find them in homes, businesses, work sites and plants around the
country and the world. How many can you identify?
24
Faces from the Past: Down through the ages, a sense of family has been the lifeblood of
Leviton’s corporate culture.
26
A Great Company Celebrates Great People: Join in the celebration.
A Message from Our Chief Executive Officer
It is with great pleasure that I celebrate the milestone of Leviton’s centennial
anniversary with you. As valued employees of the Leviton Manufacturing Company
and members of the Leviton “family,” I invite you to commemorate this auspicious
event and participate with us in a retrospective of our shared history.
Over the years I have seen the small company my father started in Manhattan in
1906 evolve into an international giant with operations throughout the United
States, Canada, Mexico and China. Our product and service offerings have grown
significantly over the years as we expanded our wiring device and wire and cable
businesses and added new offerings such as lighting controls, voice and data and
structured cabling products.
So much has changed since Leviton first opened its doors for business, and yet
some things have stayed the same. Our core values, our dedication to quality, service, and putting people first are every bit as important today as they were when my
father first started the business a century ago.
We remain committed to providing all Leviton employees with a workplace that
encourages equality of opportunity and offers a corporate culture that inspires your
personal and professional development. You have paid us back many times over with
your loyalty, creativity, dedication and hard work. Together, we have grown into the
largest family-owned and operated wiring device company in North America.
As we build on our past success and shape our dynamic future, we look to you to continue Leviton’s legacy of innovation in a
rapidly changing industry.
Harold Leviton
CEO and Chairman of the Board
Leviton Manufacturing Company
A Message from Our President
The Leviton Manufacturing Company first opened its doors during a time of
seemingly unlimited possibilities in America. The Wright brothers had just conquered the air, Ransom Olds and Henry Ford were introducing Americans to the joys
of motoring, and Edison’s new tungsten-filament light bulb was making electrical
lighting practical.
One hundred years of incredible technological growth and change have followed.
As we proudly celebrate our centennial anniversary, we take special note of the
employees who have helped Leviton grow from a small startup company into North
America’s leading wiring device manufacturer.
Your talent, skills, and dedication have made our company a lasting and commanding presence in the electrical industry. We thank you for your hard work and
dedication. They have played a huge role in our success.
We’ve come a long way together. As Leviton enters its second century of business,
we pledge to lead the industry and seek out new opportunities for growth. Most of
all, we will strive to build on the company’s legacy of success, advance the careers of
our employees, and change our world for the better.
Donald J. Hendler
President
Leviton Manufacturing Company
Letters from HL and Don
• 1
Retrospective
A
Centur y of Success
The First 100 Years
Their dream came true on a scale
they could have never imagined. One
hundred years later, the Leviton
Manufacturing Company is North
America’s foremost wiring device manu-
mantle tips for the gas lighting industry.
By 1910, Isidor Leviton, or IL, as he
was to become universally known, could
see that the days of gaslight would soon
be eclipsed. The modern era of electricity had already begun.
facturer, a name synonymous around
the world with the finest electrical products for residential, commercial, and
industrial use. Few today would suspect
that Leviton had its origins making
mantle tips for gas lamps in an era
when much of New York City was lit by
the yellow glow of gaslight.
From the Gas Mantle to
the Pull Chain Socket
Recognizing this, IL shifted production from gas mantles to a single product: a pull-chain socket for light
bulbs. The company grew
steadily, moving from its
original location on
Delancey Street
Building a Bright Future
Isidor Leviton, founder
At the dawn of the electrical era, a
father and his son opened a small
tinsmithing business in lower
Manhattan. After working in New
York City since arriving from Russia
two years earlier, they both knew it
was time to strike out on their own.
This was, after all, America — the
land of opportunity — where millions
of immigrants arriving at its shores
had the chance to succeed, the chance
to attain the American Dream.
Like many big
businesses, Leviton
Leviton begins making
didn’t start big.
pull-chain lampholders,
designed for Edison’s
The company
new light bulbs.
was started in
1910
1906 by Evsor
and Isidor
Leviton,
1906
each inspired
Isidor Leviton
by a dream,
opens a small business
and the
in New York making gas
to larger
mantle tips.
vision, dediquarters in the
cation, comBowery and then again in
mitment and heart to see that dream
1912, around the time of Evser
realized. Together the father and son
Leviton’s retirement, to a factory in
team ran a modest business producing
Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Quotes from our family
My Dad and I both worked for Leviton and
we both considered it “Family.” The Levitons
have been there for me and my family
– professionally and personally – and mere
words cannot truly express my sincerest
appreciation. Happy 100th!
— John A. Dazzo
Former Engineer, Little Neck
Milestones in History
1. In 1906, the year Leviton was founded, what other major milestone in history
occurred?
1. The San Francisco earthquake
2. The US gains control of the Panama Canal
3. Henry Ford introduces the first Model T
4. The Mona Lisa was stolen from The
Louvre in Paris
2. In 1922, Leviton offered 568 products, acquired the TECCO plant and
relocated the company to Greenpoint, Brooklyn. What other groundbreaking
event transpired?
1. Mother Theresa is born
2. Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago
2 •
A Century of Success: The First 100 Years
3. Construction begins on Yankee Stadium
4. Treaty of Versailles is signed ending
World War I
Celebration
From gas lamps to
the electric age:
Leviton’s first pull
chain socket,
circa 1910.
buildings and skyscrapers being built
had some electrical wiring inside the
walls. Leviton supplied many of the
switches, outlets, sockets, and other
electrical parts for them. By the 1920s,
the Leviton product catalog offered
568 different wiring devices.
In the 1940s, Leviton continued on
the road to rapid expansion. The company manufactured parts for machinery
that helped to win World War II, even
making the bead-chain that secured
American GIs’ dog tags. After the war,
when new home production once again
exploded, Leviton was there, providing
A Stream of Strategic
Acquisitions
As demand for its products
and services increased,
Leviton began acquiring
other companies,
expanding production
and offering a wider
product mix. The
company’s series of
strategic
Purchases the
Deal Electric Company.
1950
1939
Leviton devices featured
at World’s Fair.
Leviton offers 568 products, acquires
the TECCO plant and relocates the
company to Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
1922
1937
Leviton devices are used in
the Empire State Building.
1932
Acquires
American
Insulated Wire
and becomes the
industry leader in
wire, cable and
cord products.
switches, receptacles and other devices
to meet the demands of America’s new
sprawling suburbs. By now most
American households and businesses
had Leviton devices in them.
Quotes from our family
1929
In 1949, my girlfriend and I were teenagers
looking for jobs. Who would have known I
would spend the next 40 years working for
this great company?
Acquires Meteor Electric Company,
a leading manufacturer
of wiring devices.
— Gloria Church
Former Supervisor, Packing Division
As the population in New York City
nearly doubled from three-and-a-half
million in 1900 to almost seven million
by 1930, the new homes, apartment
acquisitions of Meteor Electric,
American Insulated Wire, and Acorn
Wire and Cable also added a pool of
skilled employees to its work force.
3. Leviton acquired the Meteor Electric Co. in 1929, the same year that which of
the following occurred?
1. The Lindberg baby is kidnapped
2. Amelia Earhart flies from the US to Ireland
3. The Hindenburg bursts into flames over
Lakehurst, NJ
4. The stock market crashes
4. In 1950 Leviton purchased the Deal Electric Company. What else took place
that same year?
1. Eisenhower becomes President
2. Ian Fleming publishes his first
James Bond novel, Casino Royale
I developed a serious illness in 1990 and during my recovery, I was encouraged to continue
my work. With the comfort and knowledge that
my physical, medical and economic needs
were cared for, I was able to work from home
with the support of the Leviton management
team and Mr. Harold Leviton.
— Ron Essig
Former Vice President Product Management,
Little Neck
Leviton had a way of making everyone feel
they were part of the family. Leviton was the
best company I ever worked for.
— John A. Noble
Former Field Sales Manager, Western Region
3. The first color TV goes on sale
4. The Peanuts comic strip debuts
See answers on page 24
A Century of Success: The First 100 Years
• 3
Retrospective
The Second Half of the
20th Century
Harold Leviton, the second company President
and current CEO
In 1950 Leviton acquired Deal
Electric, a key competitor in the OEM
business, and in 1953 solidified its holdings in Canada through the purchase of
Hale Brothers Companies, which would
eventually become Leviton Canada.
Today it is the only company in Canada
to offer a complete range of electrical
and electronic products.
In the late 1950s, Leviton’s
Engineering department began broadening its OEM product offering with new
fluorescent lighting products as well as
electrical components for manufacturers of such appliances as
refrigerators and stoves.
researchers, engineers, and designers at
Leviton began trailblazing new products
for the industry.
In the late 1960s, the first reliable,
cost-effective, solid state devices reached
the marketplace, and Leviton seized the
opportunity by incorporating this new
technology in a number of key products.
These included lifesaving Ground Fault
Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) receptacles,
and the first line of touch dimmers, both
released by Leviton in 1972.
Harold Leviton
becomes President
and CEO.
1965
1953
Acquires
Hale Brothers
Companies,
now known as
Leviton Canada.
Leviton is among the first
manufacturers to
institute an employee
pension plan.
1960
1961
Leviton devices
are installed in the
White House.
Quotes from our family
The day I received a call from an adoption
agency that my husband and I would become
parents to a healthy baby boy, everyone was
so wonderful and supportive. While I was
away from work getting accustomed to being
a new mom, I received a letter at home from
Don Hendler in which he congratulated my
husband and me on our adoption and also
enclosed a poem he wrote. I have kept that
letter and his poem in a special memory
book for my son.
— AnnaMarie Amato
PR Assistant, Little Neck
I truly enjoyed my fifteen years with the
Leviton Company and have always taken a
great deal of pride in having been associated with the Leviton Family and the
company. The support and the "good
times" we had over the years bring back
many fond memories.
— Darrell Allen
Former Facilities Manager, Pico Rivera
New Leadership
In 1965, Harold Leviton (HL) succeeded his father Isidor as President and
CEO of the company. Under HL’s leadership, the exceptional team of
One year later, Leviton introduced
its groundbreaking Decora ® line of
designer-styled wiring devices, one of
the largest product offerings of its
type. Decora’s sleek, clean lines revolutionized the wiring device business
and became the benchmark for designer
styled devices. Today Decora products
Milestones in History
5. Leviton acquired Hale Brothers (now known as Leviton Canada) in 1953.
What else happened that year?
1. Jonas Salk announces the polio vaccine
2. Jay Leno was born
3. The Great Brinks robbery takes place
in Boston
4. The Korean War begins
6. In 1960 Leviton was among the first manufacturers to institute an employee
pension plan. What else occurred that year?
1. The red and white maple leaf design is
adopted as the flag of Canada
2. Bob Dylan goes electric
3. 3,500 US soldiers are sent to Vietnam
4. Barbie doll debuts
7. In 1961 Leviton devices are installed in the White House and…
1. Elvis Presley returns to US after 2 year
3. The FDA approves the sale of birth
absence in Germany
control pills
2. Alan Shepard is the first American in space 4. Fidel Castro becomes Premier of Cuba
4 •
A Century of Success: The First 100 Years
Celebration
continue to enhance the beauty of any
interior décor and provide the perfect
finishing touch for contemporary residential and commercial interiors.
A New HQ
With market opportunities increasing
and demand for products soaring, the
company moved to its current home
and corporate headquarters in
Little Neck, NY in 1975.
This move and the
continued
Entry into the
Telecommunications
Market
Seizing on the opportunity to capitalize on the growing telecommunications
market, in 1986 Leviton Telcom was
created. Based in Bothell,
Washington, the Telcom
Leviton’s
SmartLockPRO™
raises the bar
for electrical
safety.
1979
1972
Introduces the
first GFCI, the first
touch dimmer, and a
selection of home
automation powerline
carrier components.
Introduces Decora®
designer-style
devices.
1973
expansion of the
company’s operations
would eventually lead to the
introduction of efficient new systems
for multi-plant materials resource planning (MRP).
Leviton also took steps to reengineer
and streamline production by switching
from centralized manufacturing processes to vertical integration. Instead of
Leviton moves corporate
headquarters to
current location in
Little Neck, NY.
1975
shipping parts from the plants where
they were manufactured to where they
were eventually needed, component parts
were made on the same line in the same
facility that they were eventually assembled in. This greatly increased efficiency
and reduced the cost of goods sold.
8. Harold Leviton becomes President and CEO of Leviton in 1965. What else was in
the news?
1. The Bay of Pigs Invasion
2. George Clooney was born
3. The Northeast blackout lasts over 13 hours
4. The Peace Corp is established
9. Leviton introduces Decora in 1973. What else makes the news that year?
1. The Watergate scandal
2. 11 Israeli athletes are killed at the
Summer Olympics
3. 8.1 Richter scale earthquake in Mexico City
4. World Trade Center opens in NYC
10. Leviton wiring devices were used in refurbishing the Statue of Liberty in 1979.
It was a momentous year for all….what else occurred?
1. US and Peoples Republic of China
establish diplomatic relations
2. Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin sign
peace treaty
Leviton wiring
devices are
used in the
refurbishing of
the Statue of
Liberty and
Ellis Island.
3. Iran Hostage Crisis begins
Division focused
on designing and
bringing to market the latest
generation of products for highspeed commercial communications
technology. Telcom’s mission was to
make quality, reliable products available
at reasonable cost to commercial customers seeking to benefit from the latest telecommunications infrastructure.
Quotes from our family
My career at Leviton began as a summer job.
My Dad, who worked in the Brooklyn plant at
that time said, “Get a haircut because you’re
not hanging out at the beach this summer.”
From the beginning, the unique family culture,
warm atmosphere and sense of opportunity
surrounded me! Since then, our company has
gone through many significant changes. 24
years later however, for me that same atmosphere still surrounds me today!
— Gino Dabbicco
National Director of Sales,
Leviton Integrated Networks and Controls
I believe this says it all for so many of us —
one of the most important things I have
learned while working for Leviton is that
“Family” is much more than bloodlines.
— Barbara Brewer
Fleet Supervisor, Little Neck
4. TWA Flight 847 hijacked
See answers on page 24
A Century of Success: The First 100 Years
• 5
Retrospective
A Bright Idea:
Entering the
Lighting
Systems Market
Leviton Voice & Data Products
1985
Leviton patents a thermal
protector that helps prevent
fires caused by recessed
lighting.
In 1997 Leviton
acquired Macro
Electronics
Corporation, a manufacturer of large-scale
commercial architectural dimming systems.
Based in Austin, Texas, the company
was a leader in the engineering, development and manufacture of large-scale
architectural dimming systems. Boasting a
prestigious roster of corporate, government and institutional clients worldwide,
Leviton’s Immersion Detector
Circuit Interrupter receives
National Safety Council
recognition for its contribution
to consumer safety.
1986
Forms the
Telcom Division
(now Voice &
Data).
dimming systems and controls to hundreds
of commercial and institutional clients.
Through the purchase two years later
of NSI/Colortran, a leader in the architectural and theatrical lighting control market, Leviton added significant engineering,
design, development and marketing
expertise. These timely acquisitions
paved the way for Leviton’s rise in the
energy efficient lighting arena. Today
Leviton offers a full range of dimming
systems, occupancy sensors, relay
controls and daylight harvesting
systems that provide significant
energy savings for commercial
customers.
Opens a
manufacturing/distribution
center in El Paso, TX.
1993
1997
Acquires Macro
Lighting Controls,
a leading manufacturer
of architectural lighting
control systems.
1987
In 2000, Leviton’s
Telcom Division merged
with its Fiberoptic
Technologies Division to form
Leviton Voice & Data. As one of the
largest companies in the world specializing in the design, development, and
production of telecommunications
wiring devices today, the Voice & Data
Division offers the most innovative,
integrated commercial networks available on the market today.
Quotes from our family
Whenever I shop and I see a product that uses
our finished goods, I feel proud that we are an
integral part of everyday life. Leviton encourages a vision that will keep the company
going for the next 100 years and I’m proud to
be a part of that future.
— Kim Greenelsh
El Paso Distribution Office Coordinator
Electrical Safety
Advocacy
Macro supplied sophisticated lighting
control systems to flagship customers,
including numerous world-acclaimed
hotels, as well as civic centers and religious institutions around the country.
Jump-starting Leviton’s entry into the
commercial lighting systems market, the
Macro acquisition enabled Leviton to
provide a full spectrum of intelligent
Milestones in History
11. In 1985 Leviton patented a thermal protector that helps prevent fires caused
by recessed lighting fixtures. What other monumental event took place?
1. Tropical cyclone hits Bangladesh
2. Statue of Liberty reopens
3. Microsoft releases first version of Windows
4. Iran Contra Affair
12. In 1997, Leviton acquired Macro Lighting Controls. Which of the following four
other newsmakers happened that year?
1. Janet Reno becomes the first woman
US Attorney General
2. Wayne Gretsky plays his final game
in NHL
6 •
1999 saw the introduction of the
Leviton Institute, the educational arm
of the company, dedicated to providing
home safety information and tips on
home decorating improvements to consumers through the media. Published
every spring and fall, the Leviton
Institute newsletter serves as a resource
for editors around the country seeking
information on electrical safety.
A Century of Success: The First 100 Years
3. Korean War Veterans Memorial dedicated
in Washington, DC
4. Madeline Albright becomes the first
female US Secretary of State
Celebration
New Technology for the Home
Today a vast majority of all new
homes being built are constructed with
some type of structured cabling system.
In 1999 Leviton anticipated the growth
of the then-emerging structured cabling
industry and formed Leviton Integrated
Networks. Known today as Leviton
Integrated Networks and Controls, the
company’s residential home networking
division stands as one of the foremost
Acquires NSI/Colortran,
industry leader in theatrical
lighting control systems and
creates the Leviton Institute.
1999
suppliers of home networking products,
programs and services to the industry.
Leviton Integrated Networks and
Controls offers the most complete line
of structured cabling products in the
industry, certified installer training and
educational and training programs for
builders seeking to integrate the new
technologies into their homes.
Expansion Overseas
In 2001, Leviton opened operations in
China, expanding again in 2003. Leviton
China provides jobs for over 3,000
employees, many residing at the company’s on-site housing quarters. The operations include everything from research,
development and product design to
production of finished goods.
Don Hendler, the third and current President of
Leviton Manufacturing.
Donald Hendler becomes
Leviton’s third President.
The Acenti line is introduced.
Passing the Torch
2000
In 2005, HL named
Donald Hendler Leviton’s
Forms Leviton
Integrated Networks
and opens a semiautomated distribution
facility in Spanish
Springs, NV.
Opens first sales office
and facility in China.
2001
2005
Opens a large
manufacturing
facility in
Dongguan, China.
2003
▲
third President in the company’s 100year history, and Steve Sokolow as Vice
Chairman of the Board of Directors.
In passing the torch onward, continuity in leadership continues, underscoring
a remarkable record of stability, independence and vision for a family-owned
and operated business. With the change
in leadership, the innovation has also
Steven Sokolow, Vice Chairman of the
Board of Directors.
13. In 2000 Leviton Integrated Networks was formed and a semi-automated
distribution facility opened in Spanish Springs. What else happened that year?
1. George W. Bush was inaugurated
3. There was a total solar eclipse
2. The final Peanuts comic strip was published 4. Dolly the sheep was successfully cloned
14. In 2005 Don Hendler becomes Leviton’s third President and…
1. Lance Armstrong wins his 7th straight
Tour de France
2. The Iraq War begins
3. Saddam Hussein is captured
reached new heights. Revolutionary new
products, including extensions to the
company’s structured cabling line,
groundbreaking Acenti® wiring devices
and lighting controls and the newest
generation of SmartLockPRO™ GFCIs
have been added to the product portfolio,
beginning the company’s frontrunner
position as the next 100 years unfold. ❖
Quotes from our family
Senior management was always available to
lend an ear and supply guidance when
needed. I could not have chosen a better
company to spend 31 years with.
— Robert Morenko
Former Manager of Equipment Maintenance,
Hillsgrove Division, Warwick, RI
4. The final episode of Friends airs on NBC
See answers on page 24
A Century of Success: The First 100 Years
• 7
Retrospective
Leviton’s Founding Father
Isidor Leviton
back about just such an occasion:
“When my son was born with a congenital heart defect, Isidor
arranged that a top heart surgeon would examine him and
perform the needed surgery.
When I expressed my gratitude, Isidor flung an arm
around my shoulder and
said, ‘Tony, you’re part of
my family – of course I’d
help you.’ My son is now
a grown man with two
children of his own.”
“Why would anybody be interested in
my life?” Isidor Leviton asked, while
being interviewed by a reporter
from the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper in 1953. “I’m a simple man:
I’m not glamorous; I have no
hobbies. I like to work –
that’s all.”
With characteristic plainspoken modesty IL played
down the exceptional facts
of his story — that after
arriving in New York City
as an immigrant youth, he
managed to turn the
Leviton Manufacturing
Company from a small
start-up business into an
industry leader.
And while he never had a
taste for high society or stamp
collecting, IL did have an avocation, of a sort: he generously donated his time and money to a number of
different philanthropic causes, and was a
member and one-time president of the
board of the Brooklyn Jewish Hospital.
Getting Things Done
Modesty aside, IL had many qualities
that contributed to his success. For one
thing, he was resourceful; he knew how to
get things done. In the early days of the
company, he was having trouble finding
qualified workers for the business. His
solution was to go right to the source: the
exit doors at Ellis Island. Passing out his
Quotes from our family
I retired from Leviton after 31 plus years of
service. In my time, I have known people at
Leviton who retired with 50 and more years
of service. To me, this is representative of
the loyalty between the Leviton family and
company and its employees to each other.
This is a rarity in today's business world.
— George Goldman
Former Production Control Manager,
Little Neck
8 •
In the Beginning
card to arriving immigrants, he quickly
assembled a talented group of tradesmen
and solved his labor shortage.
He was also an excellent judge of character. As his son Harold recalled: “My
father’s skill at judging people was unbelievable. When a new foreman was hired,
he would be escorted into the office and
IL would spend exactly two minutes with
him. He would say, ‘this guy will last six
months,’ or ‘this guy will last two
decades.’ And bingo, 99 times out of 100
he’d be right. I asked him ‘How do you
do that’ and he’d say, ‘I just feel it;
there’s no way I can tell you how to do
it.” Many stayed on to celebrate their
25th anniversary, and sometimes even
their 50th, with Leviton.
Leviton employees frequently
remarked on the level of personal
interest IL took in their well-being
and that of their families. Tony
Scarangella, a long-time employee in
the Brooklyn plant, remembered years
Leviton’s Founding Father, Isidor Leviton
The man who was so
generous with his employees arrived in 1904 at Ellis
Island in New York with his
father and brother and not
much else. His first job was running errands in a button factory for
$2 a week. When the factory moved
two years later, IL applied for a job as a
trolley car operator, but, at 5'5", came
up two inches too short to pass the
minimum height requirement. But for
those two inches, IL, and the thousands
of people who have worked for Leviton
over the years, might have led a very
different life.
Instead of working the controls of a
trolley, IL wound up holding the reins
at Leviton as he negotiated the twists
and turns during the exciting early days
of the electrical industry. IL steered the
company towards a successful future by
purchasing supplies in large quantities,
mass-producing devices and their component parts and engineering better
products that always led the field in
technology. Under his stewardship, the
company always anticipated the
demands of the evolving electrical
industry.
The Big Picture
IL was always looking to add new
businesses to the Leviton family of
companies. From 1937 to 1950, Leviton
Celebration
acquired American Insulated Wire,
Acorn Wire and Cable, Deal Electric,
and Hale Brothers, greatly increasing
production capacity and providing many
new products not previously manufactured by Leviton, especially wire, cable,
and cord products.
One of IL’s more innovative ideas
was building a dedicated testing laboratory right at the Brooklyn plant.
Since most products needed approval
from Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
or the Canadian Standards Association
(CSA) to establish their safety, IL
decided in 1938 to streamline the
process by testing Leviton products on
site. It proved to be a real time saver.
After checking out the lab, UL not
only approved the testing system; they
asked if they could adapt it for their
own use.
That same year, IL’s first-born son,
Bernard, entered the business. After
starting out in the Personnel
Department, he worked in Quality
Control and Production Cost and
Design, eventually becoming Vice
President of Manufacturing. IL’s other
son, Harold, joined the company in
1940, and was soon active in the
Personnel and Purchasing Departments.
IL continued at
the helm of
Leviton until his
passing in 1965;
Bernard’s untimely death brought
Harold to center
stage as President
and CEO, marking the first
change in command of the company in almost 60
years. Jack
Amsterdam, married to IL’s daughter Mimi, was
appointed Chairman of the Board.
Looking Back … And Ahead
41 years have rushed by since then.
Leviton has flourished and grown into a
world-wide presence in the industry. As
crucial as new products are to Leviton’s
success, it’s the core values of the company that continue to sustain and define
it – values instilled by IL. On the 100th
anniversary of the Leviton Manufacturing
Company, it seems fitting to include a
few words that Jack Amsterdam said a
number of years back about Leviton’s
founder, Isidor:
Making the Right Connections
1. You’ve just brought a new piece of equipment for your home office.
Which Leviton product do you plug it into?
A. Night light
B. Wire lead receptacle
C. GFCI
D. Surge Protective Receptacle or Strip
2. How can you tell when an electrical outlet in your home isn’t safe to use?
A. Doesn’t hold a plug snugly
B. Parts of the outlet are broken
C. The outlet feels hot to the touch
D. All of the above
3. What Leviton product automatically turns lights on when you enter a room,
and off when you leave?
A. Occupancy Sensor
B. Manual ON Sensor
C. Decora Electronic Timer
D. Double-Pole, Double-Throw Switch
Quotes from our family
I am a second generation Levitonite. My
father worked in Greenpoint in the Shipping
Department and I worked upstairs in Traffic.
Between the two of us we had over 50 years of
service.
— Diane C. Maliani
Former Traffic Manager, Brooklyn, Maspeth
and Little Neck
Leviton provided me the perfect place to
realize my professional development and
helped me achieve my “American Dream.”
The philosophy of cohesive thinking and
loving compassion that has been the hallmark of company management has made this
company a bright star and its people proud
to belong. I am one of those proud people.
— Harcharan Bagga
Former Director of Engineering, Little Neck
In 1965 I answered an ad placed by Leviton
looking for an engineer fluent in the German
and the English language. As a recent immigrant I applied. The Leviton Company expanded tremendously during the years after 1970. It
was a privilege to help and watch the growth
and success of many new Leviton employees!
— Manfred Kneer
Former Division Toolroom Mgr. of Southern
Devices, Morganton, North Carolina
4. Which type of switch is illuminated when the load is ON?
A. Lighted Handle
B. Locking
“Isidor Leviton led the way, long
before modern management theory
existed, in making his company a wonderful place to work, and a fine company to do business with, because he cared
about the people behind the business.
He understood their needs and met
them … He was loved by all.” ❖
C. Pilot Light
D. Double-Pole
5. Which type of switch allows you to control one light fixture from two locations?
A. Single- pole
B. Double-pole
C. 3-way
D. 4-way
See answers on page 24
Leviton’s Founding Father, Isidor Leviton
• 9
Retrospective
Harold Leviton
E XP A N D I N G T H E V I S I O N
You could say Harold Leviton grew
up with electricity running through his
veins. While other kids were playing
potsy or stickball on Saturdays, Harold
regularly accompanied his father on visits to the Greenpoint, Brooklyn, factory
from the age of five upwards.
“In those days, Saturday was just
another work day, so the plant was
operating, and I had free access to the
whole plant. As I grew up, I often visited the plant and became very friendly
with the employees,” Leviton said some
years back. The familiarity with staff
and facilities was a fitting preview of
things to come.
Starting Out
After graduating from the University
of Miami with a degree in Business
Administration in 1940, “HL,” began
work in earnest at the Brooklyn plant.
He learned the business from the
ground up, starting in the stock room
before moving on to Personnel,
Purchasing, and other departments.
HL eventually became Personnel
Director, instituting forward-thinking
changes and diversifying the work force
well before anti-discrimination laws
were passed that made it a necessity.
Unexpected Changes
Quotes from our family
I was a senior consulting engineer and the
only man with the name Ben, but for years,
HL called me Bernie. One day I received a
call from HL’s office asking me to come and
see him. When I entered his office expecting
bad news, he held out a coffee cup with the
name “Ben” on it. He had seen it in a store
and couldn’t resist buying it for me.
— Ben Neiger
Former Senior Consulting Engineer,
Electronics Division. Little Neck
I was very proud of being a member of the
scholarship program that Leviton had initiated.
This program provided scholarship grants for
recipients each year that were issued for well
over thirty years.
— Don Jubin
Former Director of Industrial Relations,
Warwick, Rhode Island
10 •
do what was necessary,”
said Steve Sokolow,
current Vice Chairman
of the Board of
Directors and
Executive Vice
President.
If employees were
treated well, HL reasoned, their natural competitiveness would be an
asset to the company.
“They had the knowhow and the desire to be
successful, and that’s
what motivated people to
make the company what
it is,” HL said.
The combination of a
less-centralized corporate structure, increased
employee participation
in decision-making and
rapidly changing technology set the stage for
the unprecedented
growth of Leviton through the electronic
age of the 1960s-70s, into the digital era
of today. The Sales and Engineering
departments were reorganized and
enlarged, Research and Development
was expanded, and Marketing started to
play a bigger role in company strategy.
With the unfortunate passing in
1963 of his older brother Bernard,
Leviton’s Vice President, and the
death of IL two years later, HL
found himself suddenly heading
up Leviton as President and
CEO. He quickly showed that
like his father, he would continue to emphasize the family
atmosphere, respect for people,
and importance of creating a
friendly and pleasant workplace
so crucial to the Leviton philosophy.
“His most important contribution to the company’s development … was his enlightened
democratic management which
encouraged people’s participation
and challenged them, yet allowed
them the freedom to go out and
Early trade show display
Harold Leviton Expanding the Vision
Celebration
True or False
1. It’s cheaper to leave fluorescent
lights on when leaving a room
than turning them back on
when you return.
2. Your house wiring never needs
replacing.
3. A circuit breaker doesn’t protect
against a ground fault.
4. Your computer will last longer if
you leave it on all day, instead
of shutting it off when you’re not
using it.
5. You can damage a power tool
by using the wrong size
extension cord.
See answers on page 24
New advertising campaigns thrust
Leviton products into the public spotlight. One even featured Pittsburg
Steelers star running back Franco
Harris endorsing the Spec-Master
industrial product line. The company
also began participating in an increasing number of industry associations,
events, conferences and tradeshows.
Top Sellers, Big Changes
Under HL’s reign, Leviton introduced
some of its most important products to
date. The Ground Fault Circuit
Interrupter (GFCI) receptacle which
Leviton first offered in 1972, was so
effective in preventing ground fault
shock that it is estimated to have saved
hundreds of lives since its introduction.
GFCIs are now mandatory in kitchens,
bathrooms and other areas of homes
and commercial buildings and Leviton
keeps refining its GFCI offering to raise
the bar for safety.
One year later, the Decora® line of
designer-styled wiring devices was
unveiled to become an unprecedented
success; it remains a top-seller to this day.
Other markets that had been off
Leviton’s radar began receiving attention. Wiring devices and cable for
industrial and commercial applications
now became a substantial source of revenue for Leviton.
To meet the exploding demand for
products, new factories were opened
across the US, in Mexico and Canada. A
super-efficient national warehouse network was put in place to assure product
availability and speedy delivery.
In 1975, Leviton moved the company
headquarters from the Brooklyn plant to
a new facility in Little Neck, Queens.
The physical closeness of the Brooklyn
plant, where people where clustered in
cubbyholes, could no longer accommodate the corporate headquarters. In
Little Neck, there was room for the
company’s new computer center as well
as other new departments.
The Next
Hundred Years
Leviton, the company
that HL led so effectively
for more than 40 years,
now has more than 30
facilities around the
world, and leads the
industry with the most
up-to-date offerings in
structured wiring, energy
management, and lighting controls. The unparalleled growth during
this time speaks volumes
about the quality of HL’s
leadership.
Last year, HL passed
the torch to Donald
Hendler, whose 35 years with Leviton
show him to hold the leadership qualities, business sense, and charisma to succeed as the third president of the company in its first stellar century. ❖
Quotes from our family
Harold Leviton told me about someone who
called to complain about a switch in her home
that broke after 27 years. This prompted HL
to ask the question: What can you buy for less
than a buck, use every day for over 25 years
and get mad at when it breaks. His answer
was a Leviton switch.
— Stuart H. Weiss
Manager, Computer Graphics Production,
Little Neck
I was privileged to be Harold Leviton’s “private” secretary for sixteen years. He always
went the extra mile to help in case of personal problems, and was a true friend to me. I will
always cherish my years of working —what I
considered “with” him rather than “for” him.
— Ellen Adler
Former Secretary, Little Neck
My first and most lasting work memory
includes Harold Leviton. His was the first
office you visited when coming in from the
field. He knew your family by name and
would immediately relate to your territory
with a working knowledge. His door was
always open to you and he went out of his
way to make you truly feel a part of the
Leviton family.
— Chris Scrimager
Former District Manager,
Tukwila, Washington
Harold Leviton Expands the Vision
• 11
MEETING THE NEEDS OF AN
EVER-CHANGING
MARKETPLACE
Retrospective
Isidor Leviton’s
ciently through the home. Systems can
dream of offering
be pre-configured or customized to
customers total
accommodate the homeowner’s needs,
capability from a
from a simple phone and cable TV
single source has
hookup or a home office network to a
evolved through the
digital whole-house audio system with a
steady growth of
home theater.
the company’s
Strategic Business
Core Wiring Devices
Units (SBUs) as
The staple of Leviton’s business for
well as the growth
everyday living, these products have
of Leviton’s whollycome a long way since the early years in
owned subsidiaries
the industry. Devices range from tradiand affiliated comtional switches and outlets, to GFCIs and
panies. To effectivesurge-protective devices, to plugs and
ly respond to the
connectors to designer-styled Decora®
Builders regularly rate Leviton’s structured cabling products as first in
evolving demands
and premium Acenti® devices. Leviton’s
brand preference.
of the marketplace,
popular Decora® line offers a comprehenLeviton Integrated Networks sive selection of residential and commerLeviton operates with an efficient organizational structure comprised of several and Controls (LINC)
cial grade dimmers, switches, combinaToday’s homebuyers have come to
SBU’s — teams of resources and people
tion devices, fan speed controls, and
that concentrate on researching, design- expect cutting-edge information and
surge-protected, GFCI-equipped, and
communication technology in their
ing, engineering and marketing prodstandard receptacles. Industrial grade
homes. With 60% of new homes being
ucts that are suited to the needs of indireceptacles are available as well.
built with structured cabling, the wired
vidual markets.
The new groundbreaking Acenti ®
home has become the norm, not the
The company’s wholly-owned subline merges form and function into a
exception. Using Category 5/6 strucsidiaries and affiliated companies —
sleek minimalist design that features
tured cabling as a wiring backbone,
American Insulated Wire, Leviton
innovations such as return-to-neutral
LINC integrates home computers and
Canada, Leviton Mexico and Leviton
push pads, screwless wallplates that
peripheral hardware (scanners, printers,
China — expand Leviton’s reach to all
mount easily onto self-adjusting clips,
etc.), home
corners of the globe.
audio and video,
Quotes from our family
and telephone
The good will between Leviton and its affiliand Internet
ates was immeasurable. During my 45 plus
communications
years working for the American Insulated
in a modular
Wire Corporation, I was amazed at the family
infrastructure
atmosphere I experienced.
that is “future— Paul Petit
Former UL & CSA Program Director
proofed” to
meet the evolvIt was a pleasure working at Leviton, and the
ing demands of
wonderful life my family and I enjoy we owe
new technoloto Leviton. Thank you!
—Patrick Lally
gies.
Former Tool Room Superintendent,
LINC systems
Rhode Island
distribute all
voice, data,
audio and video
Leviton’s commercial and industrial products set a benckmark for quality.
functions effi-
12 •
Meeting the Needs of an Ever-Changing Marketplace
Celebration
and an ingenious new triplex
receptacle that
fits three outlets into the
space of two.
Like Decora
devices, Acenti
switches and
receptacles are
a design asset
all to themselves. Both
lines offer
QuickPort ®
Leviton leads the way in innovative, energy-efficient devices for OEMs.
multimedia
snap-in inserts, and come in a range of
Leviton OEM
attractive colors and finishes, including
Leviton’s OEM products supply manwood and natural stone.
ufacturers with a range of lampholders,
Leviton’s Voice and Data products have
world-wide reach.
personal protection devices (LCDIs,
GFCIs, GFCI cordsets), general purpose switches, connectors, plugs, and
more. Purchasing professionals and
specifying engineers depend on Leviton
OEM products to increase dependability and reduce costs, and know consumers trust Leviton products.
When a unique device is needed,
Leviton’s Custom Design Research
Group will work with OEMs to satisfy
special requirements. Custom design
capabilities get the job done on time
and on budget, no matter how demanding the specifications.
Voice & Data
Lighting Management
Leviton Voice & Data provides cutting Systems (LMS)
edge copper and fiber optic solutions
With energy costs soaring, reducing
including in-home and business fiber
operating costs is more important than
optic systems, power distribution units,
ever these days. From relay-controlled
patch panels, category 5/6 connectors of
lighting systems to intelligent daylight
all types and specifications,
wallplates and housings,
and wireless access points
and enclosures.
The Voice & Data line
has a worldwide reach
with a personal touch; if
special projects require
product modifications or
enhancements, Leviton
Voice & Data will meet
the challenge of the
custom requirements of
original equipment manu- With escalating energy costs, Leviton’s lighting management
facturers (OEMs).
systems offer rapid payback to commercial users.
management systems capable of multizone daylight harvesting, LMS offers
practical, up-to-date solutions to energy
management problems.
LMS features an extensive line of
relay systems, occupancy sensors and
architectural lighting control systems
that enhance safety, comfort, and worker
productivity, as well as save on energy
expenses. LMS’ comprehensive theatrical line offers lighting consoles, relays,
fixtures, and dimmer cabinets that are
completely scalable for entertainment
venues, educational facilities and convention centers.
American Insulated Wire
Corporation (AIW)
A wholly-owned subsidiary of Leviton,
AIW manufactures and supplies a vast
array of thermoset and thermoplastic
types of electrical wire, cable, and cord
to the industry. AIW products are used
in locations such as sports arenas, construction sites, telephone companies,
steel mills, as well as in the home.
AIW serves electrical distributors,
OEMs, and the telecommunications
industry. Products include building wire,
Quotes from our family
I worked 17 great years for Leviton and
made many great friends. I would not trade
my years with Leviton for another company.
— Ben Perez
Former VP, Mexican Southwest Operations,
Camargo, Jimenez, and Juarez,
Chihuahua, Mexico
One of the nicer things that I still enjoy is
receiving a birthday card from Harold every
year. I am grateful for all the years that I was
able to be a part of Leviton.
—John T. Barnes
Production Supervisor, Hillsgrove
Working for Leviton was like being part of a
family. I developed many friends and after
many years we have remained in touch.
Leviton is a caring company that gives back
what you put in.
—Lillian Schepp
Former Consultant to
V.P. Of Manufacturing
Meeting the Needs of an Ever-Changing Marketplace
• 13
Retrospective
power cable, cord sets, mining and
telecommunications cable, and control
and instrumentation cable.
Leviton (Mexico) S.
de R. L. de C. V.
Leviton Manufacturing of
Canada Ltd.
Leviton Manufacturing of Canada
Ltd. is the only company in the
Canadian marketplace to offer a complete range of products, including
switches, receptacles, connectors and
lighting controls, as well as surge protectors and voice/data communication
products. The products are offered to
residential, commercial, industrial and
OEM customers throughout Canada.
Based in Pointe Claire, Quebec, the
company’s operations include a distribution center and national sales office.
Additional sales offices are located in
North York, Ontario and in Surrey,
British Columbia. Leviton Canada has a
reputation for the best service in the
industry. From order entry to shipping,
state-of-the-art technology and systems
and a team of service-oriented professionals ensure the highest fill rates in
the industry.
Leviton China Facility
ketplace, Leviton’s overseas operations
include: research, development, product
design, tool design and building, fabrication of molded and metal parts, manufacturing of electronic and electromechanical finished goods and global
procurement. Its product portfolio consists of: personal protection devices,
dimmers, occupancy sensors, lamp holders, voice and data products, nightlights,
adapters, wallplates and IEC 220V
products designed and manufactured for
markets throughout China.
Leviton (Mexico) S. de R.
L. de C. V. serves the needs
of the Mexican electrical
marketplace. S. de R. L. de
C. V. offers the highest quality products and services
throughout Mexico. The
company manufactures a
complete line of residential,
commercial, industrial, and hospitalgrade devices. Established in 1992, it
serves the Mexican ED, retail and
OEM markets. It operates a distribution center in Mexico City which ships
over 20,000 different Leviton products.
The company also markets an exclusive
line of modular wiring devices that
serve the customs and needs of Mexican
users and installers. ❖
Plugging in to Leviton
Unscramble the letters to find the names of top-selling
Leviton brands and categories.
Leviton China
Leviton’s operations in China and
Hong Kong efficiently extend the company’s global reach and add new sources
of capacity and manpower to best serve
customers around the globe. The company’s overseas operations consist of:
Leviton Pacific Rim, Ltd. at Hong
Kong, Leviton Dongguan and Leviton
Nanjing. Steadily expanding production
and sales to meet the needs of the mar-
Clue: Brand Names
LORCSKTMA
_ _ _ _ _ (_) _ (_) _
AEODRC
_ (_) _ _ _ _
TCNAIE
_ _ _ (_) _ (_)
AIVZI
(_) _ _ (_) _
REWDUTAG
_ _ (_) _ _ _ _ _
Clue: Device Types
Quotes from our family
Working at Leviton has been one of the best
professional experiences I’ve had. It is an
organization that recognizes not only how
individuals may contribute at their local
level, but that sharing of ideas, information
and resources across departmental lines is
extremely positive and an attribute to be
recognized!
— Lynn Arnett
H.R. Manager, Distribution, Sparks, Nevada
NCLREROLOTO
_ _ (_) _ _ (_) _ _ (_) _
PELECCARTE
_ (_) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
LPWLTAAEL
_ _ _ (_) _ _ (_) _ _
NTROCONCE
WCSHTI
_ _ (_) (_) _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ (_) _ _
Now use the circled letters to form two new words.
Clue: Auspicious Occasion
(_) (_) (_) (_) (_) (_) (_)
(_) (_) (_) (_) (_) (_) (_) (_) (_) (_)
See answers on page 24
14 •
Meeting the Needs of an Ever-Changing Marketplace
Celebration
Strategic Marketing: A Top Priority
Retail Channel
Leviton’s retail channel services home
centers, mass merchants, hardware
stores, and food and drug stores, providing them with top-selling Leviton
products in eye-catching packaging, displays and merchandisers. Award-winning merchandizing tools, like headers,
in-store take-ones, displays and product
packaging always connect with consumers. Leviton provides retailers with
extensive training programs and unique
promotions.
International Sales
Leviton goes to market in three sales
channels: Original Equipment
Manufacturer (OEM), Electrical
Distribution, and Retail. A marketing
division devoted to each channel
focuses on growing business opportunities in both new and existing markets, as well as increasing market share
and profit. In addition, a network of
international agents cater to the
booming overseas market.
Extensive marketing and merchandising assistance in the form of incentive programs, national advertising,
promotions, sales aids, and training
are available to all Leviton customers.
The broadest mix of custom-tailored
products, services and programs are
offered to meet the needs of each
sales channel.
Original Equipment
Manufacturer (OEM)
Manufacturers depend on Leviton to
provide a large selection of devices, such
as general-purpose switches and lamp-
holders for fluorescent, HID and incandescent lamps, to use in their own products. From the most time-tested to the
most cutting-edge wiring devices, specifying engineers and purchasing directors
rely on Leviton to guarantee the highest
quality and reliability of their products,
and to keep the cost down.
Electrical Distribution (ED)
The Leviton electrical distribution
network works with thousands of distributors, large and small, around the
country, supplying sales and training
programs, in-depth marketing, and
scores of value-added services to distributors and distribution partners.
Leviton’s ED channel serves a wide
range of customers, including traditional electrical contactors, low-voltage
installers, systems integrators, facilities
managers and maintenance and repair
operations personnel (MRO’s) in commercial and industrial facilities, as well
as builders, architects, specifiers and
design engineers.
Through a massive network of international agents, Leviton markets products to more than 30 countries around
the globe and sells an extensive range of
devices to electrical distributors and
original equipment manufacturers. Fully
staffed with multilingual marketing specialists, knowledgeable sales representatives and agents and customer service
representatives, we’ve been a recognized
leader in the international wiring device
market for over half a century. ❖
Quotes from our family
I felt great pride in the company and in the
job I performed. In the course of those years
many personal experiences with co-workers,
salespeople and plant personnel made each
day rewarding and happy.
— Janet Stolow
OEM Service Representative, Little Neck
During my 47 year tenure at Leviton my principal memorable impression was the often
stated concern by “IL” and “HL” for the
company's employees. They each stated to
employees “you are our family.” This created
a mutual feeling of loyalty which was the key
to the success of Leviton.
— Harvey Kram
Former Group Vice President of Operations
Strategic Marketing: A Top Priority
• 15
Retrospective
Providing the Latest Products and Services to all
Segments of the Market
9 out of 10 homes in the US contain devices made by Leviton.
Leviton leads the industry in serving
the residential, commercial, and industrial markets, supplying more than
25,000 different electrical and electronic wiring devices to customers across a
wide range of industries.
We continually enhance existing products and research, develop and introduce
cutting-edge devices and solutions to fit
the needs of a constantly changing marketplace. Our state-of-the-art R & D
facilities are equipped with CAD/CAM
design and model-making equipment
capable of bringing a new device to market from concept to testing, tooling, and
packaging, within months. We also have a
complete on-site test lab to speed product development and ensure our products
meet the highest standards of safety, performance reliability and durability.
Quotes from our family
Working at Leviton is an inimitable experience that engenders family values, camaraderie, individualism and a shared vision of
optimism for the future. I can’t imagine a
more fulfilling and more rewarding experience than that offered to every employee by
this great enterprise.
— Jim Noonan
Director, Commercial & Industrial Marketing,
Little Neck
Every new Leviton
product represents
100 years of experience combined with a
tradition of excellence
that our customers
have come to depend
on. Our manufacturing facilities are ISO
9001 certified, and
meet demanding Six
Sigma quality standards of no greater
than 3.4 defects per 1
million opportunities.
Residential Market
Leviton residential devices are found
in nine out of ten homes in North
America. Our residential products
include a wide array of switches, receptacles, connectivity devices, lighting
controls, GFCIs, surge protective
devices, voice and data products, and
the latest in residential structured
cabling products and components.
Commercial Market
Industrial Market
The rigorous and demanding environments characteristic of industrial processing plants and construction sectors
and the critical care environment of
hospitals and healthcare facilities
demand that wiring devices meet the
highest possible standards. Leviton
offers its industrial and healthcare customers a complete line of products second to none in the industry. The
devices are designed and engineered to
meet the most exacting standards and
ensure unparalleled performance reliability and service life. ❖
Businesses look to Leviton when they
need to save energy, set a sophisticated
lighting scene in a conference room,
connect to the Internet via structured
cabling, or protect their equipment from
power surges and their personnel from
ground fault shock
hazard. Whether
in banks, hotels,
hospitals, schools,
sports arenas,
institutional
facilities or other
application environments, Leviton
provides the products and services
to fit the needs of
commercial and
institutional
customers.
Leviton hospital grade devices offer reliable connections in critical
care enviornments.
16 •
Businesses look to Leviton for their complete
electrical needs.
Leading the Industr y
Celebration
A Tradition of Giving
Philanthropy at Leviton
Caring for others has always been an
important tradition at the Leviton
Manufacturing Company. Whether
focused within the company on its
employees or outside the company to
various institutions of higher learning,
public service organizations, and medical institutions, the urge to give generously to humanitarian causes has played
an important part in the life of both
Leviton’s founder and his successor.
From the early days, IL made a special effort to get to know the people
who worked for him, and to be there
when they needed help.
“Besides being the boss, he was our
friend,” Joel Allen, a Leviton employee
said of IL a number of years back. “His
love of people generated a great many
acts of charity.”
IL often arranged for top-notch medical care when employees or their family
members were ill, and gave willingly of
IL was one of the founders of New York’s renowned Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
A Man of Many Causes
His many humanitarian activities outside of Leviton led the Brooklyn Eagle
to honor IL in its “Brooklyn’s Man of
the Week” column in September, 1953,
referring to him as “one of the biggest
donors to philanthropic causes in
Brooklyn.”
Quotes from our family
When one talks about the Leviton family, it is
not only the descendents of Isidor Leviton but
the thousands of people who have been
employed by Leviton Manufacturing. All can
be comforted in knowing that Leviton will be
there to help you. Thank you for considering
me as part of the Leviton extended family; it
was a source of strength and comfort during
tough times. Happy Anniversary!
— Linda Carr
Corporate Claims Dept., Senior Claims Lead,
Little Neck
Awarded to Isidor Leviton, a founder of Yeshva
University.
his own personal time, money, and
knowledge. “I will always be grateful to
him for his concern,” said Millie
Giudice, another Leviton employee
after IL had made sure her mother
received the best care possible while she
was hospitalized.
At the time, IL’s interest in improving
the welfare of the sick and disadvantaged had led him to chair a $2.5 million fund drive for the Jewish
Sanitarium and Hospital for Chronic
Former Leviton plant is transformed into a school.
A Tradition of Giving — Philanthropy at Leviton
• 17
Retrospective
2002 rescue of the Children of Chernoybl supported by a donation from HL.
Diseases. He also served as a board
member (and one-time president) of the
Brooklyn Jewish Hospital, worked as a
trustee of the Brooklyn Hebrew Home
and Hospital for the Aged, and was a
founder-member of the medical section
of Yeshiva University.
In addition, he served on the board of
directors of the Brooklyn Cancer
Committee and was general chairman of
United Jewish Appeal’s electrical industry division.
IL was also concerned with helping
young people. He was active in a fund
drive for Hillel House at Brooklyn
College (and treasurer of the college’s
Hillel Foundation), and had been honored with a “Youth Oscar” by Youth
United for his work with underprivileged children of the city.
Yet for all the time, money, and service he donated to philanthropic causes,
IL shied away from talking much about
it. “When it comes to charity, it’s a
funny thing,” he said. “If you give, you
don’t have to explain to anybody; if you
don’t … well, you figure it out.”
Continuing the Tradition
HL too has contributed his time and
resources to a variety of philanthropic
causes.
Many of these underlie his commitment to education. A founder of both the
Technion (Israel Institute of Technology)
and the Albert Einstein College of
Medicine, HL also instituted the Leviton
Industrial Arts Award, a highly-coveted
award for New York City high school
students in the electrical trades.
Following the Latin expression “Mens
sana in corpore sano,” or “a sound mind
in a sound body,” HL also devoted a
considerable amount of time to fitness,
volunteering for the United Jewish Y’s
Quotes from our family
My fondest memory was when Leviton
opened its first cordset plant in Tijuana.
After a priest blessed the building, I was
asked “Where is the priest?” HL asked me
to take him and Mr. Amsterdam to see the
priest to thank him for the blessing and give
the church a donation. To this day I have not
forgotten their kind gesture. They will
always be my heroes.
— Al Urias
Former Plant Manager, Ensambles de
Precision de Las Californias and Pacific
Electricord
of Long Island, an affiliate of the
Federation of Jewish Philanthropies.
Serving as President in 1979 and
Chairman of the Board in 1981, he
remains active in the organization as
Honorary Chairman Emeritus.
He has been a devoted advocate for
the United Jewish Appeal for nearly half
a century, serving on the Board of
Directors in 1977 and becoming a member of the President’s Club in 1979. He
has also contributed generously to the
relief efforts of Chabad’s Children of
Chernobyl, an organization that evacuates children from the unsafe living
conditions resulting from the 1986
Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster.
Honor Roll
Some of the honors HL has received
in his long philanthropic career include
the Anti-Defamation League’s Torch of
Liberty Award, the Wire and Cable
Club’s Charles D. Scott Distinguished
Career Award, NEMA’s Falk award,
and the Medal of Merit of the
Portuguese Communities. This last
citation was a particular honor for HL;
it was the first time the Portuguese
government chose to award the medal
to a person who was not of Portuguese
lineage. The Leviton company has
especially close ties to the Portuguese
community in Rhode Island, employing
many of its members in its American
Insulated Wire and Rhode Island area
facilities. After a devastating earthquake hit the
Azores in the
1960s, HL provided jobs for
150 displaced
workers and
their families.
Harold Leviton is the first American to receive the Medal of Merit
from the Portuguese Government.
18 •
A Tradition of Giving — Philanthropy at Leviton
Celebration
He has also been honored for his
generous help by the Federation of
Jewish Philanthropies, the United
Fund, the American/Israeli Friendship
League, the United Cerebral Palsy
Men’s Council, the Children’s Medical
Center of New York Fund, and many
others.
The Leviton Family
In keeping with the tradition started
by his father, HL never forgot the wisdom that “charity begins at home.” As
President of Leviton from 1965-2005,
he worked hard to keep the “family
feeling” at Leviton very much alive.
Ralph DeBiasi, who worked in Finance
under both IL and HL, put it this way:
“I believe the human relationships
people enjoy with this company are
unique,” he said. “There is a real sense
of caring and it’s good to know that if
you needed something, they would be
there to help.”
For HL’s support of the BAMPAC.
The electrical industry honors IL.
Certificate of appreciation to HL for his being a Mount
Vernon and George Washington legacy supporter.
Citation from Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi.
Quotes from our family
While I have had many great experiences as a
Leviton employee, I think the most memorable experience I have had has been the
opportunity to participate in the Extreme
Home Makeover at Saint James, New York. To
see a group of people volunteer their time,
labor and materials to reach out and help a
needy family was extremely inspirational.
— Bill Schoonover
Manager, Technical Support and Warranty
Services, Leviton Integrated Networks
and Controls
From the Greenpoint Star 4/28/67
Certificate of appreciation from Nancy Reagan.
A Tradition of Giving — Philanthropy at Leviton
• 19
Retrospective
Leviton’s Test Laboratory
P
roduct safety for Leviton begins
in a large windowless room at
Leviton’s Corporate
Headquarters in Little Neck. There,
amongst tables filled with racks of specially-designed equipment, you’ll find
the Leviton Test Lab, where wiring
devices are subjected to many rigorous
tests that demonstrate they meet
Leviton’s demanding standards for
safety, performance and reliability.
Only after they pass these series of
tests will they be made available to
Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the
Canadian Standard Association (CSA)
and other testing organizations for
testing, if necessary.
“It is one of the largest and bestequipped test labs in the business,” said
Steve Campolo, Vice President of
Engineering at Leviton. Campolo originally worked at UL before coming to
Leviton 25 years ago.
Home to hundreds of machines capable of performing thousands of tests,
the test lab simulates the kinds of usage
and wear that a device might receive in
a lifetime of normal service in anywhere
from a few days to a month, depending
on the product.
Quotes from our family
I am proud to have contributed to the standard and quality of Leviton products. One of
the highlights of my life at Leviton was the
day HL said to me: “Karl, whenever I visit
one of our facilities, I see your mark. At age
85, I still call Leviton “My company.”
— Karl Levy
Former Test Engineer, Laboratory Manager,
Little Neck
Enter the
Leviton test lab
and you enter
into a world of
exacting standards. Every type
of device the
company manufactures has a
laundry list of
different tests it
Electro-static discharge test.
must undergo.
On any given day, a bench full of cusReceptacles, for example, are subjecttom-made machines might be cycling
ed to impact tests, removal-of-plug
light switches on and off a total of 30,000
tests, and ground pin and power blade
times each, the machines making soft
retention tests, to name just a few.
popping noises as their compressed air
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters
pistons flip the switches. A few rows back,
(GFCIs) must first undergo a week of
a thermal protector sits ready for a test to
“conditioning” in a long-term life tester
that simulates one week of 98% humidi- ensure that it will prevent a recessed light
fixture from catching on fire. Nearby, a
ty and a temperature range from -50°F
salt/fog machine waits to ply its corrosive
to 150°F before they are ready for any
mixture on its next victim, perhaps a
electrical tests.
GFCI or cam-type connector designed
“Almost all the equipment in the test
for outdoor use in a marina or boatyard.
lab was designed and built here. There’s
Almost all of the equipment in the lab
no catalog you can go to and say, ‘I
was designed by Leviton engineers and
want one of those,” said Campolo.
built in the Leviton machine shop; four
engineers and six technicians call this
their home away from home. On average, they test around ten different types
of devices each day… receptacles,
switches, GFCIs, dimmers, phone jacks
plugs and connectors, every Levitonmanufactured device.
The original test lab was built when
Isidor Leviton decided the company
should have its own test lab at the
Leviton factory in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
in 1938. The advantages to an on-site
test lab were clear: instant feedback on
how good or bad a device performed on
a test was available within a matter of a
few hours, instead of days or months.
With a constantly evolving product line,
Receptacle endurance test.
20 •
Passing the Ultimate Test – Leviton’s Test Laboratory
Celebration
this saved an immeasurable amount of
time, effort, and money.
When the corporate headquarters
moved from Greenpoint to Little Neck
in 1975, the test lab came with it. The
lab was expanded considerably in 1984
to its current size.
The lab today maintains approximately 96 testing stations including
electrical and physical testing, load,
overload, and temperature limitation,
environmental and application testing,
and electromagnetic interference
testing.
The stringent series of tests are necessary to uphold the high standards
customers such as architects, hospital
technicians, industrial engineers, and
homeowners have come to expect from
Leviton products.
Power Grid: Find the Words Related to Leviton
S
A
H
A
R
O
L
D
F
W
G
W
R
U
S
N
K
T
R
L
A
I
C
R
E
M
M
O
C
E
B
K
T
J
N
B
I
Y
I
I
Q
M
E
X
I
C
O
O
S
M
W
L
R
E
T
A
I
L
L
L
C
T
O
D
E
B
S
N
I
Y
A
Z
R
E
L
D
N
E
H
E
P
R
N
Q
S
J
D
F
P
L
S
M
A
T
E
I
I
C
F
G
O
M
A
N
I
H
C
N
Z
V
K
A
I
Z
I
V
N
A
M
S
F
V
E
V
T
V
A
K
B
U
G
T
P
H
Q
N
C
A
N
A
D
A
E
H
E
I
J
Q
C
S
K
R
A
P
S
D
&
S
L
R
C
G
D
L
G
C
I
R
T
C
E
L
E
V
O
X
J
O
S
E
K
Z
O
D
L
H
W
G
X
C
M
L
D
U
O
T
N
R
I
X
C
Y
B
E
M
A
R
A
L
E
V
I
T
O
N
W
W
K
U
T
F
Y
T
E
O
T
G
O
D
M
A
B
A
U
Z
Y
J
U
X
L
A
I
R
T
S
U
D
N
I
H
W
D
P
R
A
C
E
N
T
I
C
G
R
E
E
N
P
O
I
N
T
F
P
E
C
N
I
L
M
S
G
Z
E
Q
I
M
H
A
W
D
GAS MANTLES
VIZIA
HAROLD
ISIDOR
WIRING
ELECTRIC
GREENPOINT
LEVITON
PULLCHAIN
LINC
GFCI
LMS
HENDLER
V&D
DIMMER
CORE
ACENTI
MEXICO
DECORA
CHINA
OEM
RETAIL
AIW
COMMERICIAL
CANADA
INDUSTRIAL
LITTLE NECK
TESTLAB
SPARKS
Quotes from our family
Early in my 35 year career at Leviton, I had
the honor to be tutored by our late and great
Chairman of the Board, Jack Amsterdam. To
this day, I try to live my life by what I call
J.A.'s Law: Any reasonably set goal can be
achieved if you refuse to consider failure.
— Bill Dube
Former V.P. of Distribution, Little Neck
In recounting my 25 years at Leviton, success
in meeting the daily challenges was made
possible by being able to work with a most
talented and dedicated group of people at
both the corporate and local levels. Being a
part of this has made my years at Leviton the
experience of a lifetime, and I wouldn't have
missed it for the world.
— Art Moretti
Former Packaging Engineer and
Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor,
Hillsgrove
Passing the Ultimate Test – Leviton’s Test Laboratory
• 21
Retrospective
Can You Name These Leviton Products?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Quotes from our family
My fondest memory is of all the wonderful people I worked with. We were a big family and that
was Leviton’s strong point as a company. Both
my parents worked there as teenagers. I was so
amazed at the sounds and the smiling faces that
would peer out from behind the machines.
Little did I realize that I would spend 27 years
there myself! Now, I reminisce and wonder what
they are all doing now. Thank you Harold and
Happy Anniversary!
— Rob Martin
Former Production Supervisor, Hillsgrove
22 •
I worked for Leviton for 16 years as Human
Resources Division Manager for the Chihuahuas
Operations in Mexico. My bosses were excellent
bosses. I could not have asked for better. It was
a happy and enjoyable time for me.
— Minerva Perez
Former H.R. Division Manager, Leviton de
Mexico, Chihuahua Operations
I was the director of facilities at Leviton and
converted the Leviton Headquarters in Little
Neck. I was with the company for thirty years
and enjoyed every minute of it.
— John H. Sachs
Former Director of Facilities, Little Neck
Name That Product
I am privileged and honored to say that I work for
Leviton during such an important part of its 100
year history. Leviton has been a wonderful company to work for. I have met so many wonderful
friends that I will always remember. They will be
part of my history just as we are to the Leviton
company. I wish the Leviton Company many, many
more years of continued success.
— Colleen Ammann
Systems Analyst, Information Management,
Little Neck
Celebration
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
Quotes from our family
One thing that makes my years here so special is
this is where I started my own family. Eight years
ago I traveled to China and adopted a baby girl.
Emily is so proud whenever she visits the office.
She tells her schoolmates how she comes to
Take-Your-Child-To-Work-Day and meets the
real Mr. Leviton. It is a wonderful experience.
Emily and I wish the best of luck to the Leviton
family for the next hundred years.
— Susan Dubno
Systems Analyst, Information Management,
Little Neck
My husband and I are building our “retirement” home in the Sacramento mountains of
New Mexico. We would not have been able to
start this dream home without my job here at
Leviton. I am grateful for the opportunities for
my personal and professional growth to be a
successful Leviton employee and I am proud to
say that I work for Leviton.
— Jani Wolfe
Finished Goods Supervisor, El Paso, Texas
About 12 and half years ago I was just a 19 year
old kid with no experience who started working
with Leviton Mfg. in El Paso. In these years I
have learned a lot about myself and have
matured into the dedicated and responsible man
that I am now. I want thank Leviton for the years
of experience I have gained from working in a
company full of opportunities.
— Peter Soltero
Assistant Technical Supervisor,
Production Support, El Paso
Name That Product
• 23
Retrospective
Faces from the Past
Answers
Milestones in History (pages 2-7)
1. (1) San Francisco earthquake
Making the Right Connections
(page 9)
2. (3) Construction begins on Yankee
Stadium
1. D) Surge Protective Receptacle
or Strip
3. (4) The stock market crashed
2. D) All of the above
4. (4) The Peanuts Comic strip debuts
3. A) Occupancy Sensor
5. (1) Jonas Salk announces the polio
vaccine
4. C) Pilot Light
6. (3) 3500 US soldiers are sent to
Vietnam
Quotes from our family
I have been very fortunate in my 47 years to
have had the pleasure of working for Leviton
with fond memories of Isidor, Bernard, Harold
and Paul Leviton, Jack Amsterdam, Jack
Leavenworth, Harvey Kram and others. When
I was there less than a year, I had forgotten
my wrist watch and without hesitation Isidor
Leviton took his watch off his arm and lent it
to me. That’s just how he was! It didn't matter
what your job was, management always had
an “open door” policy to all employees. I had
a wonderful career with Leviton and am very
proud I was part of the team.
— Barbara DeBella
Former Human Resources Administrator,
Little Neck
7. (2) Alan Shepard is the first
American in space
8. (3) The Northeast blackout lasts
over 13 hours
True or False (page 11)
1. (F) 2. (F) 3. (T) 4. (F) 5. (T)
Plugging In to Leviton Brands
and Products (page 14)
Brand Names: S M A R T (L) O (C) K
9. (4) World Trade Center opens in NYC
D (E) C O R A
10. (1) US and Peoples Republic of
China establish diplomatic relations
A C E (N) T (I)
11. (3) Microsoft releases first version
of Windows
(V) I Z (I) A
W E (T) G U A R D
Device Types: C O (N) T R (O) L L (E) R
12. (4) Madeline Albright becomes the
first female US Secretary of State
R (E) C E P T A C L E
13. (2) The final Peanuts comic strip
was published
C O (N) (N) E C T O R
14. (1) Lance Armstrong wins his 7th
straight Tour de France
24 •
5. C) 3-way
Faces from the Past
W A L (L) P L (A) T E
S W I (T) C H
Auspicious Occaision:
LEVITON CENTENNIAL
Celebration
Power Grid (page 21)
S
A
H
A
E
B
K
T
R
J
O
L
D
N
B
I
F
W
G
W
R
U
S
N
K
T
R
L
A
I
C
R
E
M
M
O
C
Y
I
I
Q
M
E
X
I
C
O
O
S
M
W
L
R
E
T
A
I
L
L
L
C
E
B
I
Y
A
Z
R
E
L
D
N
E
H
E
P
R
N
Q
S
J
D
F
P
L
S
M
T
O
D
S
N
N
F
G
T
A
T
E
I
I
C
F
G
O
M
A
N
I
H
C
N
Z
V
K
A
I
Z
I
V
H
P
Q
N
C
A
N
A
D
A
E
H
E
I
J
Q
C
S
K
R
A
P
S
D
&
A
V
S
L
R
C
G
D
L
G
C
I
R
T
C
E
L
E
V
O
X
J
O
S
E
K
Z
O
D
Name These Prducts (pages 22-23)
S
T
V
A
G
R
E
E
M
E
V
A
K
B
U
U
Z
Y
J
L
L
U
H
W
E
V
X
L
P
O
I
G
X
C
M
L
D
U
O
T
N
R
I
X
C
Y
B
E
M
A
R
A
I
T
O
N
W
W
K
U
T
F
Y
T
E
O
T
G
O
D
M
A
B
A
I
R
T
S
U
D
N
I
H
W
D
P
R
A
C
E
N
T
I
C
N
T
F
P
E
C
N
I
L
M
S
G
Z
E
Q
I
M
H
A
W
D
N
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
SmartLockPRO GFCI
Outdoor Motion Sensor
Ceiling Box Lampholder
Uninterruptible Power Supply
28” Structured Media Enclosure
Spec-Grade In-Wall Speaker
GFCI Cordset
Vizia Dimmer
Floor Jack with Brass Plate
Decora Wall Switch Occupancy
Sensor
Watertight Pin and Sleeve Device
Branch Panel Surge Protective
Device
Wire Mesh Safety Grip
Ceiling Mount Occupancy Sensor
Decora 911 Switch
Mantle tip for Gas Lighting
Corrosion-Resistant
Straight-Blade Plug
Elements by Decora Switch
Portable Power Distribution Center
Wetguard Connector
Acenti Triplex Receptacle
D3200 Self-Contained Dimming
System
Z-Max Relay
Night Light
Quotes from our family
On my first day as an Art Director, I met two
artists working behind wooden drawing boards
and the company’s Advertising Manager who
was also the copywriter. When I left 30 years
later I had 35 artists, writers and support personnel in my fully computerized department,
which produced everything from business
cards to 60 foot trade show displays. All this
was made possible by the forward-looking,
open-minded and encouraging top management. I felt then, and feel now that it was a
privilege to work for such a fine company.
— Tibor Gerstl
Former Vice President, Marketing
Communications, Little Neck
Faces from the Past
• 25
A G re a t
Company Celebra
tes
G re a t P e o p l e
ow many times have
you wanted to do more than
say “thanks for a job well done” to a
staff member who put in an extra effort, did an
outstanding job, went the extra mile to satisfy a
customer or who characteristically demonstrates total commitment and dedication to
every task at hand?
H
During our Centennial year, what better way
to show your appreciation than to nominate
this person to receive a special 100th
Anniversary “Then and Now” commemorative
model truck set? The set consists of a 1912
Model T Ford Panel Truck and a 2006 “Sound
Machine” Tractor Trailer with push buttons
that sound the engine start and idle, air horn,
reverse warning beeper and the whoosh of
airbrakes.
Don’t waste a minute. Get in gear to recognize those members of your staff who have
done a stupendous job for you and for the
company. Nominations should be submitted via
email to Christine Kelly (Ckelly@leviton.com).
Each month while supplies
last, two people from each
Leviton facility will be
awarded this
one-of-a-kind
collector’s item.
Due to the large number of letters we received from present and former employees on our Centennial Anniversary magazine,
we were not able to include all your responses. For those whose statements are included, we needed to assume some editorial
license due to space considerations. Every effort has been made to represent both the content and spirit of your contributions.
Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
59-25 Little Neck Parkway. Little Neck, NY 11362-2591
Telephone: 1-800-323-8920
P-2698