Hercules Chemical Co.'s Chairman of the Board, Jay Fidler, retired after 57 years with the company. A military veteran, Fidler began working with Hercules in 1946 at its office and factory in lower Manhattan.

Fidler became National Sales Manager for the company in 1956 and was appointed its president in 1962. He was exposed to all facets of Hercules' growing business. The product line expanded, and sales grew as the company employed knowledgeable manufacturers' representatives across the country throughout his tenure. It also made dominant, regular appearances in the leading trade magazines, at trade meetings and exhibits nationally, regionally, and locally.

Company growth forced Hercules to move from its increasingly cramped manufacturing facilities in Manhattan to a larger facility in the Bronx. That, too, could not accommodate subsequent growth, and operations moved to Passaic, New Jersey in 1971.

The company was sold to its employees under an ESOP, and Fidler was named chairman of the board of directors.

Founded in 1915 in New York by Samuel Wander, the company committed its efforts and resources to the plumbing and heating industry. From its founding date, it aimed to develop and market products of quality throughout the industry and the markets it served.