The Berry Story
With a compelling idea and a no-frills sales pitch, Loren M. Berry launched what would become a billion-dollar company. A pioneer in the telephone directory industry, Berry earned the nickname 鈥淢r. Yellow Pages,鈥 building one of the largest Yellow Pages advertising agencies in the United States.
The long-term success of The Berry Company has enabled The Berry Family Foundation 鈥 and those who carry on its legacy 鈥 to generously support Cedarville University鈥檚 mission and vision, for which we are deeply grateful.
The Berry Company
In 1910, at a rented desk in downtown Dayton, Ohio, Loren M. Berry founded his company. He and his wife had just moved to the city, and one year earlier, Loren had secured his first directory publication, selling advertising for the telephone directory in Marion, Indiana. At the time, thousands of telephone companies operated across the country. Over time, Loren persuaded many of them to outsource the selling and publishing of directory advertising to him.
He quickly recognized the growth potential of telephone directories. His first Dayton client, the Dayton Home Telephone Company, saw its revenue more than double in just two weeks. Following this early success, Loren committed fully to the directory business.
The Berry Company expanded rapidly, eventually selling advertising and publishing for one in every four directories in the U.S. In 1940, Loren鈥檚 son, John Berry, Sr., joined the company while still in college. By 1973, he had risen to the role of chairman.
Under John鈥檚 leadership, the company experienced substantial growth. In 1966, he signed a joint venture agreement with ITT (International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation) to expand internationally. The result, World Directories, quickly became the world鈥檚 largest international directory publisher, operating in 17 countries across five continents.
By 1970, the Berry Company鈥檚 sales reached $200 million, with operations in more than 30 states. John standardized training programs to ensure excellent service across all customer-facing roles. He also developed new departments for marketing, sales planning, telephone sales, and design to meet the growing demands of the business.
In 1976, Loren received the Horatio Alger Award, honoring his perseverance, leadership, and commitment to excellence. A firm believer in free enterprise, he also championed higher education, community service, and a system of government that empowered individuals to reach their full potential. Loren remained involved in the company until his passing in 1980.
Did You Know?
What Were the Yellow Pages?
Often called the "original search engine,鈥 the Yellow Pages connected buyers and sellers in communities across America for over 120 years. Every business was listed, and every household received one or more directories. At its peak in the late 1990s, over 350 million directories were delivered annually.
Why Were the Pages Yellow?
In the early days, telephone companies experimented with colored paper to distinguish the classified ads section. Eventually, they found that black ink on yellow paper offered the best readability 鈥 and the Yellow Pages were born.
By 1986, Berry Company sales approached $1 billion. As the industry evolved, John Sr. made the strategic decision to sell the company to Bell South. Though part of a larger organization, the company maintained its identity. John Berry, Jr., the third-generation leader, was elected president and led the company until his retirement in 1994. He successfully managed the transition and navigated the increasingly competitive environment.
The Berry Family Foundation
Founded in 1960 by Loren Berry and John Berry, Sr., the foundation was created to advance their vision for entrepreneurship and community support.
Since its first gift in 1985, The Berry Family Foundation has granted nearly $2 million to Cedarville University. These contributions have supported the construction or renovation of eight campus buildings, including the Health Sciences Center, Stevens Student Center, Centennial Library, and the Center for Biblical and Theological Studies.
Most recently, the foundation and members of the Berry family donated $1.25 million to the One Thousand Days Transformed campaign for the new Scharnberg Business and Communication Center, which opened in fall 2024.
In addition, the family of the late John W. Berry, Sr. contributed $2.3 million to help construct the Dixon Ministry Center and to establish Cedarville鈥檚 only endowed chair. The Berry Chair for Free Enterprise has enriched academic opportunities within the Robert W. Plaster School of Business and reinforced the University鈥檚 commitment to free-market principles from a Christian worldview.
We are immensely grateful for the Berry Family鈥檚 longstanding partnership. Their financial support continues to make a lasting impact on Cedarville鈥檚 students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
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