Tootsie Roll Leadership

Leadership & Board

Tootsie Roll was founded by Leo Hirshfield a who was originally from Austria, and moved to New York City to start a candy shop. Hirshfield wanted to grow his candy business and merge his candy business with a candy manufacturer Stern & Staalberg. In 1922 the company was name Sweets Company of America, and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

In 1948, William Rubin was named the company president. Rubin put a lot of focus on marketing and advertisng for the company. The company marketing campaigns consisted of magazine adverstisements, and television commericals featured on classic childeren programs such as Howdy Doody Show, and the Mickey Mouse Club. The company prospered under Rubin’s leadership, and the demand for the candy consistently increased each year. Rubin had a daughter name Ellen who married Melvin Gordon.

In 1962, Melvin Gordon became CEO and continued to lead the company on a path of success. In 1966, under Melvin Gordon’s leadership the company changes its name to Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. Ellen Gordon had served in several different roles within Tootsie Roll, and in 1978 became president of Tootsie Roll. In 2006, Melvin Gordon and Ellen Gordon controlled 80 percent of the

The company was featured on Forbe’s honor of small companies. The company had a skillful management style, and was also recognized on CFO magazine list of America’s strongest companies. The Gordon’s describe their leadership as hands on management, and able to make quick decisions at a moment’s notice. The company has a vertical style of leadership, and the Gordon’s contribute the company’s success to this style of management. The company likes to have control over its resources, and owns its sugar refinery, printing press, advertising agency, rebuilds machinery in house, and even makes the sticks for the Tootsie Roll