David Derrow, Ohio Transmission Corporation Co-Founder, Dies at 95 - Modern Distribution Management

David Derrow, Ohio Transmission Corporation Co-Founder, Dies at 95

Derrow founded OTC with his business partner, Phil Carstens, in 1963.

Ohio Transmission Corporation, an industrial equipment service provider and distributor headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, announced the passing of company co-founder David Derrow. 

“Although David has not been active in Ohio Transmission Corporation for many years, the values that he instilled remain the foundation of how we work for our customers, suppliers and other associates,” said Matt Piatt, COO/CFO of Ohio Transmission Corp. “The impact that he made to those both within OTC and the broader distribution world will not soon be forgotten.” 

In a 1999 interview with the Columbus Jewish Historical Society, Derrow said that after World War II, he went to work for his father-in-law, who was a partner in Bernstein Brothers Inc., a distributor of mechanical and electrical power transmission equipment, pumps and air compressors in Paterson, N.J. He eventually became vice president and general manager. In 1963, he moved his young family to Columbus, Ohio, where he built a thriving company now known as Ohio Transmission Corporation. Derrow founded OTC with his business partner, Phil Carstens. 

In the 1960s, the company had six employees. Ohio Transmission Corporation today has 37 locations throughout the South, Southeast, Midwest and Northeast regions, along with 16 service shops and has a workforce of more than 900 employees. His son, Philip Derrow, is President/CEO of Ohio Transmission Corp.

About Ohio Transmission Corporation 

Established in 1963, Ohio Transmission Corporation is one of the largest industrial distributors and service providers in the United States. Its divisions include OTP Industrial Solutions, a provider of expert solutions for industrial motion control, factory automation, fluid power, pumping systems, spray finishing and power transmission; and Air Technologies®, a compressed air system equipment and service provider and the largest distributor of Atlas Copco compressed air equipment in North America. Ohio Transmission Corporation maintains locations throughout the South and the Midwest and Northeast regions.

Ohio Transmission Corp. ranked number 28 on MDM’s 2018 Top Industrial Distributors List.

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