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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Sponsor

Honored by:

PERSONAL
Ralph Cobey, born Sycamore, Ohio, August 15, 1909
Married Hortense Kohn, February 28, 1944
Two daughters: Minnie and Susanne
OCCUPATION - INDUSTRIALIST
1990 - date Chairman of the Board, Eagle Crusher Company, Inc.
1953 - date President, Harry Cobey Foundation
1950 - date President, World Wide Investment Company
1954 - 1990 President, Eagle Crusher Company, Inc.
1979 - 1990 President, Madsen Asphalt Company
1978 - 1990 President, Scoopmobile Company
1974 - 1990 President, Austin-Western Company
1972 - 1990 President, Diamond Iron Works, Inc.
1965 - 1982 Member, Board of Directors, The First National Bank
1965 - 1970 President, Philips-Davies Company
1962 - 1970 President, Sky Line Company
1949 - 1970 President, Perfection-Cobey Company
1945 - 1970 President, Perfection Steel Body Company
1946 - 1970 President, Cobey Corporation
MILITARY SERVICE
1951 U.S. Air Force, Korea
1942 - 1945 Armed Services, World War II, U.S.A.F.
EDUCATION
Carnegie Institute of Technology - Mechanical Engineering
Graduate of Galion Schools
SPECIAL APPOINTMENTS
1981 State of Ohio Ambassador of Natural Resources, appointed by Governor Rhodes
1972 - 1974 Chairman of Malabar Advisory Committee, appointed Governor Gilligan
1971 - 1972 Member, Governor Gilligan's Citizens' Task Force on Environmental Protection, appointed by Governor Gilligan, Senator John Glenn, Chairman
1966 Chairman of the Commerce and Industry Committee, appointed by Governor James Rhodes
1962 - 1966 Member, President Kennedy and President Johnson's Tax Committee
1964 Member, Ohio Expositions Commission, appointed by Governor James Rhodes
1959 Chosen by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America to present an Honorary Doctor of Law Degree to President Harry Truman
1958 Member, (Republican) original Ohio Expositions Commission, appointed by Governor DiSalle
1957 - 1958 Member, Governor's Advisory Council on Economics, State of Ohio, appointed by Governor C. William O'Neil
1956 & 1958 Represented Ohio Industry, Washington, D.C. at Industrial Safety Committee, appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower
1954 Committee Member, Indian Affairs for Industrial Development, appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower
1949 Taxation, Foreign Affairs and Labor Relations member, appointed by President Harry Truman
1939 - 1942 O.P.M. Dollar-a-Year Man, Washington, D.C., appointed by President Roosevelt in charge of Army Tank Production and Facilities, Washington, D.C.
Appointed by Governor Gilligan to represent the State of Ohio at the Seattle World's Fair
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
2001 Inducted into the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame. An honor accorded Ohioans whose outstanding contributions to the preservation, protection and wise management of the state's natural resources have been the product of a lifetime devoted to furthering the best interests of conservation.
2001 Recipient of the 2011 Louis Bromfield Society Award for his lifetime of distinguished achievement and especially in recognition and appreciation of his leadership in the preservation of Malabar Farm.
1999 Mayor Douglas Wilson of Bucyrus, Ohio issued proclamation naming December 20, 1999 as "Ralph Cobey Day in the City of Bucyrus" in honor of Ralph Cobey's accomplishments.
1999 Enshrined into the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame at ceremonies conducted in the Rhodes Youth Center on the Ohio State Fairgrounds. Award presented by Governor James Taft, Ohio Agriculture Direct Fred Daily and Thomas McNutt, Executive Director. The Agricultural Hall of Fame is reserved only for four individuals a year who have contributed to Ohio agriculture in an outstanding fashion.
1996 Received framed acclamation from the Ohio House of Representatives for his support to the principles of democracy and his life-time commitment to humanitarianism, presented by Representative Joan Lawrence.
1995 Received Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award from the Heart of Ohio Council, Boy Scouts of America, presented by Jere Ratcliffe, Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America.
1995 City Council of Galion, Ohio issued proclamation naming November 30, 1995 as "Ralph Cobey Day" in honor of Ralph Cobey's accomplishments.
1992 Received Baden-Powell World Fellowship Scouting Award, presented by H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
1987 Received Boy Scout Silver Beaver Award
1987 Recognized by Carnegie-Mellon University as one of six outstanding living alumni
1986 Received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Carnegie-Mellon University
1986 Received Boy Scout Distinguished Eagle Award
1985 Received recognition reading "in appreciation to Ralph Cobey for many years leadership, boy Scouts of America", for over 65 years
1982 Ohio Conservation Achievement Award
1974 Alumni Merit Award from the Alumni Association of Carnegie-Mellon University
1969 Wisdom Award of Honor for the Year, by the Wisdom Encyclopedia
1958 Honorary "Doctor of Science" conferred by Findlay College
1945 Recipient Defense Department, Commendation for contribution to B-29 Bomber Program, World War II
1926 Received Eagle Scout Award from Lord Baden-Powell at Detroit, MI
Received Silver, Bronze and Gold Palms from Boy Scouts of America
Received almost all Merit Badges available at the time from Boy Scouts of America
Nominated from Johnny Appleseed Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, to compete for trip to South Pole with Admiral Byrd.
CIVID AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
1984 President, Galion Shrine Club
1950 - date Member of Board, Tiffereth Israel of Columbus, Ohio
1956 - 1988 Board of Overseers of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
1974 - 1984 Mounted Deputy Sheriff, Morrow Country, Ohio
1972 - 1978 President and Special Gifts Chairman, Heart Fund, Crawford Country, Ohio
1971 - 1972 Chairman, Community Heart Fund Campaign
1956 - 1960 President, Friends of the Land International
1943 Scoutmaster, Air Scout Troop, Wright-Patterson AFB
1937 District Scout Commissioner, Boy Scouts of America
1935 Scoutmaster of Troop 2, Boy Scouts of America
1932 Scoutmaster of Troop 1, boy Scouts of America
1926 Senior Patrol Leader, Boy Scouts of America
Mason, 32nd Degree
Executive Advisory Council of the National Register of Prominent Americans
Chairman of Special Gifts Committee, National Conference of Christians and Jews
Member, Board of Morrow County United Appeal
Trustee, Galion City Hospital Foundation Board
Area Chairman, U.S. Savings Bond Program
Member, Board of Directors, Johnny Appleseed Council, Boy Scouts of America
Chairman, Long Range Planning Committee, Johnny Appleseed Council, BSA
Member, National and Local Associations, 4-H Clubs, Future Farmers of America
Member, United States Chamber of Commerce
Member, National and Ohio Associations of Manufacturers
Member, Farm Implement Institution
Member, National Limestone Association
Member, Sand and Gravel Association
Member, American Mining Association
Committee Member, Radio Free Europe
Member, Ohio Republican Finance Committee
Member, National Republican Finance Committee
Honorary Lifetime Member, Galion Community Center
President's Advisory Council for Development, Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio
Member, President's Council, Ohio State University
Member, President's Club, Ohio State University
Board Member, Andrew Carnegie Society
PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITIES
1972 Gifted Malabar Farm to the State of Ohio
1956 - 1972 Founder, Chairman, and Manager, Board of Trustees, Louis Bromfield Malabar Farm Foundation
Chairman and Founder, Minnie Cobey Memorial Library, Columbus, Ohio
Chairman and Founder, Harry Cobey Foundation
1950 - date Pioneered and instituted weekly non-denominational chapel services in plant facilities and offices
1943 Presented a model of the "Kitty Hawk" to Orville Wright at the National Cash Register Auditorium, Dayton, Ohio
PUBLICATIONS
Biographical data listed in:
Community Leaders of America Outstanding and Distinguished
International Businessmen's Who's Who
International Notables
National Register of Prominent Americans
Notable Americans of the Bicentennial Era
Who's Who in America
Who's Who in the Auto Industry
Who's Who International Year Book and Statesmen
Who's Who in the Midwest
Who's Who in the Steel Industry
Who's Who in the World
5,000 Personalities of the World
Also, Colonel Charles Lindberg and I knew each other quite well during World War II when he was stationed at B24 Bomber Place in Epsilon, Michigan.