Cintas Founder and Chairman Emeritus Retires

Cintas Corp., Mason, OH, recently announced that Richard T. Farmer has informed the company’s board of directors that he will not seek re-election to Cintas’ board. Farmer will retain the chairman emeritus title but will not take part in board meetings or other activities after Oct. 30, according to a news release.

Farmer created Cintas from a family-owned business processing shop towels in Cincinnati. Soon after graduating from college in 1956, Farmer joined his family’s business as a sales representative. He was eventually named president of the company. In 1968, Farmer left the family business to test a new concept that involved unique fabrics and processing systems for uniforms which ultimately revolutionized the entire industry.

Within two years, Farmer’s new company, Satellite Corp., was so successful that it acquired the family business. In the mid-1970s, Satellite was renamed Cintas Corp. The company went public in 1983. Farmer served as CEO through 1995 and as board chairman through 2010. Since that time, he has held the title of chairman emeritus.

Today, Cintas is a Fortune 500 company with revenues of $6.47 billion. The company employs 43,000 employee-partners in more than 400 locations across the U.S. and Canada.

“My father has been the heart and soul of Cintas for many years,” said Cintas’ Chairman and CEO Scott D. Farmer. “His vision and commitment have helped the company thrive and positioned it for even greater success in the future.”