Welcome to the result of a lengthy project that has truly been a labor of love. As The Western States Machine Company approached the century mark, we sought to commemorate our proud history by capturing it for posterity through a book. Our intent was not to craft a scholarly history laden with dates, statistics, and details of corporate governance. Instead, we hoped to capture the personality of Western States, which has been driven by its people since that day in 1894, when a 16-year-old boy named Eugene Roberts started work in the Lehi Beet Sugar Plant owned by the Utah Sugar Company. Human nature leads us to focus our energies on current tasks, making it all too About This Book easy to forget the road that brought us to where we are. As our company prepared to celebrate this milestone, the Board of Directors recognized the importance of capturing our accumulative memories. Yes, inside you’ll find those key dates and milestones, product descriptions, and other corporate matters associated with a company that has thrived for a century. More important, though, you’ll meet the people who have made Western States what it is. As you leaf through these pages, you’ll get to know company leaders, as well as the folks that staffed our production floors, administrative facilities, and sales offices. You’ll read about our company’s ten decades through their eyes. We suspect that some of their stories will bring you to laughter, some to tears, and many to a sense of wonder at what they accomplished and their sense of pride. We dedicate this book to all the men and women who have been part of the Western States family since 1917. This includes our U.S. and Global Partners, our suppliers, our long-time customers and all those associated with our company who have contributed to our success. To those who will extend the legacy of our founder, Eugene Roberts, may it serve as evidence of the value of quality, integrity, personal concern, innovation, and above all, the importance of service to others.