Lynn and Neil Circa 1978
(Yes, we have been doing this a long time!)
The History of the Burcaw Company
Burcaw Company and Associates, Inc. is a combination of two of the oldest Manufacturers Representative firms in the State of Michigan.
Burcaw
After a successful career in electronics, culminating in the position of Sales Manager of Cornell Dubilier Electric Company, Mr. Kenneth C. Burcaw formed the K. C. Burcaw and Company with William S. Lee on October 22, 1952. Mr. Lee left the company and in September of 1957 the company became the K. C. Burcaw Company.
Mr. Burcaw took his nephew into the firm and in February 1959, the company became Burcaw-Cowan & Company. In March 1967, after Mr. Burcaw's nephew left the firm the name was again changed and still remains, Burcaw Company and Associates, Inc.
Lynn Toussaint and Neil Wood bought the company in 1986.
Shalco
Shalco was the oldest representative agency in Michigan. It was founded in 1923 by H. E. (Pat) Haggerty as Haggerty Sales Company. After a brief stint as Haggerty-Wells Co., the firm became Haggerty-Ludwig & Company when Carl Ludwig joined them in 1954. When Bill Sullivan came on board it became Haggerty, Ludwig and Sullivan Company. When this proved too unwieldy, the acronym Shalco was devised: S for Sullivan, HA for Haggerty, L for Ludwig, and CO for Company. Bill McCall joined the firm in 1969 after Sullivan's death. Shalco was owned by Ludwig and McCall until 1993 when it was purchased by Rick Wright.
In 1997 Lynn, Neil and Rick had a meeting to discuss the future of the rep business and decided a very strong rep firm could be built by combining Shalco and Burcaw. So, on June 1st, 1997 Shalco and Burcaw were merged to form the company it was until November of 2007. Sarah Shier joined the company in the summer of 2007.
In May of 2009, we have decided to move to a virtual office.
