George E. Gasser, former CEO and youngest of the three founding brothers of Gasser Chair Company, died last week in his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio. He was 80. In the mid-1940s, George and two of his brothers, Louis and Roger, set up in a family-owned three-story horse barn. With enduring work ethics, machinist skills, and experience in working with a relatively new material at that time, aluminum, they set about offering their services to local companies for such jobs as assembling aluminum storm windows and screens, welding aluminum beer kegs, and fabricating custom aluminum parts for a prototype one-man helicopter.
They began designing and manufacturing aluminum-frame dinette sets and soon founded Gasser Chair in early 1946. With minor success selling these chairs and tables close to home, a young George Gasser loaded a few chairs into the back of his car and headed to Chicago in 1948 to exhibit at the National Restaurant Show. He came back with an order and several good leads. Today, the Gasser family continues the tradition and philosophy of developing innovative solutions to customers’ seating requirements and skillfully manufacturing the finest quality seating.
George is survived by his wife, Janet; eight children; eighteen grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
