Raymond E. Olson
Raymond E. Olson was an American engineer and corporate executive who served as President of the Taylor Instrument Companies from late 1951 through 1965, guiding the enterprise through a critical era of post-World War II automation and commercial expansion.
An alumnus of the Rochester Institute of Technology, Olson combined deep technical training with commercial leadership, advancing from engineering and nationwide sales management into upper corporate governance and representing upstate industry on the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Education and Early Career
Olson completed his formal engineering education in Rochester, earning his degree in mechanical engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in 1916.
Entering the precision instrumentation trade during the height of World War I industrial mobilization, Olson advanced through the company over several decades:
- Led key technical sales initiatives as General Sales Manager, broadening commercial contracts in food processing, petroleum refining, and chemical processing.
- Promoted to Vice President and elected to the Board of Directors, playing a central role in corporate planning and plant infrastructure through the World War II mobilization period.
Presidency (1951–1965)
In late 1951, Raymond E. Olson was elected President of the Taylor Instrument Companies, taking office as chief executive for 1952. He succeeded Lewis B. Swift, who stepped into the position of Chairman of the Board.
Key milestones of Olson’s fourteen-year presidency include:
- Centennial Leadership: Assumed top executive duties just as the company concluded its 100-year centennial celebrations (1851–1951), positioning Taylor for a second century of industrial manufacturing.
- Post-War Automation Transition: Steered company engineering from purely pneumatic controls toward combined electronic, electric, and early solid-state measuring instruments.
- National & Global Expansion: Expanded domestic sales branches and factory branch plants, meeting surging post-war demand across North America and overseas markets.
Federal Reserve Bank Directorship
Recognized as a leading industrialist in western New York, Olson was elected as a Class B Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, serving from the late 1950s into the early 1960s to represent commerce and manufacturing in the Second Federal Reserve District.
Chairman of the Board & Succession
In 1965, Olson concluded fourteen years of executive administration, stepping down as President. He was succeeded by Marc E. Porter, former Vice President and General Manager.
Following his presidency, Olson was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors, where he continued to advise corporate policy leading up to the firm's 1968 merger with Ritter Pfaudler Corporation to form the Sybron Corporation.
Archival Primary Sources
Executive records, board minutes, and post-war automation publications from the presidency of Raymond E. Olson are preserved in the Taylor Instrument Company Papers (Collection D.75) at the University of Rochester Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation:
- Series I: General History — 1951 presidential election records, board minutes, and Federal Reserve correspondence.
- Series III: Business Papers — Post-WWII sales engineering catalogs, automation system specifications, and corporate annual reports.
