Southwestern Family of Companies

In 1855, Southwestern Publishing House was established in Nashville, Tennessee.[3] The company's name was chosen because, at that time, Nashville was in the southwestern part of the United States. Founded by the Baptist minister James Robinson Graves, Southwestern originally published The Tennessee Baptist,[3] a Southern Baptist newspaper, and religious booklets which were sold by mail for 20¢ and 30¢ each.

Before the Civil War, most bibles were printed in the North, rather than the South.[3] Graves acquired stereotype plates from the North and began printing bibles for sale in August 1861.[3] He also produced and sold educational books.[3] After the 1864 Battle of Nashville resulted in a Union victory, Graves relocated to Memphis, as he felt vulnerable because of articles he had published against the North.[3] The company resumed publishing in 1867.[3]

In 1868, Graves discontinued the company’s mail order business, and began training young men as independent dealers to sell bibles and educational books door-to-door as a way to earn money for college.[3] Graves retired in 1871.[3]

In 1879 the company relocated to Nashville[3] under the new ownership of Jacob Florida. In 1899, P. B. Jones acquired majority ownership and became President and General Manager. In 1921, J. B. Henderson, a sixteen-year veteran who started in the summer sales program became the sole owner. During the 1920s, the firm grew to one of the largest person-to-person sales companies in America.

By 1947, Southwestern had lost nearly all of its independent dealers as a result of World War II. It was rebuilt, and experienced tremendous growth as the United States rebounded from the Great Depression. The number of independent reps grew to over 1,500.

In 1959 Oldham, a 24-year veteran who started in the summer sales program, became the majority shareholder of Southwestern; his ownership role would last until 1968, and his presidential role would last until 1972. J. Fred Landers was also made 49% owner at this time and continued his career with Southwestern until he died in 1987. The Southwestern Family of Companies headquarters is named after Fred for his deep contributions to the culture of the company.[4]

In 1968, Times-Mirror Company acquired ownership of Southwestern.

Also in 1959, Spencer Hays graduated from TCU and joined the company. He helped the company expand into selling reference books, cookbooks, and children’s books; as well as providing fundraising services, and selling hospital flooring and cancer insurance.[5]

In 1975, Times-Mirror formed a fund-raising company called Nashville Educational Marketing Services under Southwestern, later to be renamed Great American Opportunities. Jerry Heffel became the company's president in 1980.

In 1982, Times-Mirror agreed to sell Southwestern, then a $30-million-a-year company, back to a group of company executives.[6] Hays was named executive chairman of the board and Ralph Mosley was named chairman and CEO.[5]

Southwestern earned position 4,832 on the Inc. 5000 list in 2012 of the fastest growing private companies in the United States.[7]

In July 2022, Henry Bedford was named CEO when Dustin Hillis stepped down.[8] Bedford had been with Southwestern Family of Companies for 49 years, served as chairman of the board, and previously held the CEO position.[8]

After the leveraged buyout in 1982 from Times-Mirror that formed Southwestern Family of Companies continued to expand. The conglomerate’s businesses include consulting, financial services, real estate, and executive search.[6] In a conglomerate, “one company owns a controlling stake in several smaller companies, conducting business separately and independently.”[9]