Fourth generation of leadership at French Oil Mill Machinery

PIQUA, Ohio—Tayte French Lutz knows the family-owned French Oil Mill Machinery Co. inside and out, having worked at just about every level of the business since joining the company in 2010.

Lutz recently was promoted to vice president of the hydraulic and screw press, mixing systems and polymer equipment manufacturer.

The promotion follows her June 15 graduation from the Harvard Business School Owner President Management program, located in Cambridge, Mass.

"I am extremely happy that Tayte continues to grow in her role as the fourth generation of the French family, now as vice president," said Daniel French, Lutz's father, CEO and chairman of the board. "Tayte's success signals long-term continuity for our customers and employees, and her keen business and marketing skills will contribute to the company's continued growth and world-wide development."

The Harvard Business School website states that graduates of OPM "emerge as visionary entrepreneurial leaders, ready to inspire an agile culture, lead organizational change, capitalize on disruptive innovation and sustain enterprise success."

At French Oil, Lutz has experience in manufacturing, management and marketing.

Outside of French Oil, she has worked in the retail and fashion industries, honing her skills in brand management with Bloomingdale's and DKNY in New York City; and in Paris, where she worked in marketing with the MBA Institute.

She now is part of a four-person leadership team at the French Oil Machinery headquarters not far from Dayton, which boasts more than 225,000 square feet of office and manufacturing space.

"Our family business is long known as a global leader for its continuous innovation, quality design and manufacturing, (and it) has always been an important part of my life," Lutz said. "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the company at this level, and to continue our family's history."

French Oil Mill Machinery, which prides itself on custom designs for machinery for synthetic rubber production and oilseed processing, began in 1900. Family ownership has continued for that 122-year history.