History Timeline
Frank Phillips and his two younger brothers: Owen and Dwight. Image Courtesy of the Phillips family.
History Timeline
1920-1940
1920: Frank G. Phillips purchases his first dump truck with the help of a loan from his father. He fills his days hauling gravel with his Uncle Charlie.
1933: Frank loses his trucks and employees after the company with which he is contracted runs out of money while building a road near Huffman Dam.
1940: After purchasing a milk route in the early to mid 1930s, Frank is successful enough to expand his milk route and begin to think about returning to the gravel business.
History Timeline
1940-1960
1942: Clark Bell sells his gravel pit to Frank at a fraction of its value. In return he expects a royalty for each yard of gravel hauled from the pit. With a gravel pit of his own, Frank founds Phillips Sand and Gravel Company.
1943: Don and Richard Phillips had been helping their father run his new business when they were drafted. Their experience with heavy machinery proved valuable. Don worked a crane at Pearl Harbor and Richard ran a variety of heavy machinery for the air force in Italy.
Phillips Sand and Gravel at the Bell Gravel Pit. Image Courtesy of the Phillips family.
Don and Richard Phillips. Image Courtesy of the Phillips family.
The 1929 Insley Excavator. Image courtesy of the Phillips family.
A Phillips Company truck in 1946. Image courtesy of the Phillips family.
History Timeline
1940-1960
1945: Frank G. Phillips purchases the second of two Insley excavators. The second excavator, a 1929 model, sits in front of the Phillips Company offices to this day. Don and Richard Phillips return to the company after the war. They are ready to enter into a partnership with their father. Three new trucks are purchased.
1947: Phillips Sand and Gravel purchases an army surplus gravel plant. A major step in the processing of gravel for the company.
1947-1948: Phillips Sand and Gravel expands to a gravel pit on Shakertown Road. Another smaller gravel pit is purchased from the Coy family on Patterson Road.
1949-1950: The Phillips Excavating department is formed.
1955: The Phillips Companies purchase land near the construction site of Highway 35.
History Timeline
1960-1980
1961: After some consideration, The Phillips Companies opt to enter the ready-mix business. With James Wills as a fourth party, the Phillips Companies founded Phillips Ready Mix. It is also at this time that the profit sharing plan is implemented.
1961: The Phillips Companies purchases a gravel pit on Haines Road. It is at this time that the company begins a period of rapid growth that is good for the company but places some stress on all employees and leadership.
1967: As the 1960’s progressed, Frank G. Phillips health continued to deteriorate. In 1966 he had a number of strokes that weakened him considerably. In March of 1967 he passed on. It was a considerable blow to the family.
1968-1969: Ed Phillips joins Associated Builders & Contractors Board.
The Phillips Companies 1967 ready-mix fleet. Image Courtesy of the Phillips family.
Phillips crane in action. Image courtesy of Phillips family.
History Timeline
1960-1980
1967: Bob Phillips, Richard Phillips’ son, is the first Phillips of the third generation to join the company.
1970: Richard Phillips’ second son, Rick, begins to work for the company.
1972: Don Phillips’ son, Dennis, joins the company.
Bob Phillips. Image courtesy of Phillips family.
Rick Phillips. Image courtesy of Phillips family.
Dennis Phillips. Image courtesy of Phillips family.
1973-1974: Phillips Companies begins a crane service. Lifting housing trusses is a significant source of business.
History Timeline
1960-1980
1975: A gravel plant is constructed at Haines Road location.
1976: Phillips gains recognition for having one of the first front wheel drive ready mix trucks.
1978: When the blizzard of 1978 struck the Dayton region, Phillips was key to clearing roads and rescuing the isolated. Phillips employees worked non-stop in shifts until the roads were clear.
1978-1979: Phillips Companies begin concrete pumping services.
1979: As the Phillips Companies continued to grow it built additions to its office building in order to accommodate additional employees. 1979 was one of no less than five separate occasions in which the original Phillips office received an addition.
A sealed document from the United States House of Representatives commending Phillips Companies for fifty years of service to the community including the 1978 blizzard. Phillips Company Collection.
The 1979 addition under construction. Image courtesy of the Phillips family.
“Le Shelter:” A French prototype bomb shelter that was installed by The Phillips Companies. Newspaper Clipping, origin unknown.
History Timeline
1980-2000
1983: The Phillips Companies receive their ninth consecutive safety award from the National Ready-Mix Concrete Association. Phillips also conducts in house conversion of rear wheel drive ready-mix trucks to all wheel drive.
“Le Shelter”: In April of 1983, The Phillips Companies assisted in the installation of a French bomb shelter. The French shelter was tested alongside an American Shelter in order to determine which was more effective. It was casually referred to as “Le Shelter.”
1987: The Frank and Grace Memorial Scholarship is created for Beavercreek high school. For Phillips Companies, it is an investment for the future wellbeing of the community. Ed Phillips’ son, Brad, joins the company the same year.
A Phillips dump truck converted into a gravel shooter. Image courtesy of the Phillips family.
History Timeline
1980-2000
1987: Ed Phillips’ son, Brad, joins the company.
1988: Richard Phillips’ son, Frank C. Phillips, joins the company.
Brad Phillips. Image courtesy of the Phillips family.
Frank C. Phillips. Image courtesy of the Phillips family.
Gravel Shooting (1988): Phillips converts some of its dump trucks into gravel shooters.
History Timeline
1980-2000
1991: Rick Phillips’ son, Jason, joins the company. He is the first 4th generation employee.
1995: Rick Phillips’ son, Rich, joins the company.
1997: Ed Phillips’ son, Larry, joins the company. He is a third generation employee.
Jason Phillips. Image courtesy of the Phillips family.
Rich Phillips. Image courtesy of Phillips family.
Larry Phillips. Image courtesy of the Phillips family.
A Phillips Ready Mix truck at Wright State University. Photo taken by author.
The Vandalia gravel plant. 2010. Image Courtesy of the Philips family.
History Timeline
2000-2010
2000: The Phillips Companies ends plans to operate an asphalt plant in the Xenia Township. Phillips also begins to convert its fleet of ready-mix trucks to front discharge mixers.
2002: Richard Phillips passes away.
2003: Ed Phillips is selected to be chairman of the board of directors for the Ohio Ready-Mix Association.
2005: GPS technology is introduced to the excavating department.
2009: Brad Phillips’ son Dan Phillips begins to work in the business.
2010: The Phillips Companies purchases a gravel pit on Old Springfield Road, Vandalia, from Miller Brothers Gravel.
History Timeline
2011-2023
2011: Bob Phillips passes away.
2014: Larry Phillips is elected president of the Homebuilder’s Association of Dayton
2014: Frank Phillips elected Chairman of Ohio Ready Mix Association
2015: Don Phillips passes away
2015: Jason Phillips’ son Austin Phillips joins the business as the first 5th generation employee
2019: Brad Phillips elected Board Chair of Clark State
2022: Phillips adds a second ready mix plant on Dryden Rd in Moraine
2022: Celebrated 80th anniversary with company party at Kings Island
2023: Brad Phillips elected Boy Scouts of America President
