John H. Patterson

1844 – 1922

John H. Patterson was the President and principal owner of the
National Cash Register Company (NCR), was a civic force to be reckoned with. He was highly skilled at adapting good ideas from any source and making them better. He pioneered such now standard practices as the employee newspaper, an employee suggestion box, a sales force reward system, sales conventions, service contracts, direct mail advertising, and the introduction of a humane working environment for factory employees. He could be dictatorial and fired an impressive array of NCR employees who took his methods and started their own successful businesses. Yet he also created model factories and social programs for employees and the citizens of Dayton that were studied and emulated by others. It was Patterson who donated Hills and Dales Park to the City of Dayton.