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Home :: About Us :: History 1927-1955

The Boom Years: 1927-1955

Some called him a business visionary. Others called him an arrogant playboy out to destroy his father's fortune. But one thing everyone could agree on -- Andy Jr. was great at parties.

Married seven times, and the father of 13 children (12 out of wedlock), Andy II had the reputation for fast planes, fast talking, and fast women. Though many disapproved of his antisocial behavior, Andy II was solely responsible for taking The Andrew Company from a regional family business, to a national corporate powerhouse.

Andy II's zest for living, however, was ultimately his downfall. In 1955 he vanished without a trace while flying over the Japanese Sea, leaving the company entirely to his first-born son -- Andy III. Legend has it that after transferring large amounts of cash into a Swiss bank account, he possibly staged his disappearance -- blissfully living out the remainder of his life on a remote Pacific island with dozens of beautiful Polynesian girls.

We may never know.

A true marketing pioneer, this early photo of Andy II (c. 1927) pictures him with his mobile loudspeaker used to promote the company -- an early innovation.

More History

An avid pilot, Andy II owned 7 airplanes -- each named after an ex-wife.

If Andy's first love was flying, then his second passion was spitting. Here's a sterling silver spittoon from his extensive collection. At the time of Andy II's untimely disappearance, he owned over 35,000 spittoons from around the world - too many to show here. (courtesy of the Andyco Archive).