Richard Farmer, philanthropist and Cintas founder, dead at 86
Updated: 2:57 PM EDT Aug 5, 2021
Richard "Dick" Farmer, a well-known Cincinnati philanthropist and founder of Cintas, has died. He was 86. Farmer died Wednesday following a period of declining health, according to officials with Miami University, whose Farmer School of Business shares his namesake. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps., Farmer joined his family's Cincinnati-based Acme Wiper and Industrial Laundry Company, where he worked until 1968 before leaving to test new concepts and systems within the industry. Two years later, his newly formed company was able to purchase his family's business. Today, that company, Cintas, is a $17 billion public company with more than 40,000 employees and is the nation's leading supplier of uniforms.“Everyone at Cintas is deeply saddened by the passing of Dick Farmer, our Founder and Chairman Emeritus," a statement from Cintas reads. "The story of Dick’s life is very much intertwined with the history of our company. His legacy and the culture of honesty, integrity, and professionalism that he instilled at Cintas continues today and into the future. Our sympathy goes out to the entire Farmer family, including Joyce, his beloved wife, and Scott Farmer, Dick’s son and Cintas’ Executive Chairman.”In 1992, Farmer and his wife, Joyce Barnes Farmer, provided the cornerstone gift to Miami's School of Business. A little more than a decade later, they announced a $30 million leadership gift through the Farmer Family Foundation, of which $25 million helped underwrite the construction of the Richard T. Farmer School of Business building, his namesake. Farmer also served terms as a university trustee, foundation board member and chair of the business school's board of visitorsFarmer's business acumen and community-centric attitude resulted in recognition on the local, regional and national level. He was inducted into the Greater Cincinnati Business Hall of Fame, named E&Y's Entrepreneur of the Year, was honored by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber as one of the "Great Living Cincinnatians" and was twice named CEO of the Year by Financial World magazine.
Richard "Dick" Farmer, a well-known Cincinnati philanthropist and founder of Cintas, has died. He was 86.
Farmer died Wednesday following a period of declining health, according to officials with Miami University, whose Farmer School of Business shares his namesake.
After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps., Farmer joined his family's Cincinnati-based Acme Wiper and Industrial Laundry Company, where he worked until 1968 before leaving to test new concepts and systems within the industry.
Two years later, his newly formed company was able to purchase his family's business. Today, that company, Cintas, is a $17 billion public company with more than 40,000 employees and is the nation's leading supplier of uniforms.
“Everyone at Cintas is deeply saddened by the passing of Dick Farmer, our Founder and Chairman Emeritus," a statement from Cintas reads. "The story of Dick’s life is very much intertwined with the history of our company. His legacy and the culture of honesty, integrity, and professionalism that he instilled at Cintas continues today and into the future. Our sympathy goes out to the entire Farmer family, including Joyce, his beloved wife, and Scott Farmer, Dick’s son and Cintas’ Executive Chairman.”
In 1992, Farmer and his wife, Joyce Barnes Farmer, provided the cornerstone gift to Miami's School of Business.
A little more than a decade later, they announced a $30 million leadership gift through the Farmer Family Foundation, of which $25 million helped underwrite the construction of the Richard T. Farmer School of Business building, his namesake.
Farmer also served terms as a university trustee, foundation board member and chair of the business school's board of visitors
Farmer's business acumen and community-centric attitude resulted in recognition on the local, regional and national level. He was inducted into the Greater Cincinnati Business Hall of Fame, named E&Y's Entrepreneur of the Year, was honored by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber as one of the "Great Living Cincinnatians" and was twice named CEO of the Year by Financial World magazine.
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