Richard T. Farmer (1934 or 1935 – August 4, 2021) was an American businessman known for his tenure as chief executive officer of Cintas from 1968 to 2003.
Career
Farmer worked for his father in the family business, Acme Wiper and Industrial Laundry, through childhood, high school, and college. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Business from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1956. At Miami, he became a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. After graduation, he served in the United States Marines before being honorably discharged, coming on full-time with the family business in 1957.
In 1959, Farmer's father transferred operation of the business to Richard. In 1962, the company name was changed to Acme Uniform & Towel Supply to reflect the uniform rental growth segment. By 1966, Acme annual revenues had grown to $1.8 million.
In 1968 Farmer created a new company, Satellite Corp., to provide a centralized distribution system and to develop smaller uniform plants in major U.S. cities. In 1973, Satellite acquired Acme and became known as Cintas. The company became publicly traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange in 1983.
Cintas is not only the nation's leading corporate uniform provider, but beginning in 1996 it greatly diversified and currently manufactures and implements corporate identity uniform programs and provides entrance mats, restroom supplies, promotional products, first aid and safety products, fire protection services and document management services.
Farmer served as Cintas Corporation's CEO from 1968 to August 1, 1995. He served as chairman from 1968 until his retirement on October 20, 2009, when he assumed the role of chairman emeritus and remained on the board of directors.
In 2005, they announced a $30 million leadership gift through the Farmer Family Foundation, of which $25 million helped underwrite the construction of Farmer Hall and $5 million was earmarked for faculty support. Farmer also authored a book, "Rags to Riches."