Cardinal Chemicals Incorporated

This page given by the Tobacco Farm Life Museum at the Excellence in Agriculture Dinner on November 22, 2002, honoring the outstanding contributions of our agribusiness community.

Cardinal Chemicals Incorporated

The incorporation of Cardinal Chemicals took place on November 1, 1974. At the helm were its four founders; Joe Burks, Don Williamson, Marshall Donathan, and Fred Woodfin. The four men started their business at two locations. In Kinston, North Carolina, they established their home office where it still leads the company today. In Aberdeen, North Carolina, the company established a second office with Marshall Donathan as the manager and salesman.

From their beginning, the founders established a strong mission for Cardinal Chemicals. Primarily, they focused on marketing agricultural chemicals and related products to a number of buyers, from the small farmer to larger companies. In reaching their goals, Cardinal salesman were encouraged to establish close working relationships with each of their customers, and still follow that same standard today. Having established a winning combination of products and marketing, Cardinal Chemicals branched out and opened other locations in Greensboro, Wilson, Windsor, New Bern, and Edenton.

Cardinal Chemical is still expanding. Their newest venture has been to open a home, garden, and hardware store at their Greensboro location. Since their start in 1974, the company has grown to employ over fifty people, including seven warehouse managers, thirteen truck drivers, seven location managers, two additional managers, three full-time salesmen, ten administrative workers, and three new retail employees. Almost one-fifth of Cardinal Chemical's employees work at the Wilson location.

Cardinal Chemical also supports its local communities. The Wilson branch specifically helps the local fire, rescue, and police squads with fundraisers, is involved with local churches, and also makes donations to nonprofit organizations such as the Tobacco Farm Life Museum.

In the future, Cardinal Chemicals intends to maintain their close relationships with their customers, keeping pace with new advances in agricultural chemicals, and expanding with the ever growing and changing needs of farmers.