CONTINUING THE LEGACY
IN THE NEWS
General Films, Inc. Updated October 9, 2020
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Covington School Board of Education Recognizes General Films for Legacy of Community Service
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Covington, OH—October 9, 2020 — General Films was awarded the Ohio School Board Association’s Business Honor Roll at the September 16, 2020, Covington Exempted Village Schools Board of Education meeting.
For 75 years, General Films has been honored to partner with our community on education initiatives. The OSBA Business Honor Roll program recognizes just that—areas where businesses and schools are able to collaborate, ensuring that schools receive the support and real-world experience they need today while businesses are able to share the workforce skills students needs for tomorrow.
General Films Founder Roy J. Weikert began his education in a single-room schoolhouse before eventually graduating from Covington High School. Following graduation, Roy attended Columbia University in New York City and completed his Bachelor of Science Degree at The Ohio State University in Columbus.
Roy’s passion for learning was reflected not only in his formal education but also in his profession. A lifelong learner, it was Roy’s insatiable curiosity and inventiveness that led to General Films. Prior to WWII, Roy invented a manufacturing process that pioneered the Company’s first product; a plastic protector for men’s hats.
Following service in the war—and along with his brother, Wayne—Roy’s curiosity and energy turned to creating new products and building a manufacturing business. It was then that General Films was officially founded, making Roy an industry icon and flexible film leader.
Today, General Films’ commitment to education and invention continues. Through the RJW Foundation, General Films presented Covington EVS with a gift that funded computers, plus a business education initiative. Later donations supported renovations and improvements to the school’s theatre.
It was Roy’s nephew and current General Films CEO Tim Weikert who accepted the award. “Covington continues to be the setting for our company and family’s story,” said Tim Weikert. “We are honored to help support a new generation of learners and innovators, who we hope will look to Roy and General Films as their inspiration.”
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