Pierrepont Trowbridge Noyes, longtime head of Oneida Ltd., the company that started as a religious commune and today considers itself the world's largest tableware maker, died on Wednesday at his home in Oneida, N.Y. He was 78 years old.
He died of multiple natural causes, his family said.
Mr. Noyes led Oneida Ltd. through a period of robust growth. He retired in 1981 as chairman and chief executive after 45 years with the company, taking the title of honorary chairman. At the time of his death he remained vice chairman of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and a member of the Saratoga-Capital District of the State Park, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commission.
He was the grandson of John Humphrey Noyes, who founded the Oneida Community in 1848. It began to manufacture flatware in 1877, disbanded three years later and evolved into Oneida Ltd. Mr. Noyes took the company into new fields, such as the food-service and industrial-wire industries.
A native of Kenwood, N.Y., he graduated from Colgate University and joined the company in 1936. Himself the son of a former company president, Pierrepont Burt Noyes, he underwent years of training in sales, production and management, gradually assuming greater responsibilities.
Mr. Noyes became president in 1960. He was elected chairman and re-elected president in 1967, resigned as president in 1978 and continued as chairman and chief executive until his retirement. Oneida products include stainless steel and silver-plated flatware, silver-plated holloware and items in sterling silver and gold plate. It also manufactures china for hotels, restaurants and others in the food-service sector.
Mr. Noyes, who owned horses, was a past director of Mid-State Raceway. He was long active in community and business affairs, including the local Community Chest and WCNY Public Broadcasting. He was a former trustee of his alma mater, Colgate.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, the former Phyllis Leland; a daughter, Melinda Noyes; a son, P. Geoffrey; a sister, Barbara Noyes Smith, all of Oneida, and five grandchildren.
He died of multiple natural causes, his family said.
Mr. Noyes led Oneida Ltd. through a period of robust growth. He retired in 1981 as chairman and chief executive after 45 years with the company, taking the title of honorary chairman. At the time of his death he remained vice chairman of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and a member of the Saratoga-Capital District of the State Park, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commission.
He was the grandson of John Humphrey Noyes, who founded the Oneida Community in 1848. It began to manufacture flatware in 1877, disbanded three years later and evolved into Oneida Ltd. Mr. Noyes took the company into new fields, such as the food-service and industrial-wire industries.
A native of Kenwood, N.Y., he graduated from Colgate University and joined the company in 1936. Himself the son of a former company president, Pierrepont Burt Noyes, he underwent years of training in sales, production and management, gradually assuming greater responsibilities.
Mr. Noyes became president in 1960. He was elected chairman and re-elected president in 1967, resigned as president in 1978 and continued as chairman and chief executive until his retirement. Oneida products include stainless steel and silver-plated flatware, silver-plated holloware and items in sterling silver and gold plate. It also manufactures china for hotels, restaurants and others in the food-service sector.
Mr. Noyes, who owned horses, was a past director of Mid-State Raceway. He was long active in community and business affairs, including the local Community Chest and WCNY Public Broadcasting. He was a former trustee of his alma mater, Colgate.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, the former Phyllis Leland; a daughter, Melinda Noyes; a son, P. Geoffrey; a sister, Barbara Noyes Smith, all of Oneida, and five grandchildren.
Pierrepont Trowbridge Noyes, longtime head of Oneida Ltd., the company that started as a religious commune and today considers itself the world's largest tableware maker, died on Wednesday at his home in Oneida, N.Y. He was 78 years old.
He died of multiple natural causes, his family said.
Mr. Noyes led Oneida Ltd. through a period of robust growth. He retired in 1981 as chairman and chief executive after 45 years with the company, taking the title of honorary chairman. At the time of his death he remained vice chairman of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and a member of the Saratoga-Capital District of the State Park, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commission.
He was the grandson of John Humphrey Noyes, who founded the Oneida Community in 1848. It began to manufacture flatware in 1877, disbanded three years later and evolved into Oneida Ltd. Mr. Noyes took the company into new fields, such as the food-service and industrial-wire industries.
A native of Kenwood, N.Y., he graduated from Colgate University and joined the company in 1936. Himself the son of a former company president, Pierrepont Burt Noyes, he underwent years of training in sales, production and management, gradually assuming greater responsibilities.
Mr. Noyes became president in 1960. He was elected chairman and re-elected president in 1967, resigned as president in 1978 and continued as chairman and chief executive until his retirement. Oneida products include stainless steel and silver-plated flatware, silver-plated holloware and items in sterling silver and gold plate. It also manufactures china for hotels, restaurants and others in the food-service sector.
Mr. Noyes, who owned horses, was a past director of Mid-State Raceway. He was long active in community and business affairs, including the local Community Chest and WCNY Public Broadcasting. He was a former trustee of his alma mater, Colgate.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, the former Phyllis Leland; a daughter, Melinda Noyes; a son, P. Geoffrey; a sister, Barbara Noyes Smith, all of Oneida, and five grandchildren.
He died of multiple natural causes, his family said.
Mr. Noyes led Oneida Ltd. through a period of robust growth. He retired in 1981 as chairman and chief executive after 45 years with the company, taking the title of honorary chairman. At the time of his death he remained vice chairman of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and a member of the Saratoga-Capital District of the State Park, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commission.
He was the grandson of John Humphrey Noyes, who founded the Oneida Community in 1848. It began to manufacture flatware in 1877, disbanded three years later and evolved into Oneida Ltd. Mr. Noyes took the company into new fields, such as the food-service and industrial-wire industries.
A native of Kenwood, N.Y., he graduated from Colgate University and joined the company in 1936. Himself the son of a former company president, Pierrepont Burt Noyes, he underwent years of training in sales, production and management, gradually assuming greater responsibilities.
Mr. Noyes became president in 1960. He was elected chairman and re-elected president in 1967, resigned as president in 1978 and continued as chairman and chief executive until his retirement. Oneida products include stainless steel and silver-plated flatware, silver-plated holloware and items in sterling silver and gold plate. It also manufactures china for hotels, restaurants and others in the food-service sector.
Mr. Noyes, who owned horses, was a past director of Mid-State Raceway. He was long active in community and business affairs, including the local Community Chest and WCNY Public Broadcasting. He was a former trustee of his alma mater, Colgate.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, the former Phyllis Leland; a daughter, Melinda Noyes; a son, P. Geoffrey; a sister, Barbara Noyes Smith, all of Oneida, and five grandchildren.
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