Memphis-based Hunter Fan acknowledges past and innovates with eye on future

By Susan Ellis – Reporter, Memphis Business Journal

August 10, 2023

Memphis-based Hunter Fan Co. recently released “The Hunter Fan Company: An American Original.” The book by Mike Deveraux and John Andrews tells the story of the company’s 137-year history, highlighting its longtime, devoted employees and dedicated stakeholders.

Tom Blackwell, president of Hunter, said the book also sets the record straight.

“It validated for me the need to go through the process of documenting the history,” he said. “Those original stories are starting to be distorted.”

Blackwell, who has been with Hunter for 25 years, said his own understanding of the company’s evolution was flawed, making it important to preserve accurate information for future employees. The company was founded by John and James Hunter in 1886 in upstate New York.

“The Hunter Fan Company: An American Original” was distributed only to Hunter employees, not to the general public. Blackwell said this was at the authors’ request, as they intended it to serve as a celebration of the company’s workforce.

“One of the great things about the book release was that we were able to recognize all of the contributions of the many people over that 137-year history — without those people and efforts, we wouldn’t be the company we are today,” Blackwell said. “It’s really important to embrace those roots. It gives employees an appreciation for what’s been done before and helps shape our future direction.”

Blackwell said the state of Hunter Fan Co. is “very good.” The company performed well during the pandemic due to increased home renovations and has long been an established, recognizable brand in ceiling fans.

One way Hunter is shaping its future is through its Innovation Lab, where products are tested. For example, the non-rusting WeatherMax outdoor fan, designed for coastal communities, has been tested in water chambers with simulated environmental conditions. Another innovation is a five-minute installation feature.

Blackwell said consumer preferences are shifting toward fans with more blades — sometimes up to 10 instead of the traditional five — as well as larger fans for bigger spaces.

In recent years, Hunter has also expanded into lighting products without fans. The company introduced 400 lighting SKUs two years ago and now offers nearly 1,000.

“What drove us there was consumer research,” Blackwell said. “We asked people what the number-one brand in the lighting category was, and they would often say it was us, even though we weren’t making lighting.”

Ultimately, Hunter’s goal is to improve customers’ lives.

“What we’re here for is to make people’s environments and spaces better,” he said. “We provide a cooling product that helps save energy. The best part about ceiling fans is that they’re a significant energy-saving solution that makes people more comfortable in their homes.”