Tri-County Community Guide 2023 | Page 18

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
ethics .”
In the years since its founding the business has changed a great deal . When the business opened , before the Great Depression , it sent goods that were produced by farmers in southeast Kentucky and northern Tennessee by rail to places all over
SIMON L . RENFRO
the Midwest , some as far away as Pennsylvania .
When the Great Depression struck the nation in 1929 , people around the country were fighting to survive the economic devastation . Sometimes the way to survive meant doing illegal and unethical things . It
would have been easy , at that time in our nation ’ s history , for the company ’ s leadership to ignore the company ’ s founding principals in order to increase profits but Simon L . Renfro made sure the company stood its ethical ground . When Simon L . Renfro was approached with lucrative but unethical business opportunities selling rationed building supplies to an underground market that was willing to pay a premium for the contraband , he declined .
After the Great Depression when the country was still finding its economic footing , Renfro Supply Company , like many other businesses , was looking for a way to diversify and decided to bring gas , oil and auto parts under their umbrella by creating Renfro Oil Company and Renfro Auto Parts . These companies remained a part of Renfro Supply Company until 1947 , when the companies were given to two of Simon L . Renfro ’ s sons .
After leading the company for more than three decades , Simon L . Renfro died in 1956 leaving his son , Cye Renfro , to take up the reigns of the company . Cye Renfro ran the company until he passed away in 1980 .
During Cye Renfro ’ s time at the helm of the company he expanded the business , still holding true to the ethical standards his father had instilled in him . The street he lived on , which is very close to the company ’ s headquarters , is named for him and testifies to his importance in the community . The Renfro family ’ s community service values continued to be passed down and Cye Renfro ’ s granddaughter , Marcella Mountjoy , served as mayor of Williamsburg from 1990 to 1994 .
Cye Renfro died unexpectedly , leaving the company in need of a president to continue to move the company forward in the last part of the 20th century .
The company ’ s presidency was taken over by Jon Renfro , who saw a burgeoning business opportunity and moved the company to become a wholesale supplier of goods to convenience stores around the area .
In January of 2021 , McFarland and Weldie Murray purchased Renfro Supply Company from the Renfro family . While the ownership and leadership of the company may have changed , McFarland still holds to the same values as his predecessors .
“ In today ’ s society you might seem to be high minded and aloof to those around you but if you stick to those principles success will come ,” McFarland said . “ That vision is selffulfilled .”
In 2023 , Renfro Supply Company provides a selection of approximately 10,000 different items to a wide variety of industries and organizations , including convenient stores , pharmacies , offices , restaurants , schools , churches , marinas and campgrounds .

JELLICO LI

MON ONUMENT

NT COMPANY

Serving Southeast Kentucky Since 1902
FREE Pet Monuments We believe your pet deserves to be remembered .

New Monuments Monthly

& Small Enough to Serve You

11201 South Hwy 25W Williamsburg , KY 40769 ( 606 ) 786-6535

( 1 mile North of Jellico on 25W and 9.9 miles South of Riverside Produce )
Page 18 — The Times-Tribune • Community Guide 2023