Damn, my family has been swindled by Carlyle!

[preciousdove]

My gguncle Fred Stebler had all his sisters and stepmother sign over their power of attorney so he could "handle the estate" in South Dakota. He then ran off with all the money and started the Food Machinery Corporation in Riverside with the money. That much I knew. I knew he was perhaps a Nazi sympathizer as he was traveling to Europe after he "retired" before 1939. Worse he hired someone to break into my grandparents apartment and steal the family Bible and Stebler silverware in the 1920's. About the only thing of any value my grandparents had at the time. A descendant confirmed they had the Bible in 1988. Now I find out his business morphed into Carlyle. Can only hope he's roasting in hell.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/industry/carlyle.htm

The first order for amphibious landing craft came in 1941 with a form from the military that simply said "Buy 1,000 LVTs — Food Machinery Corporation". During World War II, FMC produced more than 10,000 armored vehicles. Similarly, Bowen-McLaughlin York (later BMY, a division of Harsco) also began building tanks. For the last half century, both companies provided the military with high, quality reliable equipment. More than 100,000 systems have been produced.

In response to the complexities of the military industrial base and the technology developments in a declining market, FMC and Harsco merged their defense units into United Defense Limited Partnership in 1994. Business conditions for the two conglomerates then lead to an exit strategy from the defense sector.

The Carlyle Group bought United Defense in October 1997. United Defense has the widest product line of systems for land forces and a strong position in naval armaments. United Defense has its headquarters in Arlington, VA and its 5100 employees operate on a global basis to serve its customers.

The Food Machinery Corporation in Riverside traces its origins to three men operating in the first half of the Twentieth century. In 1903, Fred Stebler opened the California Iron Works at Ninth and Vine Streets, where he produced citrus washing, drying, sorting, and packing equipment. In 1909, George Parker bought the Riverside Foundry and Machine Works (renamed the Parker Machine Works) at Twelfth and Pachappa (later known as Commerce) Streets, where he manufactured nailing and boxing machines, as well as citrus washing equipment. Parker's Orange Box Maker was widely used by citrus packing houses in California and Florida. Business rivals, Stebler and Parker filed numerous patent infringement cases against the other, and against other competitors. Upon the advice of banker W. B. Clancy, and based on economic necessity, the two merged in 1920 to form the Stebler-Parker Company, which produced the packing and handling machines at Stebler's plant. Parker continued at his factory with his nailing devices and wire-tying machines.