Entenmann, Martha (1906–1996)
Entenmann, Martha (1906–1996)
American entrepreneur who ran one of the nation's largest bakeries. Born Martha Schneider in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1906; died on September 29, 1996, in West Islip, New York; married William Entenmann, Jr., in 1925 (died 1951); children: Robert, Charles, and William.
When 19-year-old Martha Schneider signed on as a saleswoman for Entenmann's (founded in 1898) in Bay Shore, Long Island, the small bakery was managed by William Entenmann, Jr., son of the founder. She married William in 1925. Martha took an active part in managing the home-delivery of donuts, rolls, cakes, cookies, and bread in white boxes with a blue-scripted label; she kept the books and ran the office. Following her husband's death in 1951, she and her three sons continued running the 14-acre Bay Shore plant. In 1976, the firm ended home delivery and went public, expanding their sales reach from Long Island to a large section of the East Coast, including Miami, New York, and Chicago. Stock certificates bore her likeness. For more than 50 years, Martha Entenmann, known as Mrs. E to hundreds of employees, ran the prosperous bakery with her sons. In 1978, the bakery was sold to Warner-Lambert for $233 million.