History

Bill Sisler, Mike Welsh, Barb Brandau, Ed Duffy, Karen Anderson, Billy Sisler, Dan Thompson

All of us at Sisler's are truly excited that you're visiting us at our new home on the web.  Let us take a minute to introduce ourselves, and tell you a little bit about our history.

Sisler's has been a family owned and operated business for more than 90 years.  In 1908, George Sisler started Sisler's Dairy Products in Ohio, Illinois.  Back then, ice was cut from a local pond and sold for use in home ice boxes.  Ice cream was manufactured and packed in ice to set up.

The development of home refrigeration reduced the demand for ice boxes.  Eventually, Sisler's discontinued its ice production, and focused on ice cream and other dairy products, such as butter.

George Sisler retired in 1957 and his son, Bill Sisler, took over the management of the company.  During the course of Bill's years as manager, he accomplished his objective of reviving the ice business while maintaining the ice cream business.  Eventually, Sisler's stopped producing butter, and focused on its ice and ice cream.  Today, the ice business has been fully revived and actually exceeds the ice cream business.

When Bill Sisler decided to retire in 1993, two veterans with the company stepped up to the plate.  His son, Billy Sisler, and Dan Thompson had been employed at Sisler's Dairy Products since they were teenagers attending Ohio High School.  They learned the rules of the business world through years of watching Bill run a small but successful business.  Eventually, Dan Thompson took over the general management of the company and the production of ice, and Billy Sisler took over the production of ice cream.  In 1993, the company brought in another Sisler asset when Bill's daughter, Karen Anderson, came on board to assist with the day to day bookkeeping duties.

Today, all three individuals, Dan Thompson, Billy Sisler, and Karen Anderson, share the responsibility of keeping the Sisler tradition alive.  In 1999, they voted to change the name of the company from Sisler's Dairy Products to Sisler's Ice & Ice Cream.

Sisler's Ice & Ice Cream is continuing to grow.  With the help of great employees like Ed Duffy, Mike Welsh, Dave Linker, and Craig Freeman, we continue to expand our service area.  The behind-the-scenes help also play an important role in our success.  Without Barb Brandau, Kaleb Hermeyer, Chad Porter, Melissa McDonald, Devin Hix, Jayme Taylor, and Nick Hughes, we wouldn't be where we're at today. 

We hope you enjoy your visit to our web site, and come back often.  If you haven't tried a bite of our ice cream yet, we hope you do that too.  We think you'll like it!    

Mike Welsh, Craig Freeman, Dave Linker