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Anna Bissell and the Carpet Sweeper That Built a Michigan Company
Season 7
Episode 26
Published 3 weeks ago
Description
Before Bissell became a household name, Anna Sutherland Bissell was selling carpet sweepers store by store in Grand Rapids. When fire destroyed the company’s factory, she helped secure the support needed to rebuild.
After her husband Melville died in 1889, Anna led the business through years of growth, defended its patents and carried its products into international markets.
This episode follows her path from saleswoman to company president and examines the woman often called America’s first female CEO—a later title for a role she held under another name. Her story also reaches beyond the factory, through her support for young people and immigrant women in Grand Rapids.
The End of the Road in Michigan is a production of Thumbwind Publications
After her husband Melville died in 1889, Anna led the business through years of growth, defended its patents and carried its products into international markets.
This episode follows her path from saleswoman to company president and examines the woman often called America’s first female CEO—a later title for a role she held under another name. Her story also reaches beyond the factory, through her support for young people and immigrant women in Grand Rapids.
The End of the Road in Michigan is a production of Thumbwind Publications