Great Living Cincinnatians: Honorees

Loyalty was the watchword for Carl Lindner – founder, chairman and chief executive officer of American Financial Corp. (AFC).

By headquartering his many acquisitions here, Lindner gave thousands of jobs to the city where he built his success. And although he guarded his privacy and remained low-key about his philanthropy, his name is found on several prominent educational and recreational facilities as evidence of his giving.

Lindner was born in 1919. In 1940, his father opened one of the country’s first cash-and-carry milk and dairy stores in Norwood. First-day sales totalled $8.28. It was the founding of the United Dairy Farmers chain – and the founding of an empire.

With Carl at the helm of the family business, the single store grew to more than 100 outlets by the mid-1960s, when he turned his attention to American Financial.

Created by Lindner in 1959, AFC is a diversified financial holding company with about $13 billion in assets. It is principally involved in insurance and includes Great American Insurance Co.

Lindner was chairman and chief executive officer of Chiquita Brands International, General Cable Corp. and Penn Central Corp., the largest shareholder of Provident Bank.

Lindner financial support has benefited many charitable causes and civic educational institutions, including the University of Cincinnati’s College of Business Administration, Xavier University, the Cincinnati Zoo, the Museum Center and the city of Norwood.

Carl H. Lindner died on October 17, 2011 at 92.