Herman Hageman’s career in the Independent Telephone Industry spanned 61 years! After graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1903, he started with the Lorain Telephone Company in Ohio as a collector and bookkeeper. He then became secretary, general manager, president and chairman of the board in 1960, an office he held until his death at the age of 82.
He served four years as the president of The Ohio Independent Association. He was director, vice president and member of the executive committee of the USITA.
He was president of the Lorain Chamber of Commerce, a director of Goodwill Industries, Lorain National bank, Lorain County Development Committee, St. Joseph’s hospital, and was extremely active in Methodist Church affairs. He was recognized in both national and international “Who’s Who”. During WWII, he served on the National Defense Board and Defense Communications Commission.
In 1933, Hageman pioneered in ship-to-shore radio telephone service to vessels on the Great Lakes. In 1934, the first ship-to-shore conversation was broadcasted over WTAM, Cleveland Ohio. He died in 1964.
