Cyrus Wright

Cyrus Wright, the third president of Otter Tail Power Company, was born on June 29, 1904, in Fergus Falls. He was the son of Vernon Wright, the founder of the company, and the younger brother of Thomas Wright, the second president.

Wright got his high school education at Blake School in Minneapolis and Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. He then entered Harvard University and graduated in 1927.

After graduation Wright started his career with Otter Tail Power Company. From 1927 to 1934 he worked in the sales, accounting, treasury, purchasing, and payroll departments, and from 1934 to 1936 he was a local service representative at Bottineau, North Dakota. After that he returned to the General Office where he held several positions until C.S. Kennedy retired in 1945. Wright succeeded Kennedy as vice president of operations. In 1948 that role expanded to include general manager. He became president in 1952 when his brother Thomas retired.

He was quick to recognize that power plants, transmission lines, line and service equipment, and communication techniques were becoming increasingly complex, creating the need for a more sophisticated, better trained work force. And he also recognized that such a work force would not respond well to the strong-almost dictatorial-centralized management style of the company's formative years.

Wright adopted a strategy of decentralization. Large construction crews gave way to more mobile 3-man crews. Employees were given increased responsibility-and accountability for-day-to-day operations. As expected, the response of better-trained and educated employees was-and for more than half a century has been-overwhelmingly positive.

Wright retired from the president's office in 1961. At that time he was elected chairman of the board and he held that position until he left the board in 1969.

Cyrus Wright's personality was the direct opposite of his father and his older brother. He was a friendly, outgoing person who loved to meet people. He was highly visible in the community and widely respected.  Many people described him as a real gentleman. He had a consuming interest in classical music, classical literature, and foreign languages. If encouraged he could recite passages from the classics with great eloquence. On the lighter side, he liked to drive big cars and he liked to drive fast. That terrified the people who rode with him.

Wright was popular with his employees. He established the concept of " The Otter Tail Family", a concept that strengthened the bond between employees and promoted a spirit of cooperation. In 1948 he initiated the annual employee meetings to give employees the opportunity to become better acquainted with the company's operations, goals, and philosophies. The meetings were followed by a banquet at which certain employees received awards for their years of service. Wright believed there was nothing more important to human beings than a sense of satisfaction, security, and dignity.

Wright had an outstanding record of community service. Few could match the extent of his activities. He was almost solely responsible for bringing the YMCA to Fergus Falls and later served on the board of directors. He was one of the founders of the Lakeland Mental Health Center and later served as president of the board of trustees. He was on the board of trustees for Lake Region Hospital, playing a key role in two major expansions. He was also a member of the Fergus Falls Industrial Development Commission. Beyond the local community, he devoted a lot of time and effort to public service at the regional and state levels.

Cyrus Wright died on January 27, 1996, at the age of 91. He died in Henderson, North Carolina, where he and his wife had lived since 1980.

Written by Myron Broschat,Otter Tail Power Company retiree
References: Otter Tail County Historical Museum, interview with Robert Wright