The Franklyn W. Kirk Company began as a proprietorship in 1962 after the purchase of the assets of Farmer & Kirk held by Ben Farmer. The original name of the latter company was Technical Industrial Sales, later shortened to T/I Equipment when Franklyn W. Kirk purchased half interest. In 1959 the name was changed to Farmer & Kirk. Selection of the name Farmer & Kirk was influenced by the educational activities of Franklyn W. Kirk at the time.
Mr. and Mrs. Franklyn W. (Anne) Kirk founded the Franklyn W. Kirk Company in 1962 with Anne Kirk serving as Office Manager. The company incorporated in 1965 with Franklyn W. Kirk, President and Anne Kirk, Vice President and Treasurer.
Beginning in 1956 Franklyn W. Kirk developed and taught a four semester course in Basic Instrumentation at the Technical Institute of Fenn College in Cleveland, Ohio (now Cleveland State University). In 1960 “Instrumentation” was published co-authored by Franklyn W. Kirk. Mr. Kirk continued to teach the course, using his book, until 1966. “Instrumentation, Third Edition” again, coauthored by Franklyn W. Kirk, was published in 1975. Mr. Kirk was awarded the “Donald P. Eckman Education Award” in 1979 by the “Instrumentation Society of America”.
Philip Kirk joined the company as a salesman in 1978. Franklyn W. Kirk retired in 1998. Franklyn W. Kirk, Thomas A. Weedon, and Philip Kirk coauthored “Instrumentation, Fourth Edition”, published in 2005. Franklyn W. Kirk passed away in December 2012.
Philip Kirk is sole owner and President of Franklyn W Kirk Company. His wife, Mary C. Kirk, is Vice President.
