Oberweis history

In 1929, he purchased the remaining interest in Big Woods Dairy and renamed it Oberweis Dairy.

In 1951, the Dairy and Ice Cream Stores began operation.

Today only a handful of dairies nationwide offer home delivery, accounting for less than 1 percent of the milk sold annually, down from 30 percent in 1965.

Years later, after each earned an MBA at the University of Chicago (he in 1980, she in '89) while raising their five children (Jenni, Trisha, Jim, Julie and Joe), the Oberweises found themselves trying to grow both the investment firm and the dairy business at the same time.

One of Joe’s two sons, John, joins the family business, which he runs until his death in 1986.

So they streamlined the dairy by selling the companies they had acquired, and Jim sold his securities business in 1989 to Household International and went to work for them as senior vice president of its Hamilton Investments subsidiary.

In 1991, the second Oberweis Ice Cream & Dairy store was opened in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

In 1994, Household International decided to spin off its investment advisory business and gave Jim a chance to buy it back.

In 1996, Oberweis Dairy relocated to a brand new production facility, corporate office and dairy store in North Aurora, Illinois where the company is still headquartered today.

She liked the idea, so in 1997 they opened a new 50,000-square-foot plant with an ice cream shop and offices upstairs for Jim's securities business.

Renaut, 47, spent 18 months learning the business under Elaine Oberweis before taking over day-to-day operations as president in January 2001.

As early as next year, Renaut plans to expand into Indianapolis with home delivery and stores, and he has his eyes set on Detroit in 2004.

And by the end of 2006, the company's trucks will bring milk and other dairy products to customers' front doors.

Beginning in 2007, Jim and Elaine’s son, Joe, became the 4th generation of his family to lead the company.

In 2012, Oberweis said that each dairy store generates between $1.25 million and $1.75 million per year.

In 2017, Oberweis Dairy acquired Woodgrain Neapolitan Pizzeria, a pizzeria serving custom made personal pizzas in minutes.

He was first appointed as Senate Republican Whip in October 2018.