South Jersey Industries history

Geist purchased the property, razed the hotel that was on it, and constructed the building, which was completed in May 1912.

In 1922, C.H. Geist decided to expand his New Jersey utility holdings and purchased New Jersey Gas Company, which provided gas and utilities to the towns of Elmer, Vineland, East Greenwich, Pitman, Swedesboro, Penns Grove, and Bridgeport.

The company continued to provide gas heat as well as water to the area, however, and in 1923 the Public Utility Commission of New Jersey proclaimed the company one of the state's most efficient utilities.

In 1925, a nationwide coal miner's strike caused a coal shortage and resulted in more homeowners switching to gas heat.

More growth occurred in 1926 when C.H. Geist acquired Pleasantville Gas Company and merged it with Atlantic City Gas.

The Great Depression, however, which began in October 1929, took the wind out of the economy's sails.

By 1936, however, the employees had their wages restored to the pre-Depression amounts, and it seemed the worst of the downturn was behind the country and Atlantic City Gas.

In December 1944, company President Robert Wiederwax committed suicide in his office.

In April 1947, the transaction was complete, and Atlantic City Gas Company became South Jersey Gas Company.

The stock traded on the "over-the-counter" market and opened at $3 on July 1, 1948.

Atlantic City Gas continued to grow when, in 1952, it purchased the Cumberland County Gas Company and added 11,000 customers.

Changes were occurring for South Jersey Gas as well, and in 1956, the company listed its stock on the Philadelphia-Baltimore Stock Exchange.

Just a few years later, in 1958, the company began trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

In response to this, the company formed a second business as a holding company, South Jersey Industries, Inc., incorporated in 1969.

The company formed Energy & Minerals, Inc. in 1977 to combine the subsidiaries of Jesse S. Morie & Son, Inc; South Jersey Fuel, Inc.; Delaware Valley Industrial Gases, Inc.; and South Jersey Exploration Company.

In 1981, Bill Gemmel retired, and Bill Ryan became president and CEO of the company.

In 1983, Cape May Division became part of the Gas Company, bringing the total customer count to 157,000 in 112 municipalities.

By 1992, South Jersey's gas company operations served 220,000 customers and experienced growth in its operations.

1996: Non-energy subsidiaries are sold.