Who Is Goodheart? Who Is Willcox?
In 1921, William Goodheart and Charles D. Willcox, along with a few others, came together to start a company to publish Dyke's Automobile and
Gasoline Engine Encyclopedia that had been previously self-published by the author, Mr. A. L. Dyke. Little did they know this small publishing company would
grow up to become The Goodheart-Willcox Company, Inc., a leader in career and technical education (CTE).
Today’s Goodheart-Willcox (G-W) publishes both print and digital textbooks while also producing online courses and other instructional resources that provide a
complete classroom solution. With subject-appropriate titles for middle school, high school, higher education, and professional training, G-W is recognized as a
go-to source for career and technical education content.
What Differentiates Goodheart-Willcox from other Learning Companies?
- Our People
As an employee-owned company, the people of Goodheart-Willcox are vested in the success of our products and our customers. The G-W team is
accountable to each other and to our customers. This means that customer service and satisfaction are a top priority. Goodheart-Willcox is driven to create the
most accurate, authoritative content and support materials to best facilitate teaching and learning. From the subject idea stage to after-sale service, G-W
emphasizes quality in every step of the process to assure our products meet customers’ expectations.
- We Listen
One characteristic often noted about Goodheart-Willcox is that we listen to our customers. To ensure the G-W team is providing you with all
of the information and learning tools you need for success, we actively solicit your feedback. The people using our products have our utmost
attention.
- Focus on Career and Technical Education
Goodheart-Willcox focuses exclusively on career and technical education (CTE). This focus allows G-W to direct
all of our resources and expertise into career and technical education to provide you with comprehensive products for a complete learning experience. This niche
focus allows us to develop a team of experts, including our authors, editors, and designers whose expertise in the CTE areas leads to the development of
exceptional products.
- Support for the Profession
G-W actively sponsors recognition awards for outstanding achievement by teachers, supervisors, chapter advisors, and teacher
of the year programs. Our company also supports individual state CTE professional associations by advertising in their magazines and newsletters to facilitate
communication among the membership.
- Local Focus
In this time of globalization, the ownership of many companies is outside of the United States, and products are manufactured
internationally in areas that require long delivery times. However, there is still a place for domestic companies. Goodheart-Willcox takes pride in the fact
that it is headquartered in the United States and that it manufactures its products in the United States for the North American educational market. This
allows us to be a true partner with you.
Fun Facts
- Dyke's Automobile and Gasoline Engine Encyclopedia was Goodheart-Willcox’s first published title.
- There were only three employees, other than the founders, when the company started in 1921.
- First established in Chicago, IL, the company moved several times to keep up with its growing success: Homewood, IL, South Holland, IL and to its present
location in Tinley Park, IL.
- Modern Electric and Gas Refrigeration by Andrew H. Althouse was first published in 1933 and is currently in its 18th edition
available as Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.
- Today's title Modern Welding is the updated 11th edition of Modern Welding Practice, first published
in 1942.
- Official company incorporation did not occur until 1949, and the company later made an initial public offering of shares to employees, suppliers, authors,
and the public in 1972.
- Clothes and Your Appearance by Louise Liddell, published in 1977, was our first title in the area of Home Economics, a curriculum
area now known as Family & Consumer Sciences.
- The company was one of the first publishers to actively market and sell its products in Canada through an agency agreement with General Publishing. (Today,
Canadian customers can purchase G-W titles through Oxford University Press – Canada.)
- G-W products are available internationally through Baker & Taylor.
- Employee stock ownership provisions were added by the company in 2000.
- In 2012, the 10th edition of Clothes and Your Appearance was published as Apparel: Design, Textiles &
Construction, ensuring that the material keeps pace with market trends.
- 100 employee-owners make up the Goodheart-Willcox team, including 14 Sales Representatives based throughout the United States.
- Titles are now offered in print and online formats.
- The Goodheart-Willcox team cares immensely about its customers and product users.