In November 1992, Industrial Steel Treating owner and president Bernard Levy graced the cover of Jackson Business Monthly (renamed Jackson Magazine in 1996). He was a founding member and served as the first chair of the Jackson Alliance for Business Development (precursor to The Enterprise Group), and was chair of the Career Prep Advisory Board, an initiative that combined educational instruction with technical training.
After graduating from Michigan State University and serving two years in the Army, Bernard returned in 1955 to work with his father, William, part owner and Vice President of IST. William was a metallurgist who moved to Jackson from Chicago in 1924 to work for Ampco Twist Drill (where Miller Tool and Die is now located).
When Ampco moved out of town in 1947, William was hired by Charles St. John, who had started IST in a small shop on the south side of Jackson four years earlier. St. John moved into a new 4,800-square-foot building in 1947 at 613 Carroll Street, which has since been home to IST.
The company was incorporated in 1950 with three equal partners: St. John, William, and Louis Glick. St. John was with IST until his retirement in 1979. William Levy worked at IST until retiring in 1980. Bernard became president of IST in 1970 and remained in that position until retiring in 1998.
Bernard’s five children graduated from Jackson High School. Bernard’s daughter, Kathy, graduated from Michigan State University, where she currently works in fund development for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Bernard’s son, Joe, graduated from the University of Iowa and is a former staff reporter for the Jackson Citizen Patriot and former freelance writer for Jackson Magazine. He is now senior vice president for the International Smart Tan Network, headquartered in Jackson. Sons Mike, Tom, and Tim are co-owners of IST. Jordan Levy-Poling, one of Tim’s four daughters, is the fourth generation of the Levy family to work at IST.
The Levys are longtime community supporters who reside in Jackson.