Philanthropist left his mark on county, Amherst business world

Imagine life in Oberlin without the Firelands Association for the Visual Arts, without the Oberlin Heritage Center or the Oberlin Early Childhood Center, and without the Oberlin Community Services center.

These and many other arts, education, and social institutions are the legacy of Eric T. Nord, who died Thursday at the age of 90. Nord, the former president and CEO of Nordson Corporation, and his brother, Evan, created the Nordson Foundation, the Nord Family Foundation and the Eric and Jane Nord Foundation, and were the catalysts in forming the Community Foundation of Greater Lorain County.

The Nord family philanthropy over the years has resulted in more than $100 million in charitable donations to arts, education, and social service organizations, especially in northern Ohio. According "Investing in Community: The History and Legacy of the Nord Family of Ohio," a book written by Mary Pickerell and published by the Oberlin Heritage Center in 2004, charity and philanthropy were family values passed down from their Swedish immigrant grandfather, Otto, through their father, Walter.

Eric Nord was born and raised in Amherst, graduating from Amherst High School in 1935. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Case Institute of Technology.

In 1939, he began his career as an engineer working for the U.S. Automatic Corporation in Amherst. In 1954, he and his brother and father co-founded Nordson Corporation as a subsidiary of U.S. Automatic.

Nordson produces machinery for the application of paints and adhesives. Today it is a publicly-traded, multinational corporation with sales of $121 million and operations in eight countries.

In 1964, the family donated a former frozen food plant owned by the company to the Oberlin Historical and Improvement Organization. OHIO (now Oberlin Heritage Center) had formed that same year from the merger of the Oberlin Historical Society and the Oberlin Village Improvement Society.

In 1995, the Nord Family Foundation purchased Westervelt Hall at 39 S. Main St. and renovated it for use by the Firelands Association for the Visual Arts. The building currently houses the FAVA gallery and museum store Uncommon Objects, Oberlin Choristers, Ohio Dance Theatre, and MAD Factory.

He was instrumental in the campaign for a bond issue for the Oberlin Public Library, when it was forced to move from Oberlin College's Carnegie Building.

After decades of trying to build a community swimming pool in Oberlin, Nord issued a challenge to the Lorain County MetroParks. He said he would arrange for the donation of $2 million toward the cost of a year-round aquatic center if the balance of the cost could be raised from other sources.

As a result of that challenge, the city offered the MetroParks a portion of the Hamilton Street recreation complex, and Oberlin voters approved a five-year, 0.2 percent income tax levy to raise $1.4 million toward the project. The SplashZone aquatic center opened in 2001.

The Nord Family Foundation also provided land for construction, and funds for the operation of the Oberlin Community Services center. OCS director Linda Arbogast said Nord had an enormous impact on her agency.

"Eric was a caring and watchful eye, making sure we had what we needed to carry on our mission, including direction when we needed that," Arbogast said. "He was a substantial and longtime supporter of Oberlin Community Services."

Former OCS director Ann Fuller said Nord was instrumental in helping the agency find a permanent home after moving from the former Oberlin Community Center at 80 S. Main.

"From the time we left the old community center, he kept looking for buildings for us," Fuller said. "Of course there weren't many options, and when he'd find one, it would be sold. Finally he decided the only way to go would be to build a new one. So he arranged with the family to donate the land. And then he helped us organize the capital campaign to raise the $500,000 we needed to build it."

Nord donated the lead gift to build the Oberlin Early Childhood Center. Director Jennifer Harris said the Nord Family foundation also provides continuing support.

"They gave the lead gift that brought the Reggio-Amelia exhibit to Lorain County," Harris said. "Providing high-quality early childhood education was very important to Eric."

Nord served the Oberlin community through service on city council, where he served as chair, and the Oberlin board of education, among other committees and organizations.

"His loss is great to the community," Fuller said. "I don't think there will be anyone else like him. Of course the family will continue, but he took a hands-on interest in so much."