Acknowledgements

There is an apprehension inherent in attempting to thank all the individuals who have contributed to any book, but it is worse still not to make the effort; I owe a debt of gratitude to all those who guided me in my research and opened up the wonderful world of candy making.

To Bill Hansen, Denver attorney and amateur local historian and author, I owe tremendous thanks for his invaluable list of resources and research possibilities. Not only did he jog my memory about available tools, but, incredibly, he supplied me with the actual newspaper citations that he had unearthed in the digital collection at the Denver Public Library: Western History and Genealogy. He also loaned me several books from his personal collection that proved invaluable to me as I broadened my knowledge of the history of Denver and, in particular, North Denver, where the history of the Hammond’s Candy Company took place.

Special thanks, also, to the staff at the Denver Public Library: Western History and Genealogy for their diligence in assisting me with additional sources of information and for their patience in introducing me to the idiosyncrasies of microfiche. I want to thank staff members at History Colorado for introducing me to information in the Colorado Yearbooks and my daughter, Julia Thompson, for providing news accounts from current media.

Anna Abromowich, sales and marketing coordinator at Hammond’s Candies, was unfailing in her prompt responses to my e-mail inquiries and her assistance in setting up appointments and introducing me to Hammond’s personnel. Kammy Stucker, production manager, helped plan my kitchen tours and photo shoots, and I owe thanks to Ginny Gleason, Melissa Joslin and Jane Powell for their continual welcome at Hammond’s tour office. Mickey Theuambounmy graciously shared her experiences of thirty-two years as a Hammond employee.

I am grateful to Ralph Nafzinger, who shared his insight into the transition that Hammond’s Candy Company made as it evolved from a family-owned company through its first outside ownership to its current structure. His knowledge of past and present production and sales, as well the culture of the different phases of the company, was most helpful in preparing this manuscript. Of course, none of this would have been possible if Andrew Schuman, CEO of Hammond’s Candies, hadn’t generously welcomed me and shared his goals.

My thanks in preparing this manuscript also go to Becky LeJeune, commissioning editor at The History Press, for her guidance, encouragement and professional recommendations; to Michael Scalisi for his many contributions to the color photo section; and to Lloyd Rich for his advice.

Most important in the writing of this book, however, was the opportunity to hear the stories of the Hammond family, to learn its values, to understand how its members persevered and succeeded and maintained their company. I came to know and admire Carl and Laura and Tom and June and their children and grandchildren. For that I thank George Hammond for taking the time to visit with me. To Emery A. Dorsey IV, Robin Hammond’s husband, I am indebted for opening the wonderful world of the confectionary art, as well as his family stories.

This book, however, would never have been written without Carl T. Hammond III. From the time that I first contacted him, Carl has been unfailing in his information about the family history, his knowledge of the industry and his understanding of the relationships that were the underpinning of the Hammond’s Candy Company. I cannot thank him sufficiently for his interest and willingness to explain processes (and to correct my misconceptions) and for enhancing these pages with descriptive, enlightening and often amusing anecdotes about the family members. I thank him, as well, for loaning his photographs and for his willingness to edit, correct and improve this manuscript.

To everyone, then, to all those individuals who generously spent time with me to bring the story of Hammond’s Candies to life—thank you, this is your book!