In 1937, Victor J. Andrew founded a company near Midway Airport that made radio broadcasting equipment. During World War II, the company broadened its product line, manufacturing communications gear and cable for the military. After the war, Andrew made antennas, cables, and connectors. In 1953, six years after it was incorporated, Andrew moved its headquarters and some production to suburban Orland Park. The expansion of the telecommunications industry in the 1980s drove growth at Andrew, which saw annual sales rise to over $800 million by the end of the 1990s. By that time, Andrew had become an international corporation with about 2,000 employees in the Chicago area and over 4,500 worldwide.

This entry is part of the Encyclopedia's Dictionary of Leading Chicago Businesses (1820-2000) that was prepared by Mark R. Wilson, with additional contributions from Stephen R. Porter and Janice L. Reiff.