The Bentley Company, founded in Milwaukee in 1848, built churches, schools, municipal structures and commercial buildings, including historic landmarks like the Tripoli Shrine Temple in Milwaukee, the Villa Louis Mansion in Prairie du Chien, the Cincinnati Water Works and the San Francisco Post Office, which survived the earthquakes of 1906 and 1989. But the recession of 2008 hit the industry hard, and fifth-generation leader Thomas H. Bentley III decided to phase out of the construction business.
That decision did not bring the longstanding family enterprise to an end, however. Bentley and his son, Todd, have continued to operate Bentley World-Packaging Ltd., an export packaging company, in addition to a real estate business, Bentley Management Group.