OLD TOWN, Maine -- John T. Cyr & Sons marked its 100th anniversary as a motorcoach industry mainstay with a gala celebration here last month.

The event was attended by nearly 500 people, ranging from customers and employees to industry leaders, vendors, bus builders, local officials and one of Maines U.S. senators.

Sen. Susan Collins, Republican, spoke to the group, along with Prevost Car President Gaetan Bolduc and Setras Regional Sales Manager Darril King.

Another coach manufacturer, Motor Coach Industries, had congratulated the Cyrs with a dinner earlier in the month.

Joe Cyr, and his wife Sue, represent the third generation of Cyrs to operate the company, and fourth generation, Mike and Becky Cyr, are currently involved in management.

In her remarks, Sen. Collins pointed out that only 5 percent of family-owned businesses make it to the fourth generation. She and other speakers attributed the Cyrs success to a unique combination of hard work, commitment to treating employees and customers well, and generous personal and financial involvement in the community.

A common theme was gratitude for the Cyr familys friendship and loyalty.

John T. Cyr and Sons started in May 1912, with a single "truck license" awarded by the community of Old Town.

Today, the company operates 250 school buses and 20 coaches, a remarkable achievement in a beautiful but sparsely-populated region.

The history of the company was on display in the form of modern coaches wrapped in the spectacular graphics for which Cyr has become famous, as well as two antique coaches and five restored automobiles.

Joe Cyr has headed the company for 45 years, taking over when his father, Harvey, died in 1967.