Dayton-area businesses have interesting histories. Sometimes little-known details are the most compelling. Here are some noteworthy facts about this year’s Top Workplaces and the people who lead those companies.

• The Greentree Group, a technology consulting firm, takes its name from an inside joke between founders Sam and Carolyn Greenwood, as Carolyn’s mother chronically forgot Sam Greenwood’s name before the couple married.

• Orville Wright served on the Wright Memorial Public Library board from 1934 to 1957.

• Machinery company seepex produces the pumps that make icing for Oreos, Nutter Butters, Mounds and Almond Joy, as well as the distinct decorations atop Hostess cupcakes.

• Chris Wire, president of Real Art Design Group, got his start in the industry as an intern for the group.

• Miami Valley Steel Services has had five owners since 2005, but kept the same management team.

• Ginghamsburg Church, founded in 1864 by a part-time pastor, is one of the 10 largest United Methodist churches in the U.S., with 4,500 attending each week.

• Children’s Medical Center of Dayton served 65,000 slushies to visitors in its emergency room and surgery centers in 2010.

• STADCO was originally named Sherman Tool and Die Co. The company was founded in 1948 to produce tooling and dies. Its machinery and automatics business was added as a side project in 1961, but by 1994 that became the company’s sole remaining business, prompting the name change in 1997.

• Howard Stevens, the founder of personnel services firm Chally Group Worldwide, also is the founder of the Ohio Institute of Photography.

• Real Art Design Group began a spinoff venture in 2010, www.shoptrealmart.com, where employees sell jewelry, apparel and office supplies. The online store was inspired by the company’s annual Christmas gift exchange.

• Crown Partners is one of 53 companies who have been named to the Inc. 500 for five consecutive years.

• LJB boasts more professional engineers that are also certified safety professionals than any other firm in the country.