He was also the president of Thompson Products, Inc. (which later became part of TRW) and a major promoter of the National Air Races in Cleveland.

Crawford was born March 19, 1891, in Watertown, Massachusetts, and went to Harvard College, graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

[3] He was recognized worldwide for his leadership in the automotive and aviation industries, as a pioneer in the human relations field (who kept management–labor strife to a minimum at Thompson and TRW by providing effective channels for worker grievances and collective bargaining), and a leader in the philanthropic community in Cleveland, Ohio.

"[4] As head of Thompson Products for more than 25 years, Crawford oversaw the company's transformation from an automotive and aircraft parts manufacturer to a leader in the aviation and aerospace industries.

The collection was housed by TRW before being donated to the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum of the Western Reserve Historical Society.