One of Chattanooga's legacy businesses changed hands in 2009, when Chattem was purchased for $1.9 billion by France-based Sanofi-Aventis.
When the deal was announced in December 2009, Sanofi-Aventis officials said local management, led by CEO Zan Guerry, would stay in place in Chattanooga. Sanofi-Aventis is headquartered in Paris.
Guerry's family was central to Chattem's history.
The company was originally founded during the 1880s as the Chattanooga Medicine Co., lead by John A. Patten. In 1958, one of Patten's grandsons, Alex Guerry, took over as company president and remained at its helm until his death in 1990. During his leadership, the company was rebranded as Chattem.
Alex Guerry was succeeded as Chattem CEO by his son, Zan Guerry.