side of Cleveland. The new facility allowed the company to modernize its equipment to remain competitive against overseas competition. In the 21st century Hardwick expanded its base of specialty-store retailers with catalog and department store accounts. Its domestic clothing production has enabled the company to land contracts with organizations as diverse as the U.S. military and Major League Baseball umpires. In 2001, the old Hardwick Woolen Mills factory was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Recent history In 2013, due to the struggling economy, Hardwick Clothes faced problems with creditors and an underfunded pension plan that covers more than 600 employees and retirees. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation had demanded a payment of more than $7 million that coincided with the company's discontinuation of its pension plan due to a slowing of the marketplace. The payment was expected within days after the notice was received by Hardwick, causing the company to file for bankruptcy protection. In March 2014, Cleveland businessman W. Allan Jones made a $1.9 million offer to purchase the company, and on June 19, 2014, the sale was completed. Jones owns a number of consumer financial services companies, such as Check Into Cash, Loan by Phone, U.S. Money Shops, Buy Here Pay Here USA, and LendingFrog.com. Upon completion of the sale, Jones told the media, "Since that first day, the company has survived two major fires, two World Wars, the Great Depression, leisure suits, NAFTA and – worst of all – making us watch China manufacture our Olympic team's blazers." Jones also launched a new website for the company—Hardwick.com. In July 2014, Bruce Bellusci was named the new CEO/President, becoming the ninth CEO/President of Hardwick Clothes in the company's history. Bellusci worked at Hart Schaffner Marx for 34 years, serving as executive vice president since 2006. Bellusci made several notable hires within his first few months, including several salesmen and the VP of Technical Design, Jeffery Diduch, from the Hart Schaffner Marx organization. Diduch now serves as Hardwick Clothes Chief Creative Officer where he oversees all design, technical development, and creative direction for the brand. The company also announced it will be flying over its factory the original 38-star American flag from 1880, the year it was founded. Jones told the media in 2015 that he would help the stable southern workforce at Hardwick to reach new levels of productivity by purchasing state-of-the-art German and Italian