BISSELL was started in 1876 by Melville R. Bissell, with the creation of a patented carpet sweeper. When he died in 1889, his wife, Anna, took over as CEO–making her the first female CEO in America.
It continues to be a family-owned business, based in the United States with their headquarters in Walker, Michigan. Originally, their vacuums were made in the United States. Then production was moved to Mexico. Since 2003, their vacuums are all manufactured in China.