Herbert Vollrath Kohler Jr. (February 20, 1939 – September 3, 2022) was an American billionaire businessman, a member of the
Kohler family of Wisconsin, and the executive chairman of the
Kohler Company
Kohler Co., founded in 1873 by John Michael Kohler, is an American manufacturing company based in Kohler, Wisconsin. Kohler is best known for its plumbing products, but the company also manufactures furniture, cabinetry, tile, engines, and g ...
, a manufacturing and hospitality company in
Kohler, Wisconsin
Kohler is a village in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States, along the Sheboygan River. The population was 2,120 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Originally called Rive ...
, best known for its
plumbing
Plumbing is any system that conveys fluids for a wide range of applications. Plumbing uses pipes, valves, plumbing fixtures, tanks, and other apparatuses to convey fluids. Heating and cooling (HVAC), waste removal, and potable water delivery ...
products,
golf course
A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". Th ...
s, and resorts, with the latter two fields of business directly entered into under his chairmanship. Before his death, ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
'' estimated the net worth for him and his family at US$8.8 billion.
Early life and education
Kohler was born February 20, 1939, to
Ruth Miriam DeYoung Kohler (1906–1953) and Herbert Vollrath Kohler Sr. (1891–1968), who ran the Kohler Company from 1937 until his death.
He is related to other former company presidents, including
Walter J. Kohler Sr.
Walter Jodok Kohler Sr., (March 3, 1875April 21, 1940) was an American businessman and politician from the Kohler family of Wisconsin. He was an innovative and highly successful Wisconsin industrialist. The Kohler Company was founded by his fat ...
and
Walter J. Kohler Jr. He graduated from
The Choate School
Choate Rosemary Hall (often known as Choate; ) is a private, co-educational, college-preparatory boarding school in Wallingford, Connecticut, United States. Choate is currently ranked as the second best boarding school and third best private hi ...
in 1957 (now
Choate Rosemary Hall
Choate Rosemary Hall (often known as Choate; ) is a private, co-educational, college-preparatory boarding school in Wallingford, Connecticut, United States. Choate is currently ranked as the second best boarding school and third best private high ...
,
Wallingford,
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
), and served as its chairman of the board of trustees from 2005–10.
He graduated in 1965 from
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
with a degree in Industrial Administration and went to work for the company. In June 1972, he was elected chairman of the board and chief executive officer at the age of 33.
Business career
As a teenager, Kohler worked as a laborer or technician for every division of
Kohler Co.
Kohler Co., founded in 1873 by John Michael Kohler, is an American manufacturing company based in Kohler, Wisconsin. Kohler is best known for its plumbing products, but the company also manufactures furniture, cabinetry, tile, engines, and g ...
, which specialised in manufacturing plumbing products. He was awarded a bachelor's degree in industrial administration in 1965 by
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
. After graduation he joined the Kohler Company full time and, in 1972, was appointed chief executive officer.
The National Kitchen and Bath Hall of Fame inducted Kohler in its founding year of 1989, followed by the National Housing Hall of Fame in 1993.
Junior Achievement
JA (Junior Achievement) Worldwide is a global non-profit youth organization founded in 1919 by Horace A. Moses, Theodore Vail, and Winthrop M. Crane. JA works with local businesses, schools, and organizations to deliver experiential learning ...
inducted him into its U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 2006. Kohler has also received the "Legend in Leadership Award" from the Chief Executive Leadership Institute of the
Yale School of Management
The Yale School of Management (also known as Yale SOM) is the graduate business school of Yale University, a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. The school awards the Master of Business Administration (MBA), MBA for Executives ...
. As of 2021, Kohler's net worth was $9.8 billion.
In April 2015, the company announced Kohler was stepping down as
CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
and relinquishing the title to his son,
David Kohler
Karger David Kohler (born June 9, 1966) is an American businessman, the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Kohler Company and the fourth generation of the Kohler family of Wisconsin to lead the company since its inception in 1873. ...
, while remaining executive chairman.
Golf
Kohler was a golf fan, and the Kohler Company owns and operates four courses designed by
Pete Dye
Paul Dye Jr. (December 29, 1925 – January 9, 2020), known as Pete Dye, was an American golf course designer and a member of a family of course designers. He was married to fellow designer and amateur champion Alice Dye.
Early life
Dye was ...
. The first course was constructed at
Blackwolf Run
Blackwolf Run is a golf course complex in Kohler, Wisconsin. It is one of two golf destinations associated with The American Club, owned by a subsidiary of the Kohler Company. The other is the Whistling Straits complex in nearby Haven.
Opened in ...
, Wisconsin, in 1988. A second 18-hole course was added to the site in 1990 and it went on to host the
1998 U.S. Women's Open
The 1998 U.S. Women's Open was the 53rd edition of the U.S. Women's Open, held July 2–6 at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wisconsin.
The champion was Se Ri Pak, the winner of a 20-hole Monday playoff over amateur Jenny Chuasiriporn. Both age 20, Pa ...
. In 1998 Kohler added 36 holes at
Whistling Straits
Whistling Straits is one of two 36-hole links (golf), links-style golf courses associated with Destination Kohler, a luxury golf resort owned and operated by the Kohler Company in Kohler, Wisconsin. The other course is Blackwolf Run, located in ...
, also in Wisconsin, which has hosted the
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship (often referred to as the US PGA Championship or USPGA outside the United States) is an annual golf tournament conducted by the Professional Golfers' Association of America. It is one of the four men's major championships ...
in 2004, 2010 and 2015, the
U.S. Senior Open
The U.S. Senior Open is one of the five major championships in senior golf, introduced in 1980. It is administered by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and is recognized as a major championship by both the PGA Tour Champions and the Eu ...
in 2007, and the
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial men's golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is contested every two years with the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe. The Ryder Cup is named af ...
in 2021.
In 2009, Kohler purchased "one of the sport's most famous buildings",
Hamilton Hall, now known as the
Hamilton Grand
Hamilton Grand is a prominent apartment building in St Andrews, Scotland. The building is located on Golf Place, beside the Old Course. It is seen in the coverage of the many golf tournaments played over the Old Course, and was featured in the ...
, a collection of 26 luxury apartments. Kohler also owned the Old Course Hotel in
St Andrews
St Andrews ( la, S. Andrea(s); sco, Saunt Aundraes; gd, Cill Rìmhinn) is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, southeast of Dundee and northeast of Edinburgh. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's fou ...
, Scotland.
[
]
Kohler Environmental Center
In 2012, the Kohler Environmental Center (KEC) at Choate Rosemary Hall
Choate Rosemary Hall (often known as Choate; ) is a private, co-educational, college-preparatory boarding school in Wallingford, Connecticut, United States. Choate is currently ranked as the second best boarding school and third best private high ...
was inaugurated. The building was named after Herbert Kohler, who donated the $20 million required to build it. It has an area of and is designed to have a low environmental impact, using features such as solar panels, composting, and a greenhouse heated with used cooking oil. The KEC is situated on a plot of forest and wetlands, which can be incorporated into classes focused on the environment.
Personal life
In 1961, Kohler married Linda Karger (1939–2005), but the couple divorced in the early 1980s. They had three children together. Their daughter, Rachel Kohler, is married to Mark Hoplamazian
Mark S. Hoplamazian (born November 27, 1963) is an Armenian–American businessman, who has been the president and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation since December 2006.
Hoplamazian was born on November 27, 1963. He is of Armenian descent
He r ...
, CEO of Hyatt
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, commonly known as Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, is an American multinational hospitality company headquartered in the Riverside Plaza area of Chicago that manages and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vacat ...
since 2006. In 1985, Linda married Roger Anderson, retired chairman and CEO of Continental Illinois
The Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company was at one time the seventh-largest commercial bank in the United States as measured by deposits, with approximately $40 billion in assets. In 1984, Continental Illinois became the largest ...
.
Kohler appeared in the film ''Open Range
In the Western United States and Canada, open range is rangeland where cattle roam freely regardless of land ownership. Where there are "open range" laws, those wanting to keep animals off their property must erect a fence to keep animals out; th ...
'' (2003), which starred, and was directed by, his friend Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actor ...
.
His second wife was Natalie Black, a Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
graduate who joined Kohler in 1985 as a lawyer, rising to general counsel and senior vice president of communications. She is now head of the Kohler Foundation.
Kohler owned a breeding facility where he has bred many Morgan horse
The Morgan horse is one of the earliest horse breeds developed in the United States. Tracing back to the foundation sire Figure, later named Justin Morgan after his best-known owner, Morgans served many roles in 19th-century American histo ...
s. He was the owner of the Morgan horse Noble Flaire
Noble Flaire (January 28, 1984 – July 28, 2006) was a Morgan horse sired by Noble Command. He won multiple titles at the Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show before he retired in 1991, and has produced many progeny.
Life H ...
from 1984 until its death in 2006.
He died on September 3, 2022, in Kohler, Wisconsin
Kohler is a village in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States, along the Sheboygan River. The population was 2,120 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Originally called Rive ...
, at the age of 83.
See also
* Mount Kohler, named after Kohler and his sister, Ruth DeYoung Kohler II in Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kohler, Herbert Jr.
1939 births
2022 deaths
Place of birth missing
Kohler Company
American billionaires
American chief executives of manufacturing companies
Businesspeople from Chicago
Businesspeople from Wisconsin
Choate Rosemary Hall alumni
Yale University alumni
People from Kohler, Wisconsin
Kohler family of Wisconsin