Horace Hagedorn (1915 – 2005) was an advertising executive, businessman and philanthropist, who was co-founder of the

Miracle-Gro Miracle-Gro usually refers to a garden products brand licensed by OMS Investments Inc. made by Scotts Miracle-Gro Company in the United States and Evergreen Garden Care Ltd in the UK. History Miracle-Gro, a water-soluble fertilizer, was deve ...

brand, with Otto Stern. He eventually bought out the 50% interest of Stern.

Biography

Horace Hagedorn was born on March 18, 1915, in Manhattan, New York. He obtained a degree from the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

in business, later selling radio advertising. Miracle-Gro, a water-soluble fertilizer, was developed after Hagedorn met nurseryman Otto Stern and learned of Stern's troubles shipping plants in 1944. The pair hired O. Wesley Davidson, a

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

professor to develop the fertilizer. Hagedorn used royalties from producing a crime-drama "The Big Story" to fund the company. In 1950, the company was formed after his wife Peggy named the product. He is largely credited with the success of the company due to the nature of his effective marketing – employing advertisements in differing medias and working with emerging hardware chains. Hagedorn, however, credits being at the right place at the right time for the success of the company. In 1963, he became the company's first full time salesman. In 1995, the company merged with

Scotts Scotts or Scott's may refer to: Businesses and brands *Scott's (restaurant), in London *Scott's Food & Pharmacy, an American supermarket chain *Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, an American multinational corporation *Scott's Porage Oats, a Scottish bre ...

for $200 million in stock, with Hagedorn as the majority investor. The merger created the world's largest maker of lawn and garden products. He retired from Miracle-Gro in 1997. In later life, he donated large sums of money to various charities, particularly those dealing with children. In 2000, he gave $45 million to the Long Island Community Foundation, funded a cleft palate clinic at

North Shore University Hospital North Shore University Hospital (formerly known as Manhasset Hospital) is a part of Northwell Health, New York State's largest healthcare provider and private employer. It is a primary teaching hospital for the Donald & Barbara Zucker School of ...

, and underwrote the Miracle-Gro Kids program.

Death and legacy

The School of Business at

Adelphi University Adelphi University is a private university in Garden City, New York. Adelphi also has centers in Manhattan, Hudson Valley, and Suffolk County. There is also a virtual, online campus for remote students. It is the oldest institution of higher ed ...

and the School of Education at

Hofstra University Hofstra University is a private university in Hempstead, New York. It is Long Island's largest private university. Hofstra originated in 1935 as an extension of New York University (NYU) under the name Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of Ne ...

are both named after him. He died on January 31, 2005, in Sands Point, New York, of

pulmonary fibrosis Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition in which the lungs become scarred over time. Symptoms include shortness of breath, a dry cough, feeling tired, weight loss, and nail clubbing. Complications may include pulmonary hypertension, respiratory failu ...

. His second wife, Amy, founded the Hagedorn Foundation in 2005.

References

External links

The Horace Hagedorn Foundation
1915 births 2005 deaths American horticulture businesspeople Adelphi University people 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American philanthropists {{US-business-bio-1910s-stub