Horace Hagedorn

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Horace Hagedorn
Born18 March 1915
Manhattan, New York, US
Died31 January 2005
Sands Point, New York, US
EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania
OccupationAdvertising executive, businessman, philanthropist
Years active1936–1997
Known forCo-Founder of the Miracle Gro brand
Spouse(s)
  • Peggy Hagedorn (died 1984)
  • Amy Maiello (m. 1985)
Children6

Horace Hagedorn (March 18, 1915 – January 31, 2005[1]) was an advertising executive, businessman and philanthropist, who was co-founder of the Miracle-Gro 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 in business later selling radio advertising.[1]

Miracle-Gro, a water-soluble fertilizer, was developed after Hagedorn met nurseryman Otto Stern and learned of Stern's troubles shipping plants in the 1944.[1][2][3] The pair hired O. Wesley Davidson, a Rutgers University professor to develop the fertilizer.[1] Hagedorn used royalties from producing a crime-drama "The Big Story" to fund the company.[2] In 1950, the company was formed after his wife Peggy named the product.[1][4] 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.[1] 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.[2] In 1995, the company merged with Scotts for $200 million in stock, made Hagedorn the majority investor. The merger created world's largest maker of lawn and garden products.[1][5] He retired from Miracle-Gro in 1997.[6]

In later life, he donated large amounts to various charities, particularly those dealing with children.[1][7] In 2000, he gave $45 million to the Long Island Community Foundation, funded a cleft palate clinic at North Shore University Hospital, and underwrote the Miracle-Gro Kids program.[8]

Death and legacy[]

The School of Business at Adelphi University and the School of Education at Hofstra University are both named after him.[1]

He died on January 31, 2005 in Sands Point, New York of pulmonary fibrosis.[1] His second wife, Amy, founded the Hagedorn Foundation in 2005.[9]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Martin, Douglas (2005-02-01). "Horace Hagedorn, 89, Marketing Genius Behind Miracle-Gro, Dies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Weber, Sandra (1993-07-25). "Long Island Q&A;: Horace Hagedorn; A Small Company's Nuts-and-Bolts Approach, and Voila! (Published 1993)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  3. ^ Weber, Sandra (1993-07-25). "Long Island Q&A;: Horace Hagedorn; A Small Company's Nuts-and-Bolts Approach, and Voila! (Published 1993)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  4. ^ Perrone, Stephanie (2018-05-16). "The Sands Point Man Who Planted Miracle-Gro". LI Press. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
  5. ^ Ringer, Richard (1995-01-27). "COMPANY NEWS; Scotts Sets Merger Deal With Stern's (Published 1995)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  6. ^ Fischler, Marcelle S. (2006-01-01). "The Legacies They Left (Published 2006)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  7. ^ Fischler, Marcelle S. (2006-01-01). "The Legacies They Left (Published 2006)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  8. ^ Fischler, Marcelle S. (2000-11-12). "What a Little Miracle-Gro Will Do (Published 2000)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  9. ^ "Retrospective | Hagedorn Foundation". hagedornfoundation.org. Retrieved 2020-11-19.

External links[]


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