Horace Hagedorn

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).

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

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. 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. 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.


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