Terry Jodok Kohler
Encyclopedia
Terry Jodok Kohler is a prominent American businessman, Wisconsin Republican Party leader, sportsman, philanthropist, and conservationist. He is known internationally in part because of his lifetime dedication to the sport of sailing.
. His father was Walter J. Kohler, Jr.
(1904-76), a sales executive at the Kohler Company
, president of Vollrath, and a three-term Governor of Wisconsin
. His mother was Marie Celeste McVoy Kohler (1900-1974), a Chicago
socialite who had been married and divorced and had one child. Terry's sister is Charlotte Nicolette (1936-). The Kohlers divorced in 1946 and Terry was raised by his father at Windway, his parents' estate not far from the giant Kohler factory in the Village of Kohler.
In 1952, Kohler graduated from the Admiral Farragut Academy. In 1962 he received a bachelor of science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, majoring in industrial management. A year later he earned an MBA in the same field from the MIT Sloan School of Management
.
Kohler married Diana Prange (1932-1991) of Sheboygan in 1956, and they had three daughters: Leslie (1958-), Michelle (1960-), and Danielle (1964-). The couple divorced in 1976. In 1981, Kohler married Mary Simpson (1929-), the mother of four sons. Mary has been active in Terry's political, business, philanthropic, and conservation activities.
An outdoor sports enthusiast, Kohler raced sports cars in the mid-1960s, and spent six years on the National Ski Patrol. He is a lifetime member of Ducks Unlimited and the National Rifle Association. Kohler has sailed and raced sailboats for more than six decades, winning numerous trophies. He is a past Commodore of the Lake Michigan
Sail Racing Federation. He was also awarded the Nathanael Herreshoff Trophy by US Sailing
in 2009, the organization's highest honor and award.
in 1955, receiving his Wings and his commission in Class 56-O as a second lieutenant
on the day of his marriage in June 1956. Trained as a bombardier
and navigator as well as a jet fighter pilot, Kohler spent three years flying Strategic Air Command
B-47 jets all over the world. He left the Air Force in 1959 with the rank of Captain.
Under Kohler's leadership, the company expanded dramatically. In July 1984, Lowell North sold his famous sailmaking company to Terry, and in in January 1989, North Sails and the Vollrath Company became separate corporations under the Windway Capital Corporation, a holding company. Another company within the Windway family is North Technology Group, largely in the marine manufacturing field, and builds sails, boats, masts, rigging, and accessories. It is the world's largest manufacturer of racing sails, including particularly the high technology fabrics of 3DL, 3Di, and TPT used in many products from America's Cup sails to skis, to snowboards, and to high altitude balloons. Today Terry is President and Chairman of the Board of Windway Capital Corporation, Chairman of North Technology Group, and is on the board at Vollrath.
(GOP) moderates. Kohler was active in the GOP for many years before attempting unsuccessfully, in 1980, to win the party's nomination for the United States Senate
in 1980. Mary Simpson, soon to be his wife, was his campaign manager. Two years later, Kohler lost to Democrat Tony Earl
in a gubernatorial election.
Kohler and his wife have been active in Republican Party matters on the local, state, and national level. In May 2002, Kohler was elected to the GOP National Committee, serving until mid-February, 2007. In 2004, he was a member of the Bush-Cheney Campaign Steering Committee. Since 1984 the Kohlers have been consistent and generous supporters of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich
.
, the Rockford Institute
, and the International Crane Foundation
.
Kohler and his wife have been leaders in the largely successful efforts to save Trumpeter Swans, Whooping Cranes, and Siberian Cranes
from extinction. At one point the couple responded to an appeal by Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson
to fly swan eggs from Alaska
to Wisconsin in a company plane, and continued to do so for the better part of a decade. On a number of occasions they have also flown Whooping Crane eggs from Ft. Smith in the Northwest Territories of Canada to the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, WI. On another occasion, they brought eggs from Alaska to Michigan
. The Kohlers also flew a company jet to the farthest reaches of Siberia
and clear across Russia around the world to help Russians preserve the rapidly disappearing Siberian Crane. In recent years, they have been part of the ultra-light led Whooping Crane Recovery Project between Wisconsin and Florida
. The couple wrote in 2007 that their experience in this field "has provided almost weekly excitement in our lives for nearly 20 years." In 2009, they were awarded the Charles Lindbergh Award which "is given annually to individuals whose work over many years has made significant contributions toward the Lindbergh's concept of balancing technology and nature."
Early life
Kohler was born on May 14, 1934 in Sheboygan, WisconsinSheboygan, Wisconsin
-Airport:Sheboygan is served by the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport, which is located several miles from the city.-Roads:Interstate 43 is the primary north-south transportation route into Sheboygan, and forms the west boundary of the city. U.S...
. His father was Walter J. Kohler, Jr.
Walter J. Kohler, Jr.
Walter Jodok Kohler, Jr. was the 33rd Governor of Wisconsin for three terms from 1951 to 1957 and a leading figure in state and national Republican Party activities. His role in the clash between Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and presidential candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 has interested...
(1904-76), a sales executive at the Kohler Company
Kohler Company
'The Kohler Company is a manufacturing company in Kohler, Wisconsin best known for its plumbing products. Kohler also manufactures furniture, cabinetry, tile, engines, and generators.-History:...
, president of Vollrath, and a three-term Governor of Wisconsin
Governor of Wisconsin
The Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state...
. His mother was Marie Celeste McVoy Kohler (1900-1974), a Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
socialite who had been married and divorced and had one child. Terry's sister is Charlotte Nicolette (1936-). The Kohlers divorced in 1946 and Terry was raised by his father at Windway, his parents' estate not far from the giant Kohler factory in the Village of Kohler.
In 1952, Kohler graduated from the Admiral Farragut Academy. In 1962 he received a bachelor of science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, majoring in industrial management. A year later he earned an MBA in the same field from the MIT Sloan School of Management
MIT Sloan School of Management
The MIT Sloan School of Management is the business school of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
.
Kohler married Diana Prange (1932-1991) of Sheboygan in 1956, and they had three daughters: Leslie (1958-), Michelle (1960-), and Danielle (1964-). The couple divorced in 1976. In 1981, Kohler married Mary Simpson (1929-), the mother of four sons. Mary has been active in Terry's political, business, philanthropic, and conservation activities.
An outdoor sports enthusiast, Kohler raced sports cars in the mid-1960s, and spent six years on the National Ski Patrol. He is a lifetime member of Ducks Unlimited and the National Rifle Association. Kohler has sailed and raced sailboats for more than six decades, winning numerous trophies. He is a past Commodore of the Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
Sail Racing Federation. He was also awarded the Nathanael Herreshoff Trophy by US Sailing
US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association, better known as US Sailing, is the governing body for the sport of sailing in the United States, particularly yacht, dinghy, windsurfing, and radio sailing racing...
in 2009, the organization's highest honor and award.
Military service
Kohler joined the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in 1955, receiving his Wings and his commission in Class 56-O as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
on the day of his marriage in June 1956. Trained as a bombardier
Bombardier (air force)
A bombardier , in the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force, or a bomb aimer, in the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces, was the crewman of a bomber responsible for assisting the navigator in guiding the plane to a bombing target and releasing the aircraft's bomb...
and navigator as well as a jet fighter pilot, Kohler spent three years flying Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
B-47 jets all over the world. He left the Air Force in 1959 with the rank of Captain.
Career
In 1947, Walter J. Kohler, Jr., Terry's father, became head of the Vollrath Company in Sheboygan, maker of a variety of smaller metal and enamel products for the food service industry. The company boomed, becoming a leader in stainless steel and aluminum kitchen and hospital wares. Terry Kohler's full-time association with the corporation began in 1963. In 1982, five years after his father's death, Terry became chairman of the board and chief executive officer.Under Kohler's leadership, the company expanded dramatically. In July 1984, Lowell North sold his famous sailmaking company to Terry, and in in January 1989, North Sails and the Vollrath Company became separate corporations under the Windway Capital Corporation, a holding company. Another company within the Windway family is North Technology Group, largely in the marine manufacturing field, and builds sails, boats, masts, rigging, and accessories. It is the world's largest manufacturer of racing sails, including particularly the high technology fabrics of 3DL, 3Di, and TPT used in many products from America's Cup sails to skis, to snowboards, and to high altitude balloons. Today Terry is President and Chairman of the Board of Windway Capital Corporation, Chairman of North Technology Group, and is on the board at Vollrath.
Political life
Kohler's grandfather and father had been Wisconsin Governors and staunch Republican PartyRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
(GOP) moderates. Kohler was active in the GOP for many years before attempting unsuccessfully, in 1980, to win the party's nomination for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1980. Mary Simpson, soon to be his wife, was his campaign manager. Two years later, Kohler lost to Democrat Tony Earl
Tony Earl
Anthony Scully Earl is a United States politician and a member of the Democratic party and served as the 41st Governor of Wisconsin from 1983 until 1987. He graduated from Michigan State University and earned a J.D. from the University of Chicago...
in a gubernatorial election.
Kohler and his wife have been active in Republican Party matters on the local, state, and national level. In May 2002, Kohler was elected to the GOP National Committee, serving until mid-February, 2007. In 2004, he was a member of the Bush-Cheney Campaign Steering Committee. Since 1984 the Kohlers have been consistent and generous supporters of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
.
Philanthropy and conservation
Mary Kohler is the Executive Director of the Charlotte and Walter Kohler Charitable Trust. Between 1998-2006, the Trust spent nearly $20 million. Top recipients included MIT, Lakeland College of Sheboygan (the 2010 Kohler lecture there was delivered by Gingrich), Nashotah HouseNashotah House
Nashotah House is an Anglo-Catholic seminary of the Episcopal Church located in Nashotah, Wisconsin, approximately 30 miles from Milwaukee, in the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. The seminary opened its doors in 1842 and received its official charter in 1847...
, the Rockford Institute
Rockford Institute
Rockford Institute is a conservative think-tank associated with paleoconservatism, based in Rockford, Illinois. It is known for the John Randolph Club, and publishes Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture....
, and the International Crane Foundation
International Crane Foundation
The International Crane Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and conservation of the 15 species of cranes. Founded in 1973, ICF moved to its current headquarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin, in 1984....
.
Kohler and his wife have been leaders in the largely successful efforts to save Trumpeter Swans, Whooping Cranes, and Siberian Cranes
Siberian Crane
The Siberian Crane also known as the Siberian White Crane or the Snow Crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes...
from extinction. At one point the couple responded to an appeal by Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson
Tommy Thompson
Thomas George "Tommy" Thompson , a United States Republican politician, was the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, after which he served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Thompson was a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls...
to fly swan eggs from Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
to Wisconsin in a company plane, and continued to do so for the better part of a decade. On a number of occasions they have also flown Whooping Crane eggs from Ft. Smith in the Northwest Territories of Canada to the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, WI. On another occasion, they brought eggs from Alaska to Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The Kohlers also flew a company jet to the farthest reaches of Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
and clear across Russia around the world to help Russians preserve the rapidly disappearing Siberian Crane. In recent years, they have been part of the ultra-light led Whooping Crane Recovery Project between Wisconsin and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The couple wrote in 2007 that their experience in this field "has provided almost weekly excitement in our lives for nearly 20 years." In 2009, they were awarded the Charles Lindbergh Award which "is given annually to individuals whose work over many years has made significant contributions toward the Lindbergh's concept of balancing technology and nature."