Ewing Kauffman

Ewing Kauffman

Ewing Marion Kauffman (September 21, 1916 - August 1, 1993) was an American pharmaceutical entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Major League Baseball owner.

Born near Garden City, Missouri, Kauffman grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He was bedridden for a year at age 11 with a heart ailment, during which he read as many as 40 books a month. Kauffman was an Eagle Scout and as an adult was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.

After serving in the United States Navy in World War II, Kauffman worked as a pharmaceutical salesman until 1950, when he formed Marion Laboratories with a $5,000 investment, operating it initially out of the basement of his home. He reportedly chose to use his middle name rather than his last name in order to not appear to be a one-man operation.

Marion Laboratories had revenues of $930 million the year before it merged with Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals (now part of Aventis) in 1989. The company sale made more than 300 millionaires.