Edgar Prince
| Edgar Prince | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Edgar Dale Prince May 3, 1931 Holland, Michigan, United States |
| Died |
March 2, 1995 (aged 63) Holland, Michigan, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Michigan (BS) |
| Occupation | Engineer, businessman |
| Spouse(s) | Elsa Zwiep |
| Children | 4, including Erik Prince and Betsy DeVos |
Edgar Dale Prince (1931-1995) was an American businessman. He was the founder of the Prince Corporation.[1][2]
Early life
Edgar Dale Prince was born on May 3, 1931 in Holland, Michigan, the son of Edith (De Weert) and Peter Prince.[3] His father was a local businessman who died of a stroke when Edgar was only 11. Both his parents belonged to the Reformed Church in America and could trace their ancestry back to the Netherlands. He graduated from the University of Michigan, where he received a bachelor of science degree in engineering.
Career
Prince started his career at a company manufacturing die cast machines in Holland, Michigan. He quit in order to start his own manufacturing business with the help of two co-workers. The venture proved very successful and was a leading manufacturer of die-cast machines in Michigan by the 1970s. The Prince Corporation also operated a successful diversification into auto parts by developing sun visors and other interior systems for car manufacturers. After a long period of sustained growth, it employed thousands in the early 1990s at its many plants. Ownership in the business made Ed one of the wealthiest men in Michigan. He supported financially many institutions, as well as civic projects such as the renovation and development of downtown Holland,[4] where a monument was dedicated to him. He collapsed in an elevator and died in 1995.[5] Throughout his career he had congenital heart disease. His company was sold the following year for $1.35 billion and is now a unit of Johnson Controls.[6]
Personal life
Prince was married to Elsa Zwiep and together they had four children, including former Blackwater CEO Erik Prince and noted philanthropist and nominee for Secretary of the Department of Education Betsy DeVos.
Death
He died on March 2, 1995, in Holland, Michigan.
References
- ↑ Scahill, Jeremy (2008). Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Arm. Nation Books. ASIN B0097CYTYA.
- ↑ Prince, Erik (2014). Civilian Warriors: The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror. Portfolio. ISBN 978-1591847458.
- ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=49832569
- ↑ Holland’s downtown core faced the same deterioration that had plagued most other cities. But many organizations and individuals, in particular Ed and Elsa Prince, fought back to preserve the best of what downtown Holland had long been to the community. In 1988, the Princes saved the historic Tower Clock building from the wrecking ball.
- ↑ "Prince Corp. Chief Edgar Prince Dies". Plastic News. March 13, 1995. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Another Deal In Auto Parts Consolidation". New York Times. July 19, 1996. Retrieved May 16, 2015.