The legendary businessman’s impact runs far beyond the world of plumbing.
By Dianne M. Pogoda
Mentor, entrepreneur, visionary, environmentalist, humanitarian.
These are just some of the ways Herbert V. Kohler Jr. will be remembered, in the kitchen and bath industry and in many other industries. The executive chairman of Kohler Co. died Sept. 3 at the age of 83.
His impact on the company was nothing short of transformative. Kohler was the grandson of John Michael Kohler, who founded the company in 1873, and the third generation of Kohlers to run the company. He was preceded first by his uncle, Walter J. Kohler, and father, Herbert V. Kohler Sr., who became chairman and CEO after his brother’s death in 1940. Herb Jr. became executive vice president in 1971, chairman and CEO in 1972, and added the title of president in 1974 — at just 35 years old. He was elected executive chairman in 2015 when his son, David, took over as president and CEO.
The Bold Look of Kohler
Following the path of innovative thinking established by his family, Herb Kohler Jr. expanded the company’s brands and business operations, turning Kohler into one of the world’s leading manufacturers spanning plumbing fixtures and fittings, interiors, power generators, engines, tile, furniture and more. He kept a strong manufacturing base in the U.S. but also expanded around the world. Still family-held, Kohler Co. has annual revenues of more than $7 billion, and employs over 40,000 people globally.
Industry leaders spoke of his keen business acumen, visionary thinking, passion for his products and warm heart.
“His focus on design and innovation was incredibly rare and we at Ferguson are so very fortunate to build on the relationship he worked to establish. Through business and philanthropy, he made an indelible impact on many.” —Kevin Murphy, CEO of Ferguson
“The world lost a remarkable individual with the passing of Herb Kohler,” said Kevin Murphy, CEO of Ferguson. “He was a true visionary and demonstrated a deep passion for our industry through his countless contributions. His focus on design and innovation was incredibly rare and we at Ferguson are so very fortunate to build on the relationship he worked to establish. Through business and philanthropy, he made an indelible impact on many, and we will continue to be inspired by his legacy.”
“We truly appreciate his commitment, his bold leadership and his elevating the industry’s standards and what it means to be a great corporate citizen.” —Bill Darcy, CEO of NKBA
“Herb Kohler was a brilliant businessman, marketer and humanitarian,” said Bill Darcy, NKBA CEO. “He was a member of the National Kitchen & Bath Hall of Fame inaugural class of 1989 — and for good reason: He was, without a doubt, an industry icon. In more than 40 years at Kohler’s helm, he led by example, not only in revolutionizing the world of plumbing and responsible, sustainable manufacturing, but he had an amazing impact on the people of Wisconsin, the golf and arts communities, the environment, and in instituting clean-water programs for communities around the world. We truly appreciate his commitment, his bold leadership and his elevating the industry’s standards and what it means to be a great corporate citizen.”
Kohler was admired for his leadership as well as his innovative marketing. His passion for excellence in product design and manufacturing extended to anything with the Kohler name. “If I sell you a bathtub, there has to be something about it that gives you pleasure not only at the time of the transaction. Years later, we want you to think this is one of the best buys of your life,” he once said in an interview. “The same applies with everything we provide – an engine, generator, toilet, table, hotel room, spa service, golf course, you name it. If you think about it five years later and, inwardly or outwardly, it makes you smile and we can do this consistently, then we’re living up to our mission.”
He shepherded “The Bold Look of Kohler,” a campaign that began in 1967 and revolutionized the way consumers thought about plumbing, transforming utilitarian products into colorful, innovative, artful designs.
“[He was] a visionary who changed the way we live our lives. We are extremely fortunate to experience his innovative impact — the Bold Look of Kohler — which elevated all we do in the residential and commercial kitchen and bath space.” —Kerrie Kelly, Kerrie Kelly Design Lab
Designer Kerrie Kelly, creative director of Kerrie Kelly Design Lab, called Kohler “a visionary who changed the way we live our lives. We are extremely fortunate to experience his innovative impact — the Bold Look of Kohler — which elevated all we do in the residential and commercial kitchen and bath space. His passion and zest for life will be deeply missed by our industry.”
Kohler’s marketing vision equaled the commitment to innovative product design. One landmark TV commercial featured a couple in a highly awarded architect’s office, in which the prospective client pulls a Kohler faucet from her purse and says, “Design a house around this.”
“Bold wasn’t just a look,” said John K. Morgan, CEO of Green Forest Cabinetry, who was NKBA Board President in 2013. “It was one man’s attitude and lifestyle that inspired me and an entire industry. Thank you, Herb!”
Foray Into Golf and Hospitality
Herb Kohler’s vision extended far beyond the plumbing business. An avid golfer, he guided the company into hospitality and golf courses. Kohler today runs world-class hotels and championship-caliber links that have hosted six Major events, including PGA Championships, the 2021 Ryder Cup and other notable tournaments since its first course, Blackwolf Run, opened in 1988, followed by Whistling Straits a decade later.
To accomplish this required a massive commitment and engineering effort. Kohler had to clean up 43 waste dumps, two of which were toxic, along the shores of Lake Michigan, and move drug dealers out of the area. They also had to change the topography of the land to create the courses — which have been lauded by golf associations globally as among the finest in the world — and created a destination for vacationers in the quiet Wisconsin countryside.
The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America tweeted, “The impact and legacy of Kohler, a former GCSAA trustee and donor, an Old Tom Morris Award winner [2016] and golf course owner, will live on in the world of golf.” The Old Tom Morris award, the association’s highest honor, recognizes a lifetime commitment to golf and an individual who “has helped to mold the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by Old Tom Morris,” a greenskeeper and golf pro at the legendary St Andrews Links in Scotland.
In the late Seventies, Kohler directed the transformation of the dormitory-style employee facility into the American Club, a luxury spa and resort. With The American Club as the anchor, Destination Kohler was formed and today includes the 500-acre wilderness preserve River Wildlife, a second hotel, spa and sports facilities, restaurants and shops.
Commitment to Education and the Arts
Herb Kohler was a relentless supporter of education and advocate for youth development. He volunteered on the board of Outward Bound USA, a leading provider of experiential and outdoor education programs. His service, impact, and commitment to this non-profit earned Herb and daughter Laura (the company’s SVP of Human Resources, Stewardship and Sustainability) the prestigious Kurt Hahn Award in 2020.
He also served as a trustee at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis.; Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Conn. (which he attended); the National Housing Endowment, and Friendship House, a home-based facility for at-risk youth in Sheboygan. He was an active supporter of The First Tee, an initiative to create new golf facilities around the country and make the game more affordable and accessible, especially to youth.
Kohler established and chaired the Kohler Trust for the Arts and Education, the Kohler Trust for Preservation, passing the chair role to Laura in 2015. He established the Kohler Scholarship Endowment in Drama at Duke University, and endowed the Kohler Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Business Administration at Marquette University. In 2018, the Kohler Innovation Visualization Studio opened at the UW-Madison College of Engineering, and in 2014, the Kohler Center for Manufacturing Excellence was unveiled at Lakeshore Technical College in Cleveland, Wis.
Working closely with his sister Ruth and the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Kohler also helped establish an innovative Arts/Industry residency program that invites artists into the Kohler factories to work alongside production associates, turning out handcrafted sculptures made from plumbing product materials. More than 500 artists have participated in this unique residency that intersects art and manufacturing.
One artist who benefitted from Kohler’s support is Cassy Tully, who connects the worlds of golf and art. “[Mr. Kohler’s] generous patronage, ingenuity and leadership made a difference in my life and art,” she said in a LinkedIn post. “My first golf commission, art career and passion for philanthropy began in Kohler. He will be dearly missed and his legacy is forever inspiring.”
Focused on the Environment
Under Kohler’s leadership, the company began an aggressive initiative in water conservation in the 1970s. In 2008, it officially set a NetZero 2035 strategy to reduce its environmental footprint until reaching a net-zero impact on greenhouse gasses and sending no waste to landfills by 2035. This strategy for sustainability has led to the Kohler WasteLab, which takes landfill-bound materials left over from the manufacturing process and converts them into functional products; the use of solar and renewable energy to power its facilities, and creating environmentally friendly products to help its customers reduce their own impact.
He also founded the Kohler Trust for Clean Water in 2019, which Laura also chairs. Among the beneficiaries of the Trusts are the Wisconsin Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and a major conservation project in the Sheboygan River Watershed.
Kohler’s inspiration has led to numerous social and community projects in the U.S. and internationally, from supplying clean water and mobile showering facilities to victims of natural disasters, the homeless and impoverished communities around the world, to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. Since 2014, Kohler’s flagship initiative, Safe Water for All, leverages the company’s strength and expertise to help underserved populations around the world in four focus areas: Water Stewardship, Products, Impact Projects, and Advocacy. In 2021 alone, Kohler impacted more than 305,000 lives around the world through the program, and has helped more than 1.8 million people since its inception.
Besides his NKBA Kitchen & Bath Hall of Fame honor, Kohler earned the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for “exemplifying American ideals and preserving an Austrian heritage” in 1997. In 2018, the University of St Andrews presented him with an honorary degree: Doctor of Laws for demonstrating a lasting commitment to the town and people of St Andrews. He was inducted into the National Housing Hall of Fame in 1993; Ernst & Young named him National Entrepreneur of the Year in Manufacturing in 2002, and Junior Achievement inducted him into its U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 2006.
For more about Kohler’s life and legacy, click here.
