Joachim Kurtén

Anders Joachim Kurtén (15 January 1836–28 June 1899) was born in Kronoby into the family of sea captain Henrik Kurtén. In 1841 the family moved to Vaasa where he finished his upper-secondary final examination at the age of 17. He went on to study at a business college in Turku after which he went to work as a clerk for businessman A.A. Levón back in Vaasa. In 1861 he became Levóns business partner.

Joachim Kurtén became a prominent figure in Vaasa, where he founded several companies and had a distinguished career in banking. He chaired the city council for almost twenty years and was the speaker of the Burghers in Finland’s then legislature, the four-estates Diet.

The fact that the railroad extends to Vaasa is supposed to be the work of Joachim Kurtén.