User:Mucklert/Claude Ahrens

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Claude Wesley Ahrens (born 18 August 1912 - died 31 October 2000) was a businessperson, entrepreneur, farmer and inventor from Grinnell, Iowa. He was the son, and sixth child, of John Ahrens III and Mayme Badger Ahrens; sibling to six sisters and three brothers; husband to Dorothy 'Dolly' Hey Ahrens (born 03 January 1917) from October 7, 1937, until her death (died 04 November 1992). With Dolly, Claude fathered one son, Paul W. Ahrens (born 14 February 1939 - died 29 August 1989).

Early Life
Claude Ahrens was born and lived most of his early life in Grinnell, Iowa. For a time during his youth, he also lived with his family in Newburg, Iowa. As often characteristic of rural midwestern life during the time, Claude spent his early childhood attending school while working on the family farm. It was during this period that he began to display inventiveness and keen problem-solving abilities. He graduated from Grinnell Senior High School in 1931 during the early years of the Great Depression.

Career
Following his graduation from high school, Claude took a number of jobs, including as a leather worker, grocery clerk, factory laborer, machinist, salesperson, and proprietor of a small commodities and logistics business. Intermittently, Claude also sold Miracle Whirls, merry-go-rounds his father designed and patented years earlier. It was during his time selling rotating-advertisement clocks and signage in rural Iowa that he was first introduced to Roswell Garst, for whom he worked at Garst and Thomas Seed Corn Company from the mid-1930's until 1940. At the suggestion of Garst's national sales manager W.J. Clemens, in 1940 he started the Ahrens Hybrid Seed Corn Company in Grinnell, Iowa. Claude sold his seed corn business to Cargill in July, 1948.

Following the liquidation of Ahrens Hybrid Seed Corn Company, Claude launched what would become the Miracle Recreation Equipment Company, the rights to which he acquired from his father through an agreement when both were involved in the Ahrens seed corn business. Beginning with the sale of a redesigned Miracle Whirl, Miracle Recreation when on to manufacture and distribute a number of recreation products including slides, swings, people-moving trains, and carousels, among others. With its extensive experience using fiberglass for its playground equipment, Claude also involved Miracle in producing and covering stadium seats in fiberglass. Among others, stadiums whose seats Miracle resurfaced include what is now Kinnick Stadium, the University of Michigan, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, Soldier Field, and Florida State University. "[S]eating became one of Miracle's major money-makers."