Edgar Hetteen The “grandfather of snowmobiling” and creator of a winter-sports industry. Hetteen, a self-described farm kid who liked to tinker, founded the companies that became Polaris and Arctic Cat. He later founded ASV, a maker of all-terrain vehicles that was named as one of the best small companies in America.
Whitney MacMillan CEO of Cargill for 18 years, when it was the world’s largest privately held company. He led Cargill to a threefold increase in employees (to 73,600) and a fivefold increase in earnings—and into steelmaking and worldwide prominence in the milling, refining, processing, and transportation of 40 agricultural products.
Earl Olson Founder of Jennie-O Foods, the world’s largest grower and processor of turkeys, he was the developer of hundreds of new products, including turkey rolls, loaves, hot dogs, and pastrami. After selling his company to Hormel in 1986, he remained Jennie-O’s chairman for 20 years, taking pride in the company’s growth to more than $1 billion in revenues.
One final note of achievement: Hall of Fame member Al Annexstad was one of 11 Americans to receive a 2010 Horatio Alger Award in recognition of his “personal and professional success despite humble and challenging beginnings.” Other recipients this year included retired General Tommy Franks, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Jenard Gross, president of Gross Investments. In the 63-year history of the Horatio Alger Association, only 11 Minnesotans have receive the award. Those past winners include Minnesota Business Hall of Famers Bill Austin, Curt Carlson, Richard Knowlton, Harvey Mackay, Jeno Paulucci and Carl Pohlad. Other past recipients include baseball player Henry Aaron, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, broadcaster Tom Brokaw, and actress Carol Burnett.
