By the time Lou Upton was 22 years old, he had put his entire life savings—$500—into a promising business venture. But it failed, and he walked away with nothing except the patent for a wringer washer. Ever the entrepreneur, his innovative mind began spinning with new ideas. How could he turn this patent into the next great business idea? By electrifying it.
By taking calculated risks, Lou led the company that would become Whirlpool Corp. through the tumultuous early 20th century. Not even two world wars, the Great Depression and the Spanish Flu could suppress his vision for the future.