Ewing Marion Kauffman

Born - Sept. 21, 1916 in Garden City, Mo.

Died - Aug. 1, 1993 in Mission Hills, Kansas

Early Life

Ewing Marion Kauffman was born to a poor family in a small town, but he died as one of the wealthiest Missourians of all time. His childhood was difficult, as he was bedridden at age eleven due to a heart problem, but he spent his time productively, reading practically every book he could get his hands on. He once estimated that he read up to forty books a month to pass the time. After high school, he attended the Kansas City Junior College to get an associate’s degree in business, and then after graduation he enlisted in the US Navy during WWII.

Missouri Connection

Kauffman was born in Missouri and moved to Kansas City at the age of eight. He was best known as the founder and original owner of the Kansas City Royals Baseball Club. He is buried in Kansas City at the Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden.

Claim to Fame

In 1950, he founded Marion Laboratories, Inc.; a pharmaceutical manufacturing firm which produces Os-Cal. He guided the company from a net profit of $1,000 in its first year to sales that now exceed $3 billion annually. He also established the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to promote philanthropic efforts devoted to education and entrepreneurship. Kauffman won numerous awards for his efforts, including Man of the Year in 1973 by the Kansas City Press Club.

Later Life

Kauffman died in 1993, but the efforts of his Kauffman Foundation continue making an impact. He established the foundation with the same sense of opportunity he brought to his business endeavors and with the same convictions. Kauffman wanted his foundation to be innovative, where they could get to the root of issues in order to fundamentally change people’s lives. Today, his legacy continues as the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City, which works with partners to advance entrepreneurship in America and improve the education of children and youth.

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