Edgar Prince

Edgar Prince
Born Edgar Dale Prince
(1931-05-03)May 3, 1931
Holland, Michigan, U.S.
Died March 2, 1995(1995-03-02) (aged 63)
Holland, Michigan, U.S.
Nationality American
Education University of Michigan (BS)
Occupation Engineer, businessman
Spouse(s) Elsa Zwiep
Children 4, including Betsy DeVos and Erik Prince

Edgar Dale Prince (May 3, 1931 – March 2, 1995) was an American businessman, the founder of the Prince Corporation[1][2] (now owned by Johnson Controls).

Early life

Edgar Dale Prince was born on May 3, 1931 in Holland, Michigan, the son of Edith (De Weert) and Peter Prince.[3] His father was a local businessman who died of a stroke when Edgar was 11. His parents belonged to the Reformed Church in America and traced their ancestry back to the Netherlands. He graduated from the University of Michigan, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering.

Career

Prince started his career at a company manufacturing die cast machines in Holland, Michigan. He quit in order to start his own manufacturing business with the help of two co-workers. The venture proved very successful and by the 1970s was a leading manufacturer of die-cast machines in Michigan. The Prince Corporation also operated a successful diversification into auto parts by developing sun visors and other interior systems for car manufacturers. After a long period of sustained growth, it employed thousands in the early 1990s at its many plants.

Ownership in the business made Prince one of the wealthiest men in Michigan. He was a major contributor to the Family Research Council, whose mission is to "advance faith, family and freedom in public policy and the culture from a Christian worldview".[4] Critics argue that the organization advocates against LGBT rights, abortion, divorce, embryonic stem-cell research, and pornography.[5][6] He also supported civic projects such as the renovation and development of downtown Holland, in order to preserve the town's history.[7]

Prince collapsed in an elevator and died in 1995.[8] Throughout his career he had congenital heart disease. His company was sold the following year for $1.35 billion and is now a unit of Johnson Controls.[9]

Personal life

Prince was married to Elsa Zwiep and together they had four children, including former Blackwater (now Academi) CEO, Erik Prince and the Trump administration's Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Death

He died on March 2, 1995, in Holland, Michigan.

References

  1. ↑ Scahill, Jeremy (2008). Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Arm. Nation Books. ASIN B0097CYTYA.
  2. ↑ Prince, Erik (2014). Civilian Warriors: The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror. Portfolio. ISBN 978-1591847458.
  3. ↑ "Edgar Dale Prince (1931-1995) - Find A Grave..." www.findagrave.com.
  4. ↑ "Family Research Council". www.frc.org. Retrieved 2017-02-08.
  5. ↑ Katherine Stewart (December 13th, 2016), Betsy DeVos and God’s Plan for Schools, The New York Times. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  6. ↑ Benjamin Wermund and Kimberly Hefling (November 25th, 2016), Trump’s education secretary pick supported anti-gay causes, Politico, Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  7. ↑ Holland’s downtown core faced the same deterioration that had plagued most other cities. But many organizations and individuals, in particular, Ed and Elsa Prince, fought back to preserve the best of what downtown Holland had long been to the community. In 1988, the Princes saved the historic Tower Clock building from the wrecking ball.
  8. ↑ "Prince Corp. Chief Edgar Prince Dies". Plastic News. March 13, 1995. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Another Deal In Auto Parts Consolidation". New York Times. July 19, 1996. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
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