Herbert Vollrath Kohler Jr. was an American billionaire businessman, a member of the Kohler family of Wisconsin, and the executive chairman of the Kohler Company, a manufacturing company in Kohler, Wisconsin, best known for its plumbing products. When he died, his net worth was estimated at US$7.6 billion.
Kohler was born February 20, 1939, to Ruth Miriam DeYoung Kohler 1906–1953 and Herbert Vollrath Kohler Sr. 1891–1968, who ran the Kohler Company from 1937 until his death.
He is related to other former company presidents, including Walter J. Kohler Sr. and Walter J. Kohler Jr.
He graduated from The Choate School in 1957 now Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, Connecticut, and served as its Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 2005-10.
He graduated in 1965 from Yale University with a degree in Industrial Administration and went to work for the company. In June 1972, he was elected chairman of the board and chief executive officer at the age of 33.
Herbert Kohler Jr First Wife: Who is Linda Karger?
Who was Herbert Kohler’s first wife? Who did he marry first? His children’s mother?
Herbert Kohler Jr was once married to Linda Karger, Linda Karger was the wife of Kohler from the year 1961 to the 1980s when they divorced.
She was born on Feb. 6, 1939, in Burlington, Iowa, and raised in Quincy. She was the only child of Irving and Lillian Lohr Karger.
Linda graduated from Quincy Senior High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in theater, graduating cum laude in 1961 from Knox College in Galesburg.
She acted in and directed major theater productions on campus and in her hometown, was involved in a wide range of college positions and activities, and was awarded several honors, among them “Outstanding Pi Beta Phi Woman in Illinois.” In 1961, Linda married Herbert V. Kohler Jr
Linda Karger and Herbert Kohler Jr. had three children, their daughter, Rachel Kohler is married to Mark Hoplamazian, the CEO of Hyatt Since 2006.
After divorcing Herbert Kohler in the 1980s, Linda married Roger Anderson, the retired Chairman and CEO of Continental Illinois in the year 1985.
Linda Kohler Karger, age 66, died peacefully on Wednesday (March 2, 2005) in Evanston Hospital in Evanston