Charles F. Bowman facts for kids

Charles F. Bowman (born May 3, 1919 – died April 8, 2009) was an American businessman. He is famous for teaming up with Orville Redenbacher to create a very popular brand of popcorn. This popcorn, called Orville Redenbacher's, became a huge success in the United States. By the mid-1970s, it was so popular that one out of every three popcorn buyers in the US chose their brand! Today, ConAgra Brands owns the popcorn company.

Charles F. Bowman: The Popcorn Partner

Charles Bowman went to Purdue University. In 1951, he and Orville Redenbacher bought a company called Chester, Inc. This company was in Boone Grove, Indiana and focused on special seeds.

Building a Popcorn Empire

Orville Redenbacher spent almost 20 years researching and developing a special kind of popcorn. This amazing popcorn was finally launched in 1970. Charles Bowman was the president of their company, while Orville Redenbacher focused on the scientific research to make the best popcorn.

His Life and Legacy

Charles Bowman retired as president in 2006 when he was 87 years old. After retiring, he lived in Holland, Michigan. He passed away in 2009. This was almost 14 years after his business partner, Orville Redenbacher, had died. Charles Bowman was survived by his wife of 64 years, Mary. He also had three daughters: Judy Anthrop, June Bowman, and Connie Bowman.