Kathryn Hach-Darrow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kathryn Hach-Darrow
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| Born | October 20, 1922 Bucklin, Missouri, U.S.
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| Died | June 4, 2020 (aged 97) Loveland, Colorado, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Kitty Hach |
| Alma mater | Columbia College Iowa State University |
| Occupation | Businesswoman, philanthropist |
| Spouse(s) | Clifford C. Hach (1943–1990), Donald Darrow (m. 1995) |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Pittcon Heritage Award |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Business Chemistry |
| Institutions | Hach Company |
Kathryn "Kitty" Hach-Darrow (born October 20, 1922 – died June 4, 2020) was an amazing American businesswoman. She also loved to help others through her charity work.
In 1947, she started the Hach Chemical Company with her first husband, Clifford C. Hach. Kitty was key to the company's growth. She even flew her own plane to sell water testing kits across the country! She became the company's president and CEO.
Kitty Hach-Darrow was also the first woman director of the American Water Works Association. This group works to make water quality better around the world. She received many awards for her success in business and her contributions to chemistry.
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Early Life and Education
Kathryn Carter was born in Bucklin, Missouri. Her dad sold cars and was also a pilot. Kitty loved flying from a young age, taking her first plane ride at age five. Her mom was a schoolteacher.
During the Great Depression, her family faced tough times. They lost their business and plane. They moved to a farm in Triplett, Missouri. Kitty worked hard, raising and selling turkeys to earn money for college.
She first went to Columbia College in Missouri. Later, she transferred to Iowa State University. There, she studied home economics. At Iowa State, Kitty met Nellie May Naylor, a chemistry teacher. Nellie May helped Kitty discover her interest in chemistry.
Starting a Business and Flying High
Kathryn and Clifford C. Hach met at Iowa State University. They got married in 1943. Kitty knew Clifford wanted to build his own chemical company.
Clifford finished college in 1947 after working on war projects. Jobs were hard to find then. He got a part-time job analyzing water for a company. This job gave him an idea for a new product. He wanted to create simple ways to test water using powders instead of heavy liquids.
He raised money by selling an invention for fire extinguishers. With $15,000, the Hachs started the Hach Chemical Company in 1947. They built a small plant in Ames, Iowa. For a while, they lived in an apartment right at the plant with their three children.
Clifford focused on creating new products. Kitty managed the business and marketing. Their first big success was a simple kit to measure water hardness. Kitty realized how important water plant operators were. She worked closely with them to develop standards.
Kitty became known as "Kitty" Hach because she flew her plane everywhere. She landed on small, even dirt, airstrips to deliver water testing kits. She was a member of the Ninety-Nines, a group for women pilots. She flew over 7,000 hours!
Kitty Hach was the first woman director of the American Water Works Association. This group works to improve water quality globally. She also served on many committees for the AWWA.
The Hach Company's Growth
Hach Chemical helped set standards for water testing. They created many important tools for analyzing water. Their tests were simple to use, even for people who weren't chemists. By 2012, about 70% of cities in the U.S. used Hach Company tools. These tools could find tiny amounts of impurities in water.
Hach Chemical Company became an official company in 1951. It started selling shares to the public in 1968. In 1978, the company moved its main office to Loveland, Colorado. It was renamed Hach Company in 1980.
Under Kitty Hach's leadership, the company grew to over 900 employees. It became one of the top women-owned businesses in the U.S. Kitty Hach-Darrow was the president and CEO of the Hach company.
After Clifford passed away in 1990, Kitty became the chairman and CEO. Her son, Bruce, became president. In 1995, Kitty married Donald Darrow, a retired pilot. She then became Kitty Hach-Darrow. In 1999, Kitty and Bruce sold the Hach company to Danaher Corporation.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Kitty Hach-Darrow received many awards for her important work:
- In 1957, Kitty and Clifford Hach won the George Warren Fuller Award. This was for their great service in water supply.
- In 1987, Hach Company was named the Best Company in Northeastern Colorado.
- In 1992, Northwood University honored her with an Outstanding Business Leaders Award.
- In 2000, she joined the Colorado Business Hall of Fame.
- In 2003, Kitty Hach-Darrow received the Pittcon Heritage Award.
- In 2004, Colorado State University gave her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Helping Others Through Charity
Kitty Hach-Darrow also did a lot of good through her charity work:
- In 1982, the Hachs started the Hach Scientific Foundation. This foundation helped chemistry students and schools with grants. In 2009, the foundation joined the American Chemical Society. They continue to offer scholarships and grants.
- In 2000, Kathryn Hach-Darrow gave $10 million to Northwood University. This gift helped build the Hach Student Life Center. It opened in 2002 and has classrooms, social areas, and sports facilities.
- Kitty Hach-Darrow and her family also gave a lot of money to Iowa State University. Their gifts helped build Hach Hall, a new chemistry building. It opened in 2010.
- In 2012 and 2014, Hach-Darrow created an award through the American Chemical Society. It's called the Kathryn C. Hach Award for Entrepreneurial Success. It honors someone who has "created something where nothing existed before."
