Dr. Willis Carrier 20th century man

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Record: 1

Title:

Dr. Willis Carrier: 20th century man.

Authors:

Hubbard, Kim L.

Source:

Business Journal (Central New York). 02/19/99, Vol. 13 Issue 7, p6. 3/5p. 1 Black and White

Photograph.

Document Type:

Article

Subject Terms:

*INVENTORS

*AIR conditioning

NAICS/Industry Codes:

811412 Appliance Repair and Maintenance

221330 Steam and Air-Conditioning Supply

238220 Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors

People:

CARRIER, Willis Haviland, 1876-1950

Abstract:

Features Willis Carrier, inventor of the air conditioning system and one of `Time' magazine's 100most influential people of the 20th century. Family background; Personal traits; Impact of

Carrier's pioneering efforts in air conditioning on modern industry and living; Scope of CarrierCorp.'s operations.

Full Text Word Count:

1052

ISSN:

1050-3005

Accession Number:

1634423

Database:

Small Business Reference Center

DR. WILLIS CARRIER: 20TH CENTURY MAN?

Air-conditioning pioneer one of Time's top 100 of the century

SYRACUSE--It takes a lot to make Time magazine's "Time 100" list of the most influential people ofthe 20th century. Henry Ford made it. So did McDonald's founder, Ray Kroc, and Wal-Mart's SamWalton. Few would be surprised to discover Bill Gates's name on the list. While you may dispute thevalue of the contributions these men and others on the list have made, their impact on the 20thcentury is indisputable.

However. people of great technological or business accomplishment often are remembered, not forwho they were, but for what they left behind. Such is the case with Dr. Willis Haviland Carrier.

Stepping into the comfort of cooled, dehumidified air is more likely to elicit a response somethingakin to, "Ahh, thank God for air conditioning," than, "Ahh, thank God for Willis Carder." The fact is,however, that were it not for Carrier's genius, our homes, offices, and cars would not be as bearable

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on hot summer days, and some regions of the country--and, indeed, the world--would be much lesshabitable.

"Outside of business, he was actually a very humble and unassuming man," says Jonathan Shaw,manager of communications at Carrier. "That's probably why most people don't really know who hewas or remember him. But they know what air conditioning is."

He was born on a farm in Western New York near the town of Angola. Carrier once described hisWelsh forebears as "a ragged and adventurous people, with courage to try the unknown." Without adoubt, the most important influence on his life came from his mother. Once, when he was havingdifficulty solving a math problem in school, his mother helped him understand basic principles ofmathematics by cutting apples into halves, quarters, and eighths. Then, she made him add andsubtract the parts until fractions took on a whole new meaning. Career described the event as "themost important thing that ever happened to me. She opened up a new world to me and gave me apattern for solving problems that I've followed ever since. In one-half hour, she educated me!"

Although his mother died when he was only 11 years old, Carrier maintained that whatever talent hehad in mechanics, "I inherited from my mother."

Cloud Wampler, a long-time friend and banker, once described Carder as "absolutely fearless--physically, mentally, and spiritually." Wampler went on to explain other reasons why he felt Carderspecial. "First, he was 100-percent honest intellectually. Second, he possessed great knowledge,supplemented by a wonderful intuitive sense. Third, he always went directly to the heart of a

problem, often with an unconventional approach. Fourth, he had an uncanny faculty for selecting aproject that promised the fulfillment of a human need and was, therefore, commercially attractive. Hesensed demand and then developed something to meet it."

Such strong personal traits proved ideal for the budding entrepreneur. Irvine Lyle, another long-timefriend and one of Carrier's first partners, said his nickname was The Chief "because we accepted himas our leader both at work and at play."

While there were certainly others that were working on ways to condition or cool the air, it wasCarrier who made the necessary connection between removing moisture and reducing the

temperature. Without that connection, air conditioning, as we know it today, would not be as

effective. "Arguably, the rapid population shift to the Sunbelt may not have occurred were it not forair conditioning," says Guy Fauconneau, president of Carrier North American Operations.

It is also reasonable to assume that areas across this country and around the world where the climateis too hot and humid would not be as developed and productive as they are today.

A patent for Carrier's precursor to air conditioning, known as an "apparatus for treating air" wasapplied for on July 17, 1902, when he was only 25 years old, just one year after graduating fromCornell University with a degree in engineering. Carrier applied for a patent for his invention whilestill working as an engineer for the Buffalo Forge Company. He continued modifying and improvinghis invention for dehumidifying and cooling the air until 1915, when he and six associates pooledtheir resources and scraped together $32,600 to form the Carrier Engineering Company in Newark,N.J. The company's one expressed goal was "to scientifically control the temperature and humidity ofthe indoor environment."

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