Businessman. He is remembered as a self-taught animal nutritionist whose premium pet foods, bearing his name “Iams,” was sold in 70 countries. During the Great Depression while working with his father in a grain store, he realized the people were going to fed their pets even when faced with economical hardships. He was a talented high school athlete who won the Ohio State Tennis Championship in 1933. Iams graduated from Ohio State University in 1937 and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. In 1946 he started the Iams Food Company at a feed mill in Tipp City, Ohio after working for several years as a dog food salesman for a grain company. In 1950, he opened his first manufacturing plant in Dayton, Ohio with five employees. He named his first dog food, "Iams 999" to imply that it was nearly perfect.Upon retiring in 1982, he sold his stake in the Iams Food Company to his business partner, Clayton Mathile, who was hired by Iams in 1970. In 1999, Mathile sold the company to Procter and Gamble. Among his products were Iams Plus, one of the first meat-based dog foods, and Iams Chunks for adult dogs. Eukanuba, meaning "supreme,” is the Iams Company super premium brand of dog food. In 1987, the Iams Company opened the Paul Iams Technical Center, a nutritional research center in Lewisburg, Ohio. After retiring to Arizona, he fell breaking his hip after being in New York for only a month. He died of complications related to the broken hip.
Businessman. He is remembered as a self-taught animal nutritionist whose premium pet foods, bearing his name “Iams,” was sold in 70 countries. During the Great Depression while working with his father in a grain store, he realized the people were going to fed their pets even when faced with economical hardships. He was a talented high school athlete who won the Ohio State Tennis Championship in 1933. Iams graduated from Ohio State University in 1937 and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. In 1946 he started the Iams Food Company at a feed mill in Tipp City, Ohio after working for several years as a dog food salesman for a grain company. In 1950, he opened his first manufacturing plant in Dayton, Ohio with five employees. He named his first dog food, "Iams 999" to imply that it was nearly perfect.Upon retiring in 1982, he sold his stake in the Iams Food Company to his business partner, Clayton Mathile, who was hired by Iams in 1970. In 1999, Mathile sold the company to Procter and Gamble. Among his products were Iams Plus, one of the first meat-based dog foods, and Iams Chunks for adult dogs. Eukanuba, meaning "supreme,” is the Iams Company super premium brand of dog food. In 1987, the Iams Company opened the Paul Iams Technical Center, a nutritional research center in Lewisburg, Ohio. After retiring to Arizona, he fell breaking his hip after being in New York for only a month. He died of complications related to the broken hip.
Bio by: Paul Theodore Riegert
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