Labor Hall of Fame Honoree (2003)

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Milton Hershey 1857-1945 "I have always worked hard, lived rather simply, and tried to give every man a square deal." — Milton Hershey

Combining entrepreneurial genius and a strong humanitarian impulse, Milton Hershey fed the nation's sweet-tooth and contributed in unique ways to the national welfare. After an unsettled childhood and armed with little formal education, young Hershey ventured from these humble beginnings into the risky world of commerce. After establishing a successful caramel-making firm, in 1894 he decided to commit all of his resources to the manufacture of the then little-known confection: chocolate. Its immediate popularity guaranteed enormous success to the Hershey Chocolate Co. and resulted in the creation of thousands of good jobs. Hershey scrupulously observed fair practices toward his employees and built the model town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, to house them and provide for their every need. A selfless, kind-hearted man, he established the Hershey Industrial School for orphaned boys in 1909. He donated most of his fortune to the school and thereby helped thousands of young men to happy, productive lives.