William Post (businessman)
William Post | |
|---|---|
_headshot.jpg) | |
| Born | June 27, 1927 Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | February 10, 2024 (aged 96) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Florence Schut
(m. 1948; died 2020) |
William Post (June 27, 1927 – February 10, 2024) was an American businessman and inventor. Born to
He eventually became senior vice president of Keebler's until his retirement at age 56. After he retired, Post worked as a consultant and brand ambassador until 2003.Early life
Post was born on June 27, 1927, to Henry Post and Johanna Jongsta in
Pop-Tarts
In September 1963,
In 1967, Post thought icing would be an ideal addition to the product. Some people at the company believed that toasting would cause the icing to melt, but it did not.
After Kellogg's acquired Keebler in 2001, Post and his wife moved back to Grand Rapids two years later.[5] Throughout his life, Post maintained that the Pop-Tart's creation was a team effort, stating, "I assembled an amazing team that developed Kellogg's concept of a shelf-stable toaster pastry into a fine product that we could bring to market in the span of just four months".[7]
Later life
In his retirement, Post would visit schools to tell his story to students, telling them how he, the son of immigrants, attained success through hard work. According to his son, he would always tell students "If you want to be noticed, always do more than is expected". He would then give students samples from his unlimited supply of Pop-Tarts.[1] He had a stockpile of them in his car, which had the license plate POPTART.[9]
Post was married to his wife Florence for 72 years until her death in 2020. They had two children.[1][5] Post died of heart failure on February 10, 2024, at the age of 96.[1][5]
Explanatory notes
- ^ Now called Calvin University.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Yoon, John (February 14, 2024). "William Post, Who Helped Create Pop-Tarts, Dies at 96". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ a b Itoh, Katherine (February 14, 2024). "William 'Bill' Post, inventor of Pop-Tarts, dies at 96". nbcnews.com. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ a b c Smith, Harrison (February 14, 2024). "Bill Post, an inventor of the Pop-Tart, dies at 96". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b Helmore, Edward (February 14, 2024). "William 'Bill' Post, inventor of Pop-Tarts, dies aged 96". The Guardian.
- ^ a b c d e f Flam, Charna (February 14, 2024). "William 'Bill' Post, Credited with Inventing the Pop-Tart, Dead at 96". People. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ Richard, James (April 6, 2003). "Kellogg's marks Pop-Tart's 40th year". The Herald Palladium. p. 9.
- ^ a b c Shafiq, Saman; Steele, Greyson (February 16, 2024). "Co-inventor of Pop-Tarts, William Post, dies at 96". USA Today. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
- ^ Valinsky, Jordan (February 14, 2024). "William 'Bill' Post, who helped invent Pop-Tarts, has died". CNN.
- ^ a b "Bill Post, inventor of the Pop-Tart, the snack loved by millions of youngsters – obituary". telegraph.co.uk. February 15, 2024.
- Kelly, Mary Louise; Juana Summers (February 15, 2024). "Remembering the Co-creator of the Pop Tart". All Things Considered. NPR. Retrieved March 13, 2024.