As a child growing up in Minneapolis in the 1930s, Earl Bakken was fascinated by electricity. Ensconced in the family garage, he invented all sorts of odd contraptions that relied on battery power to turn levers and cranks, creating bright arcs of light that wowed neighboring kids and his family. But what may have looked like boyhood science fiction eventually became his life's work. In 1949 Bakken co-founded Medtronic, a local manufacturer of medical equipment. And, at the age of 33, he... More »
