Archibald Bush knew that a person’s leadership potential could not be measured by the population of their hometown.

Born and raised in Granite Falls, a small farming community in west central Minnesota, Archie dropped out of school in eighth grade to work on the family farm. He often told people that he probably would have stayed there if it wasn’t for his chronic hay fever.

Instead, with $25 in his pocket, he left Granite Falls to pursue his fortune in Duluth, Minn. There, he worked as a laborer during the day, went to school at night and eventually landed a job with a little company that made industrial sandpaper.

Together with William McKnight, Archie would help transform that little company, known as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, into one of the largest and most innovative companies in the world: 3M.

Together with William McKnight, Archie would help transform that little company, known as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, into one of the largest and most innovative companies in the world: 3M.

Archie eventually rose to become the company’s executive chairman. In 1953, he and his wife, Edyth, took $200 million worth of company stock accumulated during his career and used it to establish the Bush Foundation.

Today, the Foundation invests in people with extraordinary potential to make a big impact in communities large and small — including the mayor of Granite Falls! We think Archie would approve.