Musco's Joe Crookham: Iowa Time Machine October 30, 1939

Iowa Time Machine ⏰:  On October 30, 1939, Joe Crookham was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Crookham went on to become the principal owner of Musco Lighting, a company that pioneered technology to control spill light and glare, changing how major sports events, movie sets, and even disaster sites are lit.

Founded in 1844, the Mahaska County seat had historically been a hub for bituminous coal mining and agriculture throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. By 1939, it was a solid Midwestern community, but far removed from the nation's technological and industrial centers. This backdrop of local industry and community life provided the foundation for a homegrown entrepreneur who would later prioritize the well-being of his community and company team members.

Joe Crookham's birth in Oskaloosa set him on a path to a law career, which he pursued until he committed full-time to his business activities in 1980. Along with a partner, he bought a company called Muscatine Lighting Manufacturing Co. in 1976 and renamed it Musco Sports Lighting. This venture eventually led to the creation of the specialized SportsCluster and Total Light Control systems, earning the company an Emmy Award for lighting college football and a technical Academy Award for its mobile lighting system used in film. 

Musco's equipment, led by Crookham, has since illuminated the Olympics and the Super Bowl and even provided crucial light for recovery efforts at Ground Zero in 2001. Joe Crookham's work ultimately ensured that countless millions, whether at a high school football game or a professional stadium, would always have a clear, bright view. #Iowa #History #OTD #Innovation #Lighting