Former Hanson exec writes book on boss

A former advertising and corporate relations executive for Raymond A. Hanson has written and published “My Memories of Raymond A. Hanson.”

Author Peter Kerwien, a former weekly newspaper editor and former foreign correspondent, worked for Hanson for 13 years.

Hanson, who died Feb. 19, 2009, at 85, was recognized for developing the self-leveling device for combines in his early days as an inventor at Palouse. His company went on to accomplish several more engineering feats, including massive machines used on large scale construction projects around the world.

Hanson came up with the idea for a self-leveling device for combines in 1942 when he was a first-year engineering student at the University of Idaho. He was honored in July of 2008 when an Historic Agricultural Engineering Landmark was dedicated in downtown Palouse with members of the University of Idaho engineering faculty presiding. Hanson began producing his self-leveling devices for combines in 1946 and founded RAHCO at Palouse. The company moved to the Spokane area in 1968.

In the book, Kerwien details the inspiring character of Hanson, detailing how his can-do attitude and charm eventually helped create the company.

“He taught me that nothing is impossible and while you have to survive, it’s okay to bet it all on something in which you believed. He created a company where when you woke up in the morning you were excited to go to work early, stay late, and, like a good movie, you hated to leave in the middle of it,” Kerwien wrote in the dedication page to the 122-page book.

Kerwien’s book lists 23 major RAHCO projects, most for development of multi-million dollar construction equipment for projects around the world.

In the mid 1990s, Hanson turned over RAHCO to his son Richard Hanson and formed a new company, Hanson Industries, that retained the mining and real estate divisions. Hanson developed 226 acres of property on 1-90 in the Spokane Valley where the Spokane Valley Mall was built in 1997.

He was awarded many accolades for his business ventures around the state and nation, including the Small Businessman Award from the state in 1973.

Hanson was born in Potlach in 1923 to Ray and Orda Hanson. He grew up in Palouse and attended the University of Idaho where he majored in electrical engineering.

Copies of Kerwien’s new book are available at Main Street Books in Colfax.