MADISON – Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) – the combined state chamber and manufacturers’ association – announced on Monday the newest addition to the Wisconsin Manufacturing Hall of Fame, Don Wahlin.
Don Wahlin, a Wisconsin native, purchased the remaining assets of a small, bankrupt business in 1961 and founded Stoughton Trailers. Over the course of the next four decades, Wahlin’s visionary leadership, business acumen, and patient wisdom built the company into one of North America’s largest trailer manufacturers. Eventually, Stoughton Trailers grew to become the largest manufacturer in its home county.
Wahlin is the 80th inductee, joining an impressive list of Wisconsin industry titans including the first modern inductee, Ashley Furniture’s Ron Wanek, and historical inductees such as Jerome Case, Patrick Cudahy, Kurtis Froedtert, Henry Harnischfeger, Samuel Curtis Johnson, John Kimberly, Walter Kohler, Oscar Mayer, George Mead, Frederick Miller, Charles Nash, Gustave Pabst, F.J. Sensenbrenner, Arthur O. Smith, and Reuben Trane.
WMC’s predecessor organization, Wisconsin Manufacturers’ Association, started the then-called Industrial Hall of Fame in the 1950s “to honor those individuals who made significant contributions to the state’s industrial history.” In 1970, for an unknown reason, the Hall of Fame was discontinued. However, in 2024, WMC, in partnership with First Business Bank, made the decision to reconstitute the program in order to showcase Wisconsin’s growing manufacturing legacy and celebrate the innovators and entrepreneurs who have contributed to the state.
“The Wisconsin Manufacturing Hall of Fame distinguishes and honors the legacy of the leaders who have built Wisconsin,” said WMC President & CEO Kurt R. Bauer. “We are lucky to have a rich heritage of manufacturers who have impacted our economy and expertly lead companies, all while investing in their communities through philanthropy and civic engagement.”
In addition to his industry leadership, Wahlin served as a pilot in the Air National Guard for 23 years and raised eight children with his wife, Carol. Together, they also founded The Wahlin Foundation to invest in local communities. The foundation has contributed to projects such as the Stoughton Youth Center, the VFW Memorial Park, the Evansville Aquatic Center, the Stoughton Hospital, the Stoughton Library, and much more.
“Don Wahlin was an obvious addition to the Hall of Fame,” Bauer said. “He is a champion of industry, leadership and philanthropy, and a great servant to our country and his family. His legacy will undoubtedly endure for generations to come.”
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be inducted into the Wisconsin Manufacturing Hall of Fame,” Wahlin shared. “None of this would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our talented team of employees, and the support and continued leadership of my family. It’s a true privilege to join these Wisconsin icons as an inductee.”
The induction ceremony will be held the evening of Feb. 20 at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee as part of the annual Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year (MOTY) awards.
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