Herbert Kohler Jr., who led the plumbing fixture manufacturer his grandfather founded for more than four decades and who turned the tiny Wisconsin village that bears his name into a hospitality destination, is being remembered as a businessman whose impact stretched far beyond his home state. Kohler died Saturday at the age of 83. During his time as CEO, Kohler grew the company from a $133 million operation in 1972 to one that approached $6 billion in annual revenue when he turned over the top job to his son. Kohler transformed The American Club, built in 1918 for immigrant workers at Kohler, into a five-star, five-diamond resort and built the championship golf courses, Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits.
