The Joerns Healthcare history spans more than 100 years. To view a condensed
timeline, please click [timeline]
The key business components of Joerns Healthcare have always been strong
leadership, perseverance and personal commitment from the
company’s leadership and associates.
Founded in 1889 in St. Paul, Minnesota as Joerns Brothers Furniture by three
brothers, Charles, Paul and Frederick Joerns, relocated to Sheboygan, Wisconsin
in 1905. Charles Joerns bought out his brothers and ran a very prosperous
but small company. In 1927, the company suffered a fire, which spurred relocation
to Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
Joerns Brothers Furniture prospered in the 1940’s and
1950’s by manufacturing elegant and elaborate bedroom and
dining room sets, which sold to upscale retail furniture stores for up to
$1,000. Charles Joerns managed his company profitably until his death in
1941.
In the mid-1950’s, strong competition from the South forced
Joerns Brothers Furniture into hard times. As the business faltered, Joerns
Brother Furniture associates intensified their commitment to the company
and accepted a 15% voluntary wage reduction with a promise of repayment including
interest. Later, Joerns Brothers Furniture repaid 100% of this debt back
to the associates.
Frederick Joerns’ son-in-law, Raymond Nass, joined the
firm in 1959. Under his command, the company expanded into college dormitory
furniture. Next, metal engineering was added and Joerns Brothers Furniture
entered the health care market. Offerings included manual Hi-Low, fixed-height
hospital beds and three styles of cabinets and chairs for hospitals and nursing
homes.
The medical industry continued to gain prominence as the
company’s leading market niche and in 1983, the company
name was changed to Joerns Healthcare. That same year, Joerns affiliated
with three other companies to form a new holding company - Sunrise Medical
Inc. The formation of Sunrise Medical Inc. permitted a public issue of stock,
which generated capital for new products and expansions.
The breakthrough FreeStyle® bed, introduced in 1991, broke new
ground for Joerns Healthcare as well as the industry. The FreeStyle offered
the convenience and economy of a manual bed, but without the hassles of
hand-turned cranks.
