Abraham Isaacs

Abraham Isaacs founded American Iron in 1885, then his son, Harry Isaacs, became president of the company during World War I, and then Fred Isaacs (1922-2005,) the son of Harry Isaacs, became the president of the company in the 1950's, John Isaacs, Fred Isaacs' son, was the president and CEO until 20032, when Rhea Isaacs, Fred Isaacs' wife, and Mindy Odegaard, Fred Isaacs' daughter, were added to the American Iron board and the board terminated John Isaacs and promoted Rhea Isaacs. Fred Isaacs' grandfather, a Russian immigrant to Minneapolis, started hauling scrap by horse and wagon in 1885. Fred Isaacs joined his father, Harry Isaacs, in the business, American Iron & Supply Co., in the 1930s when he was 15, and started working there full time after high school. Rhea Isaacs, CEO of American Iron, made political contributions in 2005 and 2006 to Amy Klobuchar, the Minnesota Grassroots Victory Committee, Paul Ostrow, and Mike Erlandson. American Iron is one of only two scrap yards in the Twin Cities with a union workforce, with United Electrical Workers Local 1139 having represented workers at the company for the past 50 years.

1895 Census, Wabasha, MN