Ralph Braun (born December 18, 1940) is the founder and CEO of the Braun Corporation.[1][2][3]
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Ralph was born and raised in Winamac, Indiana. When he was six years old, doctors diagnosed him with muscular dystrophy.[3] He started using a wheelchair at the age of 14. At the age of 15, he created a motorized wagon with his father to help him get around. Five years later Ralph created a motorized scooter, which he called the Tri-Wheeler, using various parts from his cousin’s farm. Ralph rode the Tri-Wheeler to and from his day job as a Quality Control Manager for a nearby manufacturer. When the facility moved several miles away, he equipped an old mail carrier Jeep with hand controls and a hydraulic tailgate lift, enabling him to drive his Tri-Wheeler in and out of the vehicle unassisted.[2]
In 1970, Dodge introduced the first full-sized, front engine van. Ralph retrofitted a Dodge van with a lift and called this new invention the “Lift-A-Way” wheelchair lift. When word spread about this new invention, Ralph assembled a team to help fill orders across the nation, all from his parents’ garage. As demand increased, Ralph decided to quit his full-time job to focus on his part-time business.
Ralph started "Save-A-Step" manufacturing in 1963 which was later incorporated under a new name, The Braun Corporation, in 1972. In 2006, The Braun Corporation adopted the brand name BraunAbility.
Ralph and his son Todd are owners of the NASCAR racing team, Braun Racing.
Ralph resides in Winamac, Indiana with his wife Melody.