Barb King Fact Sheet
- Barb King founded Landscape Structures Inc., with her husband, Steve King, in 1971.
- At the time, Barb was working as a home economist at The Pillsbury Company. However, she stepped up her role as president of Landscape Structures as the business grew, ultimately assuming responsibility for financial, sales, marketing, operations and administrative management.
- Today, Landscape Structures is one of the leading playground equipment manufacturers in the world, employing 300 people who produce the company's products within 300,000+ square feet of manufacturing and distribution space. Landscape Structures playground equipment is sold by a network of more than 75independent representative organizations around the world.
- In 1992, Barb and Steve King were named Minnesota's Entrepreneur(s) of the Year by Ernst and Young, Inc. Magazine and the law firm of Gray Plant Mooty. They also were recognized with a national honorable mention in the manufacturing category. As a result of this award, Barb and Steve were inducted into the National Institute of Entrepreneurs.
- Barb earned the Athena Award for outstanding businesswoman of the year in 1992 from the Delano Chamber of Commerce and General Motors.
- In 1993, Barb was awarded the Blue Chip Enterprise runner-up honors, given by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Nation's Business magazine and Connecticut Mutual Insurance Company.
- Barb was selected as the Small Business Administration's "Small Business Person of the Year" in 1994 for the six-state Midwest region.
- A graduate of Iowa State University, Barb received the 1999 Professional Achievement Award in Family and Consumer Sciences from Iowa State University.
- Barb was active in the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) since 1986, serving as a board member for the Minnesota chapter from 1993 to 1995, and as president from 1997 to 1999.
- In 2000, Barb was selected Woman Business Owner of the Year, by the Minnesota chapter of the NAWBO.
- Barb also served in a variety of board capacities with Delano Chamber of Commerce, Delano Economic Development Commission, Volunteers of America Minnesota, Minneapolis Community College, Minnesota 100 Mentoring Program for Women in Business and Minnesota Safety Council. She also served as a trustee on the board of directors for the Northwestern Mutual Life Company and on the NRPA Board of Trustees.
- Landscape Structures was awarded 2004 Manufacturing Company of the Year by the Minnesota Association of Manufacturers.
- Barb and Steve King received the Christian Petersen Design Award from Iowa State University's College of Design in 2004.
- In May of 2005, Barb was inducted as a Honorary Member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). The Honorary Membership title is awarded to non landscape architects whose achievements of national or international significance or influence have provided notable service to the profession of landscape architecture. Barb had the distinction of being the first spouse of an ASLA member to be inducted as an Honorary Member.
- In 2006, Barb founded the Säjai® Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to combating childhood obesity by developing programs that inspire wise nutrition and activity choices in children. See more at www.sajaifoundation.org.
- Landscape Structures was designated a Minnesota Work-Life Champion by The Center for Ethical Business Cultures (CEBC) at the University of St. Thomas in 2007 and again in 2008.
- In 2007, Iowa State University named their College of Design Foundations Pavilion after Steve and Barb King. The Kings provided the lead commitment of $1.5 million for the new $6.25 million facility to construct the campus' first "green" structure.
- Sadly, on March 4, 2008, Barb passed away after a seven-month battle with cancer.
For more information about Barb King or Landscape Structures, contact us at 601 7th Street South, Delano MN 55328; 1-888-4FUNLSI.