American businessman. He left Philadelhia in 1891and moved to Chicago, with no money but so much energy: he started manufacturing soap, baking powder, and later, chewing gum. The gum became so popular, they dropped the other products, and in 1899 he introduced spearmint gum and sales increased tenfold. In 1911 he founded the William Wrigley, Jr, Co. As the company continued to grow, it steadfastly applied this basic principle: "Even in a little thing like a stick of gum, quality is important."