Ewing Marion Kauffman was an American entrepreneur and philanthropist born in 1916 in Missouri. He started his career in pharmaceutical sales and founded his own company, Marion Laboratories, in 1950 which grew into a billion dollar company. He also purchased the Kansas City Royals baseball team in 1969. Kauffman established the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to support youth development and entrepreneurship. He left behind a significant philanthropic legacy through his foundation before his passing in 1993.