Irrigation Industry Loses Great Innovator, Pioneer: Obituary

Hunter’s tenure in the irrigation industry began in 1952 with the Moist-O-Matic Co. He, along with Ren Richards, a physicist, soil scientist and his neighbor, began experimenting with using a tensiometer-based moisture sensor that would automatically control an irrigation system. At first a hobby, Hunter saw tremendous potential for this and other innovations in the irrigation industry.

Perhaps his greatest vision was in the area of thermoplastics. In the early 1950s, Hunter saw the need for a line of sprinkler heads constructed of plastic.

While at Moist-O-Matic, he developed an extensive line of irrigation products for irrigation systems that included multi-station hydraulic controllers and valves and plastic pop-up sprinklers with gear-drive rotary mechanisms. In 1960, Hunter unveiled the 650, his first gear-driven pop-up sprinkler, a revolutionary product in the industry.

In 1962, The Toro Co., Minneapolis, Minn., purchased Moist-O-Matic and retained Hunter as its director of design and development. In his 20 years at Toro, Hunter pioneered many irrigation system components, including plastic valves, hydraulic and electric controllers and the graceful stream rotor.

He left Toro in 1981 and, with his sons, Paul and Dick, and daughter, Ann, founded Hunter Industries. The company was a platform from which Ed Hunter launched a number of innovative products to the market, including a complete line of gear-driven rotors for residential, commercial and golf course applications.

Today, Hunter Industries generates more than $100 million in annual sales and employs almost 1,000 people in California and its Cary, N.C., manufacturing and distribution facility.

One of the things I remember about Ed was that he loved the challenge of solving technical problems, confided Bob Fragala, owner and treasurer, Stateline Irrigation Products, Tyngs-boro, Mass., who was an eastern sales representative for Hunter from 1983-88. Ed was a very creative engineer, but I think his success was due not only to his creativity but perhaps more to the fact that he loved his job.

The industry is fortunate that Ed Hunter chose irrigation to focus his talents on, expressed Ben Taliafero, executive vice president, Century Rain Aid, Madison Heights, Mich. He came along with his company at a time when the industry was really struggling with its products, and took the industry into the future.