In 1962, John K. sold the Hanson Furniture and Funeral Home to devote his time exclusively to Winnebago Industries, Inc., and his commitment to bring a better quality of life to Forest City together with jobs, which the community needed.
Winnebago Industries Inc. was devastated by fire in 1964. Undeterred, John K. rebuilt Winnebago Industries, Inc., and re-opened it in 1965. The result was a revolution in the recreational vehicle industry. Today, Winnebago Industries Inc. is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of motor homes and a major industrial operation for the state of Iowa. Hanson was an innovative leader in the recreational vehicle (RV) industry and instrumental in the formation of RV industry manufacturing standards.