The story of the Braun Corporation begins with Pulaski County-born founder Ralph Braun. Diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy and unable to walk by the age of 15, he was determined to find a better way to stay mobile than being pushed in a manual chair and carried in and out of vehicles. He started by inventing the world’s first electric scooter, the Tri-Wheeler. From there Ralph designed the world’s first wheelchair lift and steering controls, allowing himself to drive independently for the first time in his life. With just a handful of employees and despite overwhelming odds, Ralph started what would come to be called the Braun Corporation, and a new industry emerged.
Today, the Braun Corporation is the world’s leading manufacturer of wheelchair lifts and wheelchair-accessible vehicles, and is Pulaski County’s largest employer with a workforce of about 900 in Pulaski County alone.
