2011 Hall of Fame: The Rothman Brothers

Russell, who had earned a doctorate and went on to study the behavioral patterns of wolves in northern Minnesota and then in Israel, joined the company in 1980, shifting gears when government grants ended and his wife's pregnancy "changed my perspective on doing field research."

All company decisions at M. Rothman, such as the choice to add kitchen electronics and small appliances to the product roster in 2009, are arrived at by close consultation among the three. "Everything we do here is done by consensus," said Russell.

The brothers are also in agreement about the weight their parents' influence has carried in their work and life philosophies.