The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation Season 3 Episode 10 Ron Popiel

In this episode of The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation, host Mo Rocca explores the life and innovative legacy of inventor and entrepreneur Ron Popiel. Popiel is the founder of Ronco, a company that has been selling innovative gadgets and appliances on TV infomercials for more than 50 years.

Rocca begins by meeting with Popiel at his home in Beverly Hills, California. Popiel shares how he got started in the business of selling innovative products on television and how he came up with the idea for the Veg-O-Matic, which revolutionized the way people sliced and diced vegetables. He also discusses his passion for inventing and his drive to always stay ahead of the curve.

Next, Rocca visits the Ronco headquarters in Woodland Hills, California, where he meets with the current CEO of Ronco, Bob Winters. Winters explains that Ronco has continued to innovate over the years, creating products such as the Showtime Rotisserie and the Pocket Fisherman. Rocca also gets a behind-the-scenes look at the Ronco infomercial production process.

Later, Rocca visits the Original Ronco Factory in the town of Glen Flora, Wisconsin, which is now a museum of sorts dedicated to the history of Ronco. There, he meets with Ronco historian Phil Bibelhausen, who shares with him the history of the company and its products. Rocca even gets to see some of the original products that put Ronco on the map.

The episode also includes a segment on the history of the electric car, which may surprise viewers with its long and varied past. Rocca visits the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California, where he learns about some of the earliest electric cars and their surprising popularity in the late 1800s.

In another segment, Rocca meets with a man who is using drone technology to revolutionize the way we inspect and maintain large outdoor structures such as bridges and wind turbines. The drone has a camera that can detect even the tiniest cracks and imperfections, making it a valuable tool for maintenance engineers.

Finally, Rocca talks with a scientist who is working to develop a new material that is stronger and more durable than anything currently available. The material is called nanocellulose, and it is made from natural fibers. It has the potential to revolutionize industries such as construction, transportation, and even food production.

Overall, this episode of The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation highlights some of the most innovative people and technologies of our time, culminating in a tribute to the life and legacy of Ron Popiel, one of the most innovative entrepreneurs of the past century.