Austin Ellsworth Cofrin (October 10, 1883 – May 27, 1980) was an American industrialist that founded the Fort Howard Paper Company in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Cofrin devoted much of his time to creating cutting-edge ideas that would forever change the way the paper industry did business.
The mill housed a machine shop to build and service the paper converting equipment, which ensured speed and accuracy while cutting costs.
Fort Howard produced many of their own chemicals used in the paper making process, as well as generating their own power to operate the mill, and maintained their own landfills for waste.
[citation needed] Cofrin was an accomplished philanthropist, and his family donates large amounts of money to the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, through their 1883 and 1923 Funds.