Pleasant Rowland
Rowland is known for her philanthropic work in the arts in Madison, Wisconsin and her efforts to redevelop historic properties in Aurora, New York.
[3][4] Her father was Edward M. Thiele, a Chicago advertising executive who was president of the Leo Burnett ad agency from 1961 to 1971.
After graduating from Wells College[5] in 1962, Rowland began teaching second-grade students at Mattapan Elementary in Massachusetts.
Rowland described the American Girl dolls as "chocolate cake with vitamins": incorporating imagination, play, and history.
"Was there some way I could bring history alive for them, the way Williamsburg had for me?”[8] Rowland would also recall being struck by the project as the vision of financier and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr., who helped finance the 18th-century historical reconstruction.
[13] Rowland worked with Valerie Tripp, a close friend and colleague from Addison-Wesley,[14] to develop characters for the first line of dolls.
Pleasant Company eventually began to produce more dolls, starting in 1991 with Felicity Merriman: a 1770s girl living during the American Revolution in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Rowland described the American Girl novels as "[celebrating] family, hard work, honesty, courage, reliability and responsibility.
[18] In 2002, Rowland described her belief in the importance of the whole package (of dolls, books, and accessories):I knew there was magic in the American Girl concept, but it was in the whole idea, not just part.
[12]According to Rowland, Pleasant Company was interested in "multiethnic representation in the product line" but hoped to become established financially before producing non-white dolls for their target customers.
We made a black doll an object of status and desire for white children.”[13] Addy's story follows her eventual escape from slavery in North Carolina to Philadelphia with her mother during the American Civil War.
[19][20][21] To balance the fine lines between marketability, historical accuracy, and cultural sensitivity, Rowland and the board had extensive discussions about the appearance of the doll and her accompanying story with the author, Connie Porter, and the advisory panel.
Melodye Rosales, the illustrator for the first three Addy Walker American Girl books, described her relationship with Pleasant Company and Rowland as confrontational.
[22] Rowland later recalled: "The last important piece of the original business plan came into being with the building of American Girl Place...
[citation needed] In 2008, Rowland sold MacKenzie-Childs to the part owners of Twin Lakes Capital Lee Feldman and Howard Cohen.
[27] The reading program was purchased by education publisher Zaner-Bloser in 2015 and continues to be used in thousands of classrooms across the U.S.[27] In September 2010, Rowland received an honorary doctorate from Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin.
[29] Other residents of Aurora and alumnae of Wells College objected to the historical accuracy of the improvements and expressed concerns that these changes were not reflective of the community or intended for the people living in the town, but rather to encourage a wealthier clientele for tourism.
[30][31] Critics started a non-profit organization called the Aurora Coalition to "support historic integrity and economic autonomy.
During her speech at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Rowland remarked on how Wells College and the surrounding village were "reminders of the values and traditions of another, more tender time.
"[35] Rowland donated $40 million to Wells College to revitalize Aurora’s downtown district and reverse declining enrollment.
In press accounts, Rowland expressed her vision of enhancing the historic character and attractiveness of the community and improving the local economy.
[32]In January 2006, local supporters threw a thank you party for Rowland in recognition and appreciation of her contributions to the town of Aurora.
)[37] As a privately funded project, these gifts enabled the Overture Center to be built with high-quality materials like travertine floors, custom-dyed carpeting, and historically accurate light fixtures.
[41] In a statement to Madison365, Rowland shared: “[I hope] that Madison Youth Arts Center will give all children in our community the opportunity to engage in creative expression in a place that affirms their value, honors their voices, and reflects their dreams.”[40] In 2021, Rowland donated $10 million toward the construction of a new transplant clinic at UW Hospital.
