James Hormel's pioneering journey

James Hormel
Former ambassador James Hormel.
MPR Photo/Tim Post

When you think of Hormel you likely think of products like Spam. The Hormel family was one of Austin, Minnesota's best known families, owning one of the major employers in that southern Minnesota town.

One of the Hormel heirs, James C. Hormel, didn't stay in the family business. Instead, he made U.S. history by becoming the first openly gay U.S. ambassador.

Hormel writes about that in his memoir "Fit to Serve." Hormel tells Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer that the fight to become U.S. Ambassador was a long and ardous process but he says it was worth it.

Dear reader,

Political debates with family or friends can get heated. But what if there was a way to handle them better?

You can learn how to have civil political conversations with our new e-book!

Download our free e-book, Talking Sense: Have Hard Political Conversations, Better, and learn how to talk without the tension.

Volume Button
Volume
Now Listening To Livestream
MPR News logo
On Air
BBC World Service