History of Innovation

 

Born October 19th 1899, Founder Francis Arthur Wittern grew up on his family farm in Cushing Iowa.  Pursuing an engineering education he quickly developed a penchant for designing mechanical devices.  At the age of 16 he developed his first practical patent for an underwater magnet mine.  In the 1920's he worked as a private contract engineer for a number of companies designing everything from very popular gaming devices to household items, to agricultural safety devices before becoming interested in the coin machine industry.  To his credit he was granted over 80 patents during the course of his life. 

In 1931 with an original investment of $12.50 for used tools and plenty of ambition, F.A. started his own company, Hawkeye Novelty, named after the state of Iowa. The first machine was a penny peanut dispenser that had a special innovation that was new for its time. Every ninth vend a bell would ring and delivered a free portion.  Hawkeye was successful in the following years, manufacturing peanut vending machines, match box dispensers and other small vending devices.  During the second world war, Hawkeye manufactured juvenile furniture, magazine racks and other wood based products and returning to peanut vending machines and bumper pool type novelty games after its end. 

In 1947 Hawkeye Novelty became FAWN.  The trade name was derived from Mr. Wittern's initials.  F. A. W., and the N from the last letter of Wittern, thus Fawn.  Manufactured products also changed and the production of cigarette dispensers marked the starting point for real growth in the years to follow.  From cigarette vending machines, FAWN's products expanded to popcorn vending machines, snack machines, hot and cold beverage vending machines, cold and frozen food, as well as many different non-traditional merchandising equipment. 

Now in its second generation of family ownership and transitioning to its third, the company has grown with the industry and with the hard work and dedication of our employees FAWN has evolved from a single entity to a successful and diverse group of companies under the Wittern umbrella.