Thermo King records

In 1933,Joseph Numero partnered with Fredrick Jones to form what is now known as the Thermo King Corporation. In 1938 Jones was tasked with inventing the first mobile refrigeration unit. That invention led to the cabibility to refrigerate every form of transportation and a major contribution in wartime life-saving care.

Joseph Numero was born November 1, 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota to Jewish immigrants, with his grandmother arriving in the U.S. in the 1870's as a widow. Prior to starting Thermo King Co. in 1956, Numero was predident and CEO of U.S. Thermo Control and various other companies. He was finally awaded his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Minnesota at age 91 because in 1928 Numero's World War I services didn't meet the R.O.T.C. requirement for graduation. Numero gave generously- he contributed help build the Joseph and Blanche Numero Building on the Sholom Home West Campus in St. Louis Park; founded Numero Foundation for the Needy in 1950; as well as contributing to organizations Jewish and non-Jewish, such as Mt. Sinai Hospital, YMCA, and College of St. Thomas (now University).

Frederick Jones was born May 17, 1893 in Covington, KY. He only had a few years of formal education, but that didn't stop Jones from aquiring over 25 patents and becoming instrumental in the creation of refrigerated transportation. Jones worked in Hallock, MN on James J. Hill's farm after working with racing cars. In Hallock Jones invented the town's first radio station transmitter,a portable X-Ray machine, and a unit that transfered sound to the amplifier used in movie theaters. When he came to the Twin Cities to work with Numero, it took a "dare" for Jones to invent the refrigerated truck that would revolutionize the industry. Jones became chief engineer and vice-president of Theromo King Co, and an honorary member of the American Society of Refrigeration Engineers- the first black member.