XENIA – From his early childhood, Jake loved the circus. When the circus came to town, his father would write a note to the teacher saying that the children would not be in school that day, and off the family would go for a day at the circus. His love of the circus continued long after he was an adult. He decided to manufacture equipment for the circus. His first effort was a “bull hook” used to guide elephants. The business expanded as the demand for reliable equipment grew. After his death, his ashes were placed at the Baraboo Circus Museum in Michigan.