During the early years of the company, Adolf Gund was the mentor to Jacob Swedlin, a Russian immigrant who came to the United States in 1907. Gund taught Swedlin to become a cutter and pattern maker, teaching him the ins and outs of the company. When Gund retired in 1925, he sold the company to Swedlin for $1,500. Swedlin brought his brothers Abe and John on board with the company, which began rapid expansion. Jacob oversaw design and production, Abe acted as the chief financial officer, and John ran sales and promotions.