Great Living Cincinnatians: Honorees

Frederick A. Hauck was a modern-day Renaissance man who became known as ”Mr. Cincinnati,” and shared the same birthday as his city. Mr. Hauck was an inventor, miner, and a largely self-trained expert in nuclear physics. He also was a legendary benefactor who donated hundreds of scholarships to students at universities and the Seven Hills School. He received honorary doctorates from the University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, Mount St. Joseph College and three other institutions. In between, he enjoyed painting and playing the violin, and talking to strangers he would meet on the street.

Frederick Hauck rejected the idea of following the career of his father, who was president of the Lincoln National Bank, and in 1916 went to work for Max Woocher & Sons. He rose to be chairman of the board of the company, which provides highly advanced surgical instruments throughout the U.S. and Europe.

He retired in 1937, but as World War II approached, was convinced to begin a second career in an effort to help the nation find the critical strategic minerals needed for national defense. He achieved remarkable results through his Hauck Exploration Co., and became a nationally recognized expert in mineralogy.

Hauck’s Continental Mineral Company of Mexico, working through universities in the Midwest and the South, successfully, and for the first time, separated out the rare earth metals so important to the war effort and to present day technology. Hauck went on to become president of Continental Mineral Processing Corp., and also worked with the National Science Foundation and NASA on nuclear energy, nuclear waste disposal and advanced applications of metals.

In Cincinnati, Hauck was better known for his magnificent philanthropic service. It is he who was responsible for the refurbishing of the Tyler Davidson Fountain on Fountain Square in 1971, and the placing of a plaque there to detail its history. He also established a fund for the planting of flowers on Fountain Square each year.

He later provided significant portions of the funds for the renovation of the Kilgour Fountain in Hyde Park Square and the Garfield Statue in Garfield Place.

Through gifts to Xavier University, Hauck provided scholarship funds for nearly 200 college and high school physics students over the past 20 years. He was nationally recognized for donating to the Smithsonian Institute his remarkable gold coin collection, consisting of nearly 2,500 pieces.

Frederick Hauck died on May 9, 1997 at 102.