Honoring our trailblazing founder, Adele Holman.

Today we’d like to pay tribute to a trailblazing woman – and the reason we’re in business.

Adele Holman began her career as a touring vocalist in the Midwest, eventually becoming the star singer and manager of the Arion Lady Quartet. But at the turn of the 20th century, tragedy struck: her husband passed away suddenly, and her only son left home to mine for gold.

Realizing she was on her own, Adele decided to put her savings and business sense to good use by purchasing a stake in the Adjustable Clamp Company. As Adele managed the manufacturing company, Danish cabinetmaker Hans Jorgensen and tool salesman Marcus Ross worked on a new type of clamp – the now-famous handscrew. By 1914, Adele gained full ownership of the Adjustable Clamp Company. It was an extraordinary pivot for an extraordinary woman, but it didn’t come without its challenges.

A woman running a manufacturing company was unheard of at the time, especially when women hadn’t even gained the right to vote yet. So Adele famously signed company documents and correspondences as “A. V. Holman” to hide her gender. Under her leadership, the product line was expanded beyond the original Jorgensen handscrew to include iron clamping products, such as C-clamps and bar clamps, as well as the renowned Pony pipe clamp fixtures. Now, more than a century later, the Adjustable Clamp Company lives on as Pony Jorgensen.

From all of us here, thank you for being such an inspirational businesswoman, Adele. We will forever be grateful for your pioneering spirit and the values you instilled in our company, and we are committed to preserving your legacy.