Boese, Alvin W.

Alvin W. Boese was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on March 24, 1910. In 1925 Boese dropped out of high school and worked as a bell hop and drug store clerk before joining 3M as an office boy in 1930. He moved to the laboratory as a helper in 1933, and in 1939 he volunteered to assist in developing a noncorrosive backing for electrical tape. This assignment was the start of Boese's career in the research, development, and marketing of 3M nonwoven fiber products.

In 1953 Boese became technical director of 3M's ribbon laboratories and in 1958 he was promoted to general manufacturing manager of the gift wrap and fabric division. In June 1968 Boese was promoted to nonwoven products manager and a month later he was appointed as a research associate in 3M's new business ventures division. Boese retired in 1975.

Boese possessed a strong interest in art and art history, and was active in a variety of Minnesota art organizations. He was a member of the Saint Paul Art Center's board of directors and participated in the sales and rental programs at the Walker Art Center and the Saint Paul Gallery. Boese's interest in art combined with his work at 3M during the 1960s when he was appointed project manager for 3M art products and participated in the research and development of an art fabric constructed from nonwoven fibers.