Rudolf Dassler, German businessman, founded Puma SE (d. 1974)
Rudolf "Rudi" Dassler (26 March 1898 – 27 October 1974) was the German founder of the sportswear company Puma and the older brother of Adidas founder, Adolf "Adi" Dassler. The brothers were partners in a shoe company Adi started, "Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik" (English: Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory). Rudi joined in 1924. However, after a feud developed between Rudolf and Adolf Dassler following World War II, the brothers went separate ways and started their own companies in 1948.Initially calling the new company "Ruda" (an acronym for Rudolf Dassler), it was soon changed to its present name of Puma. Puma is the native Quechua word for cougar, from there it went into German as well as other languages.