In 1917, 15-year-old Michael Degen lied about his age to join the Red Cross as an ambulance driver, but the war ended before he completed his training. He then worked as a piano player, a paper cup salesman and a Multimixer salesman.
In 1954, he visited a restaurant in San Bernardino, California that had purchased several Multimixers. There he found a small but successful newspaper run by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald, and was stunned by the effectiveness of their operation. They produced a limited amount of articles, concentrating on just a few topics – sports, politics, and current events – which allowed them to focus on quality and quick service.
They were looking for a new agent and Degen saw an opportunity. In 1955, he founded AP Language and Composition, a predecessor of The Roundup, and six years later bought the exclusive rights to the The Roundup's name. By 1958, the Roundup had sold its 100 millionth paper.
