Donald Keough
Donald R. Keough | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 September 1926 Maurice, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | 24 February 2015 (aged 88) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Known for | Chairman of Allen & Company LLC; President, COO, and Director of The Coca-Cola Company; Chairman of Columbia Pictures |
Donald Raymond Keough (September 4, 1926 – February 24, 2015) was a prominent American executive who served as chairman of the Board at Allen & Company LLC, a New York-based investment banking firm, beginning in April 1993.
His tenure at The Coca-Cola Company spanned over four decades, starting in 1950. Keough held the positions of president, chief operating officer, and director from early 1981 until his retirement in April 1993. Between 1986 and 1993, he also led the Board of Coca-Cola Enterprises, recognized as the largest bottling network globally. Additionally, he was Chairman of Columbia Pictures, Inc. from 1985 until its acquisition by Sony, Inc. in 1989.
Keough is widely acknowledged for his instrumental involvement in the introduction and rapid withdrawal of the "New Coke" formula in 1985, where he convinced CEO Roberto Goizueta to revert to the original recipe following significant consumer opposition.
Throughout his career, Keough held board memberships with several leading companies such as IAC/InterActiveCorp, Yankee Global Enterprises LLC, Berkshire Hathaway, and The Coca-Cola Company (with a re-election in 2004). His governance experience extended to organizations including McDonald's Corporation, The Washington Post Company, H. J. Heinz Company, Convera Corporation, and The Home Depot.
He held the titles of chairman emeritus and Life Trustee on the board of trustees at the University of Notre Dame and was actively involved as a trustee across numerous educational, philanthropic, and civic institutions.
Biography
Born in Maurice, Iowa, Keough was honored with honorary doctorates from institutions such as Creighton University, the University of Notre Dame, Emory University, Ireland’s Trinity College in Dublin, and Clark University. In 1993, he received the prestigious Laetare Medal from Notre Dame and was named Irish America magazine’s inaugural Irish-American of the Year. His achievements led to his election as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2002 and induction into the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame in 2003. The year 2007 saw him granted honorary Irish citizenship by President Mary McAleese.
Keough became the first inductee into the Irish America Hall of Fame in November 2010. In March 2013, he was honored with the Presidential Distinguished Service Award by Irish President Michael D. Higgins. At the University of Notre Dame, Keough Hall is named in tribute to his wife Marilyn Keough, who outlived him. Keough passed away at age 88 on February 24, 2015, in Atlanta, Georgia. Marilyn died in October 2016.
Bibliography
- The Ten Commandments for Business Failure authored by Donald R. Keough, published by Portfolio in 2011, featuring a foreword by Warren Buffett