Whitney MacMillan

Whitney MacMillan
Born	(1929-09-25) September 25, 1929
Died	March 11, 2020(2020-03-11) (aged 90) Vero Beach, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Businessman
Known for	Chairman and CEO of Cargill (1976–1995)

Whitney MacMillan (September 25, 1929 – March 11, 2020) was an American businessman and heir to a billionaire fortune. He held the roles of chairman and CEO at the family-operated agribusiness corporation Cargill from 1976 until 1995.

Early life

MacMillan was born on September 25, 1929, to Pauline Whitney and Cargill MacMillan Sr., making him the great-grandson of William Wallace Cargill, the founder of Cargill. He had two siblings: a brother, Cargill MacMillan Jr. (1927–2011), and a sister, Pauline MacMillan Keinath. MacMillan completed his education at Yale University.

Business

From 1976 through 1995, he was the CEO of Cargill, marking the final tenure of a family member in that executive position. Under his guidance, the company's yearly revenue surged from $10 billion to $33 billion over ten years. By the 1980s, Cargill had become the leading grain company worldwide, overtaking its European rivals.

In addition to his corporate responsibilities, MacMillan served on the board of the Western NIS Enterprise Fund and managed a cattle ranch spanning Park, Sweet Grass, and Fergus counties in Montana.

Philanthropy

MacMillan contributed to numerous organizations by serving on boards such as the International Peace Institute, Salzburg Global Seminar, Rural Development Institute, Trilateral Commission, the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, and Yale University's president's council on international affairs. He also participated in advisory committees for the Museum of the Rockies and engaged with entities including the National Academy of Sciences board on agriculture and natural resources, EastWest Institute, Care International, Mayo Clinic, and the Council on Foreign Relations.

The Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale bears his name in recognition of his contributions. In 2002, Montana State University-Bozeman awarded him an honorary doctorate, and he was an executive fellow at the University of St. Thomas Graduate School of Business. Furthermore, he worked alongside the Montana Historical Society to restore Judith Landing, a historic ghost town.

Personal life

Married to Betty MacMillan, he lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As of August 2014, his net worth was approximated at US$4.8 billion. He died at age 90 on March 11, 2020, in Vero Beach, Florida.