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{{Wikify|date=March 2011}}
{{Prose|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| honorific_prefix =
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| caption =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|}} or {{Birth-date and age|Month DD, YYYY}} -->
| birth_date = April 8, 1918
| birth_place = [[Englewood, Colorado]]
| birth_place = [[Englewood, Colorado]], US
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1999|11|27|1918|04|08}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1999|11|27|1918|04|08}}
| death_place = Carefree, Arizona<ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-11-28/news/9911280216_1_largest-rail-networks-international-harvester-union-pacific</ref>
| death_place = [[Carefree, Arizona]], US<ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-11-23/news/9911280216_1_largest-rail-networks-international-harvester-union-pacific {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref>
| nationality = American
| nationality = American
| other_names =
| other_names =
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}}
}}


'''Louis Wilson Menk''' (born April 8, 1918 in [[Englewood, Colorado]], died November 27, 1999) was an [[United States|American]] [[railway]] worker and executive. He served as the last president of [[Northern Pacific Railway]] 1966-1970, before the railroad was merged into [[Burlington Northern Railroad]]. Menk was also selected as ''Modern Railroads'' (now [[Railway Age]]) ''Man of the Year'' for 1967, an award that has continued annually and is now known as [[Railroader of the Year]].
'''Louis Wilson Menk''' (April 8, 1918 - November 23, 1999) was an American railway worker and executive. He served as the last president of [[Northern Pacific Railway]] 1966-1970, before the railroad was merged into [[Burlington Northern Railroad]], and the first president and second chairman of Burlington Northern.<ref>[https://www.joc.com/louis-menk-former-bn-chairman-dies_19991128.html Louis Menk, former BN Chairman, Dies]</ref> Menk was also selected as ''Modern Railroads'' (now [[Railway Age]]) ''Man of the Year'' for 1967, an award that has continued annually and is now known as [[Railroader of the Year]].


==Early Life==
==Early life==
Menk was the son of Louis Albert and Daisy Deane (Frantz) Menk. He married Martha Jane Swan on May 30, 1942. They had two children, David Louis and Barbara Ann.
Menk was the son of Louis Albert and Daisy Deane (Frantz) Menk. He married Martha Jane Swan on May 30, 1942. They had two children, David Louis and Barbara Ann.


Menk attended [[Denver University]] and [[Harvard Business School]] (Advanced Management Program). He received honorary [[Legum Doctor|LL.D.]] degrees from [[Northwestern University]] (1959), [[Drury College]] (1965), Denver University (1966), and [[Monmouth College]].
Menk attended [[University of Denver]], and [[Harvard Business School]]'s six-week Advanced Management Program. He received honorary [[Legum Doctor|LL.D.]] degrees from [[Northwestern University]] (1959), [[Drury College]] (1965), University of Denver (1966), and [[Monmouth College]].


==Career==
==Career==
⚫
* 1937 to 1940, telegrapher, [[Union Pacific Railroad]]

⚫
* 1940 to 1965, telegrapher, dispatcher, chief dispatcher, [[Trainmaster (occupation)|trainmaster]], vice-president, president, [[St. Louis-San Francisco Railway]]
⚫
1937 to 1940, telegrapher, [[Union Pacific Railroad]]
⚫
* 1940 to 1965, telegrapher, dispatcher, chief dispatcher, trainmaster, vice-president, president, [[St. Louis-San Francisco Railway]]
* 1965 to 1966, president and director, [[Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad]]
* 1965 to 1966, president and director, [[Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad]]
* October, 1966 [to March, 1970], president and director, [[Northern Pacific Railway]].
* October, 1966 [to March, 1970], president and director, [[Northern Pacific Railway]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Osthoff|first=Frederick C|title=Who's Who in Railroading in North America|year=1968|publisher=Simmons-Boardman|location=New York|pages=341}}</ref>
* 1970 to 1981, president(1970–71), CEO(1971–78), chairman(1971-1981), Burlington Northern
Also director Chicago, Burlington and Quincy; Colorado and Southern; Northern Pacific Transport; Cuyuna Realty; Monad Company; Association of American Railroads; First National Bank of Chicago* American Investment Company* Servomation Corporation; First Trust of St. Paul; Hunt Foods; [[General Mills]]; Brown Shoe Company.
* 1982-1983, Chairman, [[International Harvester]] (CEO May–November 1982)

==Community Involvement==
Clubs: St. Paul; Metro; Improvement Commission Greater St. Paul United Fund; Upper Midwest Development Council; St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce; Government Council on Executive Reorganization; Advisory Committee, Minnesota Department of Economic Development; Transportation Center, Northwestern University; Chicago Area Council; [[Boy Scouts of America]]; Indianhead Committee; Summit School; Minnesota Club of St. Paul; St. Paul Athletic Club; Somerset Country Club; Transportation Club of St. Paul; Traffic Club of Minnesota; Traffic Club of Chicago; Union League of Chicago; Glen View Country Club; Chicago Club; Noonday; Bellerive Country Club; Masons; Presbyterian<ref>{{cite book|last=Osthoff|first=Frederick C|title=Who's Who in Railroading in North America|year=1968|publisher=Simmons-Boardman|location=New York|pages=341}}</ref> .

==Papers==
Louis Menk papers, 1953-1981.

Correspondence, speeches, scrapbooks, memorabilia, printed matter, and related papers documenting the career of this railroad executive who was president of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company (1962–1965), the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Company (1965–1966), the Northern Pacific Railway Company (1966–1970), and Burlington Northern Inc. (1970–1978, and chairman 1978-1981). He was also one of the principal architects of the 1970 merger that created the Burlington Northern; {{convert|21.5|cuft|m3|abbr=on}}. (18 boxes and 4 microfilm reels).


==Publications==
==Publications==
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==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}




{{s-start}}
{{s-start}}
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{{s-bef| before=[[Stuart T. Saunders]] ([[Pennsylvania Railroad|PRR]]) }}
{{s-bef| before=[[Stuart T. Saunders]] ([[Pennsylvania Railroad|PRR]]) }}
{{s-ttl| title=[[Railroader of the Year|Modern Railways magazine<br>Man of the Year]]| years=1967 }}
{{s-ttl| title=[[Railroader of the Year|Modern Railways magazine<br />Man of the Year]]| years=1967 }}
{{s-aft| after=[[William B. Johnson]] ([[Illinois Central Railroad|IC]]) }}
{{s-aft| after=[[Illinois Central Railroad#Company officers|William B. Johnson]] ([[Illinois Central Railroad|IC]]) }}


{{end}}
{{end}}
{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Menk, Louis W.
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = April 8, 1918
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = November 27, 1999
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Menk, Louis W.}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Menk, Louis W.}}
[[Category:1918 births]]
[[Category:1918 births]]
[[Category:1999 deaths]]
[[Category:1999 deaths]]
[[Category:Dispatchers]]
[[Category:Dispatchers]]
⚫
[[Category:Harvard Business School alumni]]
[[Category:Northern Pacific Railway people]]
[[Category:Northern Pacific Railway people]]
[[Category:University of Denver alumni]]
[[Category:University of Denver alumni]]
⚫
[[Category:Harvard Business School alumni]]

{{US-rail-bio-stub}}

Latest revision as of 18:19, 17 August 2023

Louis Wilson Menk
BornApril 8, 1918
Englewood, Colorado, US
DiedNovember 27, 1999(1999-11-27) (aged 81)
Carefree, Arizona, US[1]
NationalityAmerican
OccupationRailway executive

Louis Wilson Menk (April 8, 1918 - November 23, 1999) was an American railway worker and executive. He served as the last president of Northern Pacific Railway 1966-1970, before the railroad was merged into Burlington Northern Railroad, and the first president and second chairman of Burlington Northern.[2] Menk was also selected as Modern Railroads (now Railway Age) Man of the Year for 1967, an award that has continued annually and is now known as Railroader of the Year.

Early life[edit]

Menk was the son of Louis Albert and Daisy Deane (Frantz) Menk. He married Martha Jane Swan on May 30, 1942. They had two children, David Louis and Barbara Ann.

Menk attended University of Denver, and Harvard Business School's six-week Advanced Management Program. He received honorary LL.D. degrees from Northwestern University (1959), Drury College (1965), University of Denver (1966), and Monmouth College.

Career[edit]

Publications[edit]

  • Menk, Louis W. A Railroad Man Looks At America; Excerpts from the Speeches of Louis W. Menk. No place: privately published, n.d. [circa 1974].

References[edit]

  1. ^ http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-11-23/news/9911280216_1_largest-rail-networks-international-harvester-union-pacific [dead link]
  2. ^ Louis Menk, former BN Chairman, Dies
  3. ^ Osthoff, Frederick C (1968). Who's Who in Railroading in North America. New York: Simmons-Boardman. p. 341.
Preceded by
 President of St. Louis-San Francisco Railway
1962 – 1966 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of Northern Pacific Railway
1966 – 1970 		Burlington Northern Railroad merger
Preceded by Modern Railways magazine
Man of the Year
1967 		Succeeded by
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