Donald Swanson

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Donald F. Swanson (born 1927 ) is an American manager . He was the last Chairman of the Board of the Soo Line Railroad .

Life

Donald F. Swanson graduated from the University of Minnesota .

From 1949 he worked for General Mills . At first he was a salesman in the grocery department. In the following years he worked his way up in the company. In 1964 he was marketing director there. In 1965 he became vice president and general manager of the food department. From 1968 he was Vice President for Consumer Foods, Fashion Venture, as well as Marketing, Transport and Sales.

In 1969 he became senior vice-president for the field of “handicrafts, games, toys, clothing, international affairs and transport” and a member of the company's board of directors. In this new department, the acquisitions made from the mid-1969 in the field of toys and games (Rainbow Crafts, Kenner , Parker Brothers , Palitoy, Miro Company) were bundled. Direct marketing was added later.

From 1977 to 1979 he was Chief Financial Officer of General Mills. From 1980 he was again in charge of the restaurant group and the entire non-food sector, and from 1982 was Vice Chairman.

On January 1, 1985, he resigned from these activities. After his departure, the business that Swanson last ran was sold by General Mills.

In 1977 he was elected to the board of the Soo Line Railroad . From August 1989 to the end of April 1992 he was the last Chairman of the Board of the Soo Line Railroad. During this time he mainly represented the interests of the shareholders in the takeover of the railway company by the Canadian Pacific Railway .

He also sat on the boards of Josen Inc. (maker of yearbooks) and the First National Bank of Minneapolis.

Donald F. Swanson is married with three children.

Web links

  • Annual Reports General Mills 1964–1985

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Kenneth N. Gilpin: BUSINESS PEOPLE; Executive Retiring From General Mills . In: The New York Times . October 3, 1984, ISSN  0362-4331 ( nytimes.com [accessed November 18, 2019]).
  2. ↑ 22 Apr 1977, Page 11 - Star Tribune at Newspapers.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019 .
  3. ^ 2 May 1992, Page 39 - Star Tribune at Newspapers.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019 .
  4. ↑ UMedia. Retrieved November 18, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Swanson, Donald
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Swanson, Donald F.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American manager
DATE OF BIRTH 1927