Walter Dill Scott (businessman)

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Walter Dill Scott
Grand Metropolitan's Managing Director of U.S. operations
In office
1984–1986
Preceded byPosition Created
Succeeded byIan A. Martin
CEO of the Investors Diversified Services
In office
1980–1984
Preceded byCharles R. Orem
Succeeded byHarvey Golub
Personal details
Born
Walter Dill Scott

1931
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedFebruary 8, 2018 (aged 86)
Evanston, Illinois
SpouseBarbara Stein
Children3
RelativesWalter Dill Scott (grandfather)
EducationNorthwestern University (BS)
Columbia Business School (MS)

Walter Dill Scott (1931–2018)[1] was an American businessman who served as CEO of Investors Diversified Services (now Ameriprise Financial) and the managing director of Grand Metropolitan's U.S. division.

Early life[edit]

Scott was born in Chicago and grew up in Evanston, Illinois and Winnetka, Illinois. He was named after his grandfather, who was president of Northwestern University from 1920 to 1939.

He graduated from New Tier High School in 1949 and then attended Williams College. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1953. He spent three years in the United States Navy as an officer. After his military service ended, Scott moved to New York City, where he worked for Booz Allen Hamilton and attended Columbia Business School. After graduating in 1958, Scott went to work for Glore, Forgan & Co.[1] In 1961 he married Barbara Stein.[2] They had three sons.[1]

Career[edit]

In 1965, Scott was named general partner in charge of the Chicago office of Lehman Brothers.[3] He left the business world in 1973 to become the associate director of the Office of Management and Budget, where he helped assemble the federal budget.[4]

Scott left the OMB in 1975 and joined the Pillsbury Company as senior vice president and chief financial officer.[5] The following year he was added to the company's board of directors and its executive office.[6][7] He was later given control of Pillsbury's international operations and in 1978 was given the new title of executive vice president for administration and finance.[8] He helped Pillsbury acquire Green Giant, Steak and Ale, and Totino's.[9]

In 1980, Scott left Pillsbury to become the chief executive officer of Investors Diversified Services, then a subsidiary of the Alleghany Corporation.[10] After IDS was acquired by American Express, Scott was removed as CEO in favor of Harvey Golub and reassigned to the position of chairman.[11] He left the company later that year to become the managing director of Grand Metropolitan's U.S. division, which owned Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company and its subsidiary Alpo, Children's World daycare centers, and was a major Pepsi bottler.[9] He left Grand Metropolitan in 1986.[12]

Later life[edit]

From 1988 to 2013, Scott was a clinical professor for Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, teaching courses on corporate strategy and leadership. He also served as chairman of Kellogg's board of advisers. He served on fifteen corporate boards and the boards of 25 nonprofit organizations, including Communities In Schools of Chicago, One Acre Fund, and National Louis University. He was a longtime resident of Northfield, Illinois but moved to Evanston in 2017. Scott died on February 8, 2018, at Evanston Hospital from lymphoma.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Businessman devoted to students, nonprofits". Chicago Tribune. February 12, 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  2. ^ "Barbara Stein Wed To Walter D. Scott". The New York Times. September 10, 1961.
  3. ^ "New Partner Named By Lehman Brothers". The New York Times. April 30, 1965.
  4. ^ Shabecoff, Philip (February 5, 1974). "Budget Maker Switched From Millions to Billions". The New York Times.
  5. ^ "Commerce and Industry". The Wall Street Journal. July 2, 1975.
  6. ^ "Unionamerica Inc. Names Jack Larson as President". The Wall Street Journal. June 3, 1976.
  7. ^ "Pillsbury Realignment Taps Good of Heinz Plus Rosewall, Wallin". The Wall Street Journal. July 22, 1976.
  8. ^ "GF Business Revamps Its Senior Management". The Wall Street Journal. September 19, 1978.
  9. ^ a b "Grand Metropolitan Names U.S. Head". The New York Times. August 17, 1984.
  10. ^ "Scott Quitting Pillsbury For Presidency of IDS". The Wall Street Journal. April 21, 1980.
  11. ^ Welles, Chris (June 10, 1985). "American Express Thrives on Diversity Despite Clashes, Loose Rein on Executives Benefits Huge Complex". Los Angeles Times.
  12. ^ "Grand Metropolitan PLC". The Wall Street Journal. October 30, 1986.