Whitney Duncan MacMillan

.Heir to America's largest private company and the world's biggest agriculture and commodity-trading concern. Founder William W. Cargill started with grain elevator in Iowa after Civil War, son-in-law John MacMillan took over after patriarch's death. Last family chief exec, Whitney, retired 1995; fifth generation now on the board. Family owns nearly 90% of company, employees the rest. Sales now $75 billion. Expanding into agricultural consulting and other service industries. All known for keeping it private in daily life as well as business matters.

MacMILLAN--W. Duncan, age 76, of Wayzata, Minnesota, passed away on Tuesday, October 31, 2006, at his winter home in Jupiter, Florida. In his struggle with cancer and heart disease over the last three years, Duncan was astoundingly brave and positive, always hoping--and ultimately receiving -- effective results from his treatment while still creating energy and excitement with his life and for those he loved. Duncan was the great-grandson of W.W. Cargill, the founder of Cargill, Incorporated, and the son of John H. MacMillan, Jr., past Chairman and CEO of the Company. Duncan served on the Board of Directors of Cargill for over three decades, retiring in 1997. Duncan began his career at Cargill in 1947. While in college, he spent summers at various Cargill grain elevators in Minneapolis, Gluek and Port Cargill, Minnesota. Duncan joined the Company full-time in 1953 as an Assistant Grain Merchant. In 1955, he helped establish Tradax International, S.A., Cargill's global grain trading subsidiary, and held various merchandising positions in Canada and Switzerland. He returned to Minneapolis in 1964 as the President of Waycrosse, Inc., a firm owned by the Cargill and MacMillan families with business pursuits and investments unrelated to Cargill. Duncan led Waycrosse in the acquisition of many businesses including North Star Steel (later sold to Cargill), AmeriBank, AmeriGroup, Pierce County Bank, Willmar Manufacturing and Silent Knight Security Systems. After his retirement from Waycrosse in 1997, he devoted much of his time to the entities he created such as Afton Historical Society Press, Rush Creek Golf Club and Golf Academy and BenNevis, Inc. In 1953, Duncan graduated from Brown University with a degree in Classics. He received an honorary LLD degree (Doctor of Laws) in 1993 from Brown in recognition of his contribution to the University, where he served three sixyear terms on the Board of Trustees. This fall Duncan received the Brown Bear Award in acknowledgement of his lifelong service to the University. Duncan also served on the Board of Trustees for Blake School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts. Duncan was very generous with his time and financial support for a wide range of philanthropic interests and organizations including Brown University, Minneapolis Children's Medical Center, University of Minnesota Medical Foundation, Afton Historical Society Press, Berkshire School, Minneapolis Institute of Arts and Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Duncan's first wife, Sarah Stevens, died in 1995, the beloved mother of their four surviving daughters: Sarah, Katherine, Lucy and Alexandra. Duncan is also survived by his loving wife, Nivin, her two children, Jay and Anne, and nine grandchildren. In addition, he is survived by his brother, John H. MacMillan III, his sister, Marion MacMillan, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Friends, family and business associates will remember Duncan for his gentle and generous heart, his love for life and all things fun and funny, and his willingness to help others. Duncan was passionate about his Scottish heritage, the family farm in Jamaica, Brown University, medicine and growing orchids. Duncan's pride in his family led him to co-author three books on the MacMillan heritage. Duncan was an avid sportsman and enjoyed golf, sailing, tennis, squash, skiing, hockey and hunting. Above all, Duncan deeply loved his family and close friends--all of whom will miss him tremendously. Duncan would want his profound appreciation ex pressed to the dozens of individuals who cared for him including: Dr. Roby Thompson, Dr. Donald Aamoth, Dr. Ronald Vessey, Dr. Thomas Arnatruda, Dr. Mark Gocke, Dr. Stephen Haines, Dr. Wes Peterson and most importantly, Dr. Katherine Dusenbery whose courageous judgment and skill extended Duncan's life. His long-standing belief and support of the exciting possibilities of medicine were rewarded in this way.

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Jan 20 2021, 13:26:39 UTC
• Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Mar 29 2021, 9:37:14 UTC