Early Life
Glen Albert Taylor was born on April 20, 1941, in Springfield, Minnesota. He grew up on a dairy farm in Comfrey, Minnesota, where he learned the value of hard work. He graduated from Comfrey High School in 1959 and received a Bachelor of Science in mathematics, physics, and social studies from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1962. He later earned an executive MBA from Harvard Business School in 1978.
Rise to Success
Taylor's career began in 1959 when he took a part-time job at Carlson Wedding Service. In 1975, he purchased the company for $2 million and renamed it Taylor Corporation. Through strategic acquisitions and expansion, Taylor transformed the small printing business into a multinational printing, marketing, and graphic communications services company.
Key Business Strategies
Taylor's business acumen is evident in his ability to grow Taylor Corporation, one of the largest graphic communication companies in North America. He expanded the company through numerous acquisitions. Taylor also served as a Republican Minnesota State Senator from 1981 to 1990. In 1994, Taylor purchased the Minnesota Timberwolves NBA team, and later the Minnesota Lynx WNBA team in 1999. In 2014, he acquired the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Philanthropy
Taylor is known for his philanthropic efforts. In 2023, he launched the Taylor Family Farms Foundation with roughly $173 million worth of farmland to support rural communities in southern Minnesota and northwest Iowa. In January 2026, he announced another $100 million donation in farmland and securities to his foundation.
