John MacMillan

Early Life

John Hugh MacMillan III was born on February 28, 1928, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is the son of John H. Macmillan Jr. and Marion Dickson. MacMillan grew up in Wayzata, Minnesota, and attended the Blake School, Berkshire School, West High School, and the University of Minnesota.

Rise to Success

MacMillan began his career at Cargill in 1955. Throughout his career at Cargill, MacMillan held positions in Great Falls, Montana, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Minneapolis. In 2007, Forbes estimated his net worth at $1.7 billion.

Key Business Strategies

John MacMillan, Sr., consolidated operations under the Cargill Elevator Company, clarifying the company's focus on trading and processing grain. A steady businessman with a background in accounting, he repaid debts and returned Cargill to prosperity. High and fluctuating wheat and grain prices during World War I aided Cargill's financial recovery. As his son, John MacMillan, Jr., and brother-in-law, Austen Cargill — who joined Cargill in 1913 — serve in the armed forces, John, Sr., delivers record profits and refocuses the company as a leader in grain trading across the U.S..

Philanthropy

The search did not reveal specific philanthropic initiatives or amounts for John MacMillan.