Frederik Meijer
Frederik Meijer | |
|---|---|
| Born | Frederik Gerhard Hendrik Meijer December 7, 1919 |
| Died | November 25, 2011 (aged 91) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Title | Chairman, Meijer |
| Spouse | Lena Rader |
| Children | Doug Meijer Hank Meijer Mark Meijer |
Frederik Gerhard Hendrik Meijer (December 7, 1919 – November 25, 2011) was an American businessman, the chairman of the Meijer hypermarket chain, headquartered in his hometown of Greenville, Michigan, US.[1]
Early life
Frederik Meijer was born in Greenville, Michigan,[1] the son of Hendrik and Gezina Meijer, both Dutch immigrants, who had married in Greenville in 1912.[2] In 1934, at age 14, he worked with his father Hendrik Meijer to found Meijer Grocery in Greenville.[1]
Career
In 1962, he launched Meijer Thrifty Acres with his father and pioneered one-stop shopping.[1] He inherited the company after the death of his father in 1964.[1] In 1990, he handed over the company to his sons, Doug and Hank, although he remained the Chairman of the Board until his death.[1]
As of September 2011, he was worth US$5 billion.[1] He was the 60th richest person in the United States at the time of his death.[1][3]
Personal life
In 1946, he married Lena Rader, the daughter of farmers, who had been a cashier in one of his stores.[2] They had three sons, Doug, Hank and Mark Meijer.[4]
Fred Meijer died on November 25, 2011 at the Spectrum Health System in Grand Rapids, Michigan, after suffering a stroke in his Grand Rapids home.[5]
Legacy
Meijer helped establish the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.[6] An Honors College at Grand Valley State University is named for him.[7] A Chair in Dutch culture at Calvin College is also named for him.[8] The Frederik Meijer Trail in Kent County, Michigan, and the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park are named after him following donations by the Frederik and Lena Meijer Foundation.[9][10]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Frederik G.H. Meijer". Forbes.com. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
- ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-03-25. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Forbes 400 2016". Forbes.com. 2016-09-28. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
- ^ Carmichael, Michael (2009-08-20). "Meijer at 75 – Lessons from a family that has learned to work together over three generations. – Corp! Magazine". Corpmagazine.com. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
- ^ Ed Riojas Illustration. "Fred Meijer, West Michigan billionaire grocery magnate, dies at 91". MLive.com. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
- ^ "About". Meijer Gardens. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
- ^ "Frederik Meijer Honors College - Grand Valley State University". Gvsu.edu. 2017-01-27. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
- ^ "Frederik Meijer Chair - Dutch - Calvin College". Retrieved 2017-06-28.
- ^ King, Kyla & Wilson, Rick (December 6, 2006). "Bike Trail Planned near South Beltline on Track". The Grand Rapids Press. p. B1.
- ^ Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Further reading
- Meijer, Fred (1998). Just Call Me Fred: 101 Thoughts on People, Business and Life in General. Grand Rapids: Meijer. OCLC 40640126.
- ten Harmsel, Larry; Smith, Bill (2009). Fred Meijer: Stories of His Life. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 0-8028-6460-0. OCLC 262878972.
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