Joseph M. Juran Center - header


Roger MillikenBio

Chairman, CEO, Milliken & Company

Born:
New York, New York, October 24, 1915

Student:

  • Groton School, 1927-1933
  • Yale University, Bachelor of Arts Degree, 1933-1937

  • Chairman-CEO:
    Milliken & Company 1983 to present

    Past President:
    Milliken & Company 1947-1983

    Directorships:
  • Milliken & Company, 1941-present
  • American Textile Manufacturers Institute, Inc.
  • South Carolina Manufacturing Alliance

  • Chairman:
  • Institute of Textile Technology, 1944-1997; Emeritus 1997-present
  • Greenville/Spartanburg Airport Commission, 1959-present
  • Crafted with Pride in the U.S.A. Council, Inc., 1984-present

  • Memberships:
  • The Business Council, Washington, DC
  • Palmetto Business Forum
  • Ludwig von Mises Institute’s Entrepreneurs Council, 1995-present

  • Former Directorships:
  • Arthur D. Little, Inc.
  • Citicorp 1947-1987
  • Mercantile Stores Company, Inc. 1939-1998
  • W.R. Grace & Co. 1953-1995
  • Westinghouse Electric Corporation 1962-1986

  • Delegate to:
    Eight Republican National Conventions from SC 1956-1984

    Clubs:
  • Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
  • The Links, New York City
  • The Union League Club, New York City
  • The Carolina Country Club, Spartanburg, South Carolina

  • Trustee:
  • Wofford College
  • Spartanburg Day School
  • South Carolina Foundation of Independent Colleges

  • Advisory Board:
  • Brookgreen Gardens 1987-present
  • Institute for Political Economy 1985-present

  • President:
    Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (11/19/91-11/19/92)

    Special Awards:
  • North Carolina Chamber of Commerce “Citizen of the Carolinas”-1991
  • South Carolina Chamber of Commerce “Businessman of the Year”-1981
  • Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce “Neville Holcombe Distinguished Citizenship Award”-1985
  • Among the first of seven Laureates elected to the S.C. Business Hall of Fame-1985 (co-sponsored by Junior Achievement and The State Newspaper)
  • Recipient of the National Brotherhood Award tendered by the National Conference of Christians and Jews-1985
  • American Textile Manufacturers Institutes “Samuel Slater Distinguished Service Award”-1986
  • Northern Textile Association “Silver Medal Award”-1989
  • Dedication to Tom Peters book Thriving on Chaos-released October 19, 1987
  • Recipient of the first “Citizen of the Carolinas Award” by the Charlotte, N.C., Chamber of Commerce-December 3, 1990
  • Recipient of the “American Achievement Award” by Brookgreen Gardens-April 6, 1991
  • First recipient of The Textile & Needle Trades Division of ASQC Quality-1991
  • Honorary Member, American Institute of Architects-1992
  • Inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame-February 1, 1993
  • Recipient of the “Freedoms Foundation Pamplin Distinguished Award for Freedom Leadership”-June 18, 1993
  • Recipient of the Catherine H. Sweeny Award for 1993 by the American Horticultural Society-October 10, 1993
  • Recipient of the Distinguished Service Award and Trusteeship presented by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges-April 17, 1994
  • Recipient of the “Order of the Palmetto” by S.C. governor Carroll Campbell– September 13, 1994
  • Recipient of the “1996 Georgia manufacturer of the Year” by the Warren Featherbone foundation & Georgians for Manufacturing-April 17, 1996
  • Recipient of the first Roger Milliken Medal of Quality Award, named in his honor by the South Carolina Quality Forum. Presented by Governor David Beasley-April 29, 1997
  • Recipient of the “1998 South Carolina Manufacturer of the Year” for large manufacturers by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce-September 15, 1998
  • Recipient of the Charles A. Townes Award, by the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics Foundation-May 21, 1999
  • Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, by the Northern Textile Association-October 17, 1999
  • Named “leader of the Century” by Textile World Magazine-December 1999
  • Recipient of The Garden Club of America’s-Frances K. Hutchinson Medal-May 16, 2000
  • Inducted into the National Business Hall of Fame, sponsored by Junior Achievement-April 18, 2000