Ernest Micek

Ernest "Ernie" Micek, who ascended from poor farm boy in western Wisconsin to chief executive of one of the world's largest private companies, Cargill Inc., died last month after a long illness. He was 84. A child of Polish immigrants Frank and Maggie Micek, he and his three siblings grew up on a rocky and hilly farm and attended a one-room schoolhouse near Arcadia, Wis. He went on to study chemical engineering at the University of Wisconsin and was immediately hired upon graduating in 1959 by Cargill to work as night shift supervisor at an oilseeds plant in Norfolk, Va. From there, Micek gradually climbed the ladder, working solely for the mammoth agribusiness — which he helped make bigger — for his entire 42-year career. Micek's most pivotal post was as manager of a corn milling facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that Cargill had acquired. In that job, he made Cargill a leading maker of high-fructose corn syrup and led the company into other value-added processing of commodities. After turning corn milling into Cargill's most profitable business, Micek was appointed head of the company's entire food sector. Micek became chief operating officer in 1994, and CEO Whitney MacMillan, a member of the Cargill founding family, groomed Micek to succeed him. In 1995, Micek became only the second nonfamily member to be CEO in Cargill's 130-year history. He retired after four years at the helm, but his tenure marked Cargill's historic turn into a professionally managed company. He married his high school sweetheart, Sally Gautsch, and they raised four children. In retirement, Micek was appointed to various trade adviser and representative roles in the Asia-Pacific region as well as Africa under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. He also served on university boards, led fundraising for educational facilities and was chairman of the Morgridge Institute for Research at the University of Wisconsin. He is survived by his wife; son Scott; daughters Stephanie Luetkehans, Jennifer Micek and Mollie Preston; 10 grandchildren; one great-granddaughter, and a sister, Phyllis Ziegeweid.