John L. Hanigan

John L. Hanigan (1911 – July 1, 1996) was an American businessman. He was the president and chief executive officer and chairman of the Brunswick Corporation in the 1960s and 1970s, and the chief executive officer and chairman of Genesco in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1978, Hanigan sold Manhattan's Bonwit Teller building to Donald Trump, who demolished it and replaced it with Trump Tower.

John L. Hanigan
Born1911
The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
DiedJuly 1, 1996 (aged 84)
West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
EducationFishburne Military School
Alma materStevens Institute of Technology
OccupationBusinessman
Spouse(s)Elsa Stelter
Children1 son, 1 daughter

Early life

John L. Hanigan was born circa 1911 in The Bronx, New York City.[1][2] He was educated at the Fishburne Military School.[1] He graduated from the Stevens Institute of Technology, and he attended the six-week Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School.[1][2]

Business career

Hanigan worked for Corning Inc. for 25 years.[3] He was the executive vice president of Dow Corning for nearly two years in the early 1960s.[2]

Hanigan was appointed as the president of the Brunswick Corporation in 1963.[2] He later became its chief executive officer, and chairman in 1971.[2] He was its president and chairman until 1976, and a director until 1983.[1] According to the Chicago Tribune, "Under Mr. Hanigan's direction, heads of each Brunswick division were given major responsibilities to develop strategies and tactics that would earn the kind of return that shareholders would consider worthwhile."[2]

Hanigan served as the chief executive officer of Genesco from 1977 to 1981,[4] and as its chairman from 1977 to 1984.[5] During his tenure, he turned the company around,[6] by "writing off or selling affiliates not related to Genesco's main business of manufacturing and selling shoes."[7] In 1978, Hanigan sold the Bonwit Teller building in Manhattan, owned by Genesco, to Donald Trump for $25 million; Trump demolished the building and built Trump Tower in its place.[8] Hanigan was succeeded by Richard W. Hanselman.[9]

Hanigan served on several corporate boards like Martin Marietta, Allis-Chalmers, Zenith Radio and the First American National Corporation.[2][3] He was also a member of the President's Export Council.[3]

Civic activities

Hanigan served on the board of visitors of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.[3] He also "donated $1.3 million to Vanderbilt University to establish a chair in pulmonary medicine" in 1982.[2] He joined the President's Council of the American Lung Association in 1984.[10]

Personal life and death

Hanigan married Elsa Stelter.[3] They had a son and a daughter.[2] Hanigan's wife predeceased him in 1980,[3] and he resided in North Palm Beach, Florida.[2] He was a member of the Everglades Club in Palm Beach,[1] Chicago Club and the New York Athletic Club.[3]

Hanigan died of Alzheimer's disease on July 1, 1996, in West Palm Beach, Florida, at age 84.[2][3]

References
  1. "Funeral Notices: John L. Hanigan 1911 - 1996". The Palm Beach Post. July 3, 1996. p. 39. Retrieved January 3, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Heise, Kenan (July 3, 1996). "John L. Hanigan Headed Genesco And Brunswick". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  3. "John Hanigan dead of Alzheimer's". The Tennessean. July 3, 1996. p. 5. Retrieved January 3, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Cason, Albert (August 27, 1981). "Genesco Joy: New Earnings 11-Year High". The Tennessean. pp. 1, 14. Retrieved January 3, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Genesco President's Promotion Scheduled". The Tennessean. December 7, 1981. p. 13. Retrieved January 3, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Bibeault, Donald B. (1998). Corporate Turnaround: How Managers Turn Losers Into Winners!. Washington, D.C.: Beard Books. p. 128. ISBN 9781893122024. OCLC 769179735.
  7. "Genesco Due Congratulations". The Tennessean. August 30, 1981. p. 20. Retrieved January 3, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Trump, Donald (1987). Trump: The Art of the Deal. New York: Random House. pp. 147–150. ISBN 978-0446353250.
  9. Cuff, Daniel F. (April 12, 1984). "BUSINESS PEOPLE; Genesco President Also Its Chairman". The New York Times. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  10. "People in Business News". The Tennessean. July 29, 1984. p. 108. Retrieved 3 January 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
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