William A. Wrigley III | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 21, 1933 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | March 8, 1999 (aged 66) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Confectionery magnate |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 3, including William Jr. II |
| Father | Philip K. Wrigley |
William A. Wrigley III (January 21, 1933 – March 8, 1999), known as William Wrigley, was president of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, founded by his grandfather William Wrigley Jr., from 1961 until his death from pneumonia in March 1999.[1] His father, P. K. Wrigley, preceded him as president. He was succeeded by his son Bill Wrigley Jr. as president and CEO. He inherited ownership of the Chicago Cubs in 1977. Only a few months later, his mother died. This left him saddled with massive estate taxes. With most of his money tied up in the Wrigley Company and the Cubs, he eventually sold the Cubs to the Chicago Tribune in 1981 to pay off the tax bill.
After assuming the company's presidency in 1961, Wrigley maintained its position as the world's largest manufacturer of chewing gum by venturing into Orbit, Freedent, Extra, Hubba Bubba, and Big Red.