Edward "Ed" McCormick Blair was a longtime businessman who served on the boards of many companies and charities.
Mr. Blair also was fearless, said Edgar Jannotta, chairman of William Blair & Company, the investment firm Mr. Blair's father founded. He was "a courageous leader who had the foresight necessary to be an aggressive and successful investor," Jannotta said in a statement.
Mr. Blair died Wednesday, Dec. 22, at his home in Lake Bluff. He was 95. Mr. Blair, a former managing partner of William Blair & Company in Chicago, also was the great-grandnephew of Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the McCormick reaper.
Born in 1915, the lifelong Chicagoan attended Groton School in Massachusetts and earned his bachelor's degree from Yale University. He went on to get his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Mr. Blair served during World War II as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy's Pacific fleet, where he adapted highly classified decoded Japanese intelligence for practical use by Navy submarines.
In 1946, Mr. Blair joined William Blair & Company, and he became a partner in 1950. In 1961, he succeeded his father as managing partner, a position he held until 1977.
Mr. Blair served on the boards of many notable businesses, including Herman Miller furniture company, Lake Central Airlines, Barber Greene machine company and Marshall Field & Company.
He also was chairman of the board of trustees for Rush University Medical Center and College of the Atlantic in Maine, and he led the investment committee for the University of Chicago's board of trustees.
Mr. Blair was a life trustee at the Art Institute of Chicago, the University of Chicago, Rush University Medical Center and College of the Atlantic, and a life director for the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation. He also served on the board of Groton School.
An art enthusiast, Mr. Blair donated his collection of French painter Paul Gauguin's works on paper to the Art Institute of Chicago in 2003. He also loved to travel. His favorite place was Bora Bora, a destination he visited regularly for more than 40 years.
Mr. Blair is survived by two sons, Edward Jr. and Francis; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and brother William "Bill" McCormick Blair Jr. His wife, Elizabeth Iglehart Blair, died in 2001.
A private cremation is scheduled. A memorial reception will be held at the Chicago Club at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Rush University Medical Center or the College of the Atlantic.
Source: Chicago Tribune [email protected]
Mr. Blair also was fearless, said Edgar Jannotta, chairman of William Blair & Company, the investment firm Mr. Blair's father founded. He was "a courageous leader who had the foresight necessary to be an aggressive and successful investor," Jannotta said in a statement.
Mr. Blair died Wednesday, Dec. 22, at his home in Lake Bluff. He was 95. Mr. Blair, a former managing partner of William Blair & Company in Chicago, also was the great-grandnephew of Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the McCormick reaper.
Born in 1915, the lifelong Chicagoan attended Groton School in Massachusetts and earned his bachelor's degree from Yale University. He went on to get his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Mr. Blair served during World War II as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy's Pacific fleet, where he adapted highly classified decoded Japanese intelligence for practical use by Navy submarines.
In 1946, Mr. Blair joined William Blair & Company, and he became a partner in 1950. In 1961, he succeeded his father as managing partner, a position he held until 1977.
Mr. Blair served on the boards of many notable businesses, including Herman Miller furniture company, Lake Central Airlines, Barber Greene machine company and Marshall Field & Company.
He also was chairman of the board of trustees for Rush University Medical Center and College of the Atlantic in Maine, and he led the investment committee for the University of Chicago's board of trustees.
Mr. Blair was a life trustee at the Art Institute of Chicago, the University of Chicago, Rush University Medical Center and College of the Atlantic, and a life director for the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation. He also served on the board of Groton School.
An art enthusiast, Mr. Blair donated his collection of French painter Paul Gauguin's works on paper to the Art Institute of Chicago in 2003. He also loved to travel. His favorite place was Bora Bora, a destination he visited regularly for more than 40 years.
Mr. Blair is survived by two sons, Edward Jr. and Francis; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and brother William "Bill" McCormick Blair Jr. His wife, Elizabeth Iglehart Blair, died in 2001.
A private cremation is scheduled. A memorial reception will be held at the Chicago Club at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Rush University Medical Center or the College of the Atlantic.
Source: Chicago Tribune [email protected]
Edward "Ed" McCormick Blair was a longtime businessman who served on the boards of many companies and charities.
Mr. Blair also was fearless, said Edgar Jannotta, chairman of William Blair & Company, the investment firm Mr. Blair's father founded. He was "a courageous leader who had the foresight necessary to be an aggressive and successful investor," Jannotta said in a statement.
Mr. Blair died Wednesday, Dec. 22, at his home in Lake Bluff. He was 95. Mr. Blair, a former managing partner of William Blair & Company in Chicago, also was the great-grandnephew of Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the McCormick reaper.
Born in 1915, the lifelong Chicagoan attended Groton School in Massachusetts and earned his bachelor's degree from Yale University. He went on to get his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Mr. Blair served during World War II as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy's Pacific fleet, where he adapted highly classified decoded Japanese intelligence for practical use by Navy submarines.
In 1946, Mr. Blair joined William Blair & Company, and he became a partner in 1950. In 1961, he succeeded his father as managing partner, a position he held until 1977.
Mr. Blair served on the boards of many notable businesses, including Herman Miller furniture company, Lake Central Airlines, Barber Greene machine company and Marshall Field & Company.
He also was chairman of the board of trustees for Rush University Medical Center and College of the Atlantic in Maine, and he led the investment committee for the University of Chicago's board of trustees.
Mr. Blair was a life trustee at the Art Institute of Chicago, the University of Chicago, Rush University Medical Center and College of the Atlantic, and a life director for the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation. He also served on the board of Groton School.
An art enthusiast, Mr. Blair donated his collection of French painter Paul Gauguin's works on paper to the Art Institute of Chicago in 2003. He also loved to travel. His favorite place was Bora Bora, a destination he visited regularly for more than 40 years.
Mr. Blair is survived by two sons, Edward Jr. and Francis; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and brother William "Bill" McCormick Blair Jr. His wife, Elizabeth Iglehart Blair, died in 2001.
A private cremation is scheduled. A memorial reception will be held at the Chicago Club at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Rush University Medical Center or the College of the Atlantic.
Source: Chicago Tribune [email protected]
Mr. Blair also was fearless, said Edgar Jannotta, chairman of William Blair & Company, the investment firm Mr. Blair's father founded. He was "a courageous leader who had the foresight necessary to be an aggressive and successful investor," Jannotta said in a statement.
Mr. Blair died Wednesday, Dec. 22, at his home in Lake Bluff. He was 95. Mr. Blair, a former managing partner of William Blair & Company in Chicago, also was the great-grandnephew of Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the McCormick reaper.
Born in 1915, the lifelong Chicagoan attended Groton School in Massachusetts and earned his bachelor's degree from Yale University. He went on to get his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Mr. Blair served during World War II as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy's Pacific fleet, where he adapted highly classified decoded Japanese intelligence for practical use by Navy submarines.
In 1946, Mr. Blair joined William Blair & Company, and he became a partner in 1950. In 1961, he succeeded his father as managing partner, a position he held until 1977.
Mr. Blair served on the boards of many notable businesses, including Herman Miller furniture company, Lake Central Airlines, Barber Greene machine company and Marshall Field & Company.
He also was chairman of the board of trustees for Rush University Medical Center and College of the Atlantic in Maine, and he led the investment committee for the University of Chicago's board of trustees.
Mr. Blair was a life trustee at the Art Institute of Chicago, the University of Chicago, Rush University Medical Center and College of the Atlantic, and a life director for the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation. He also served on the board of Groton School.
An art enthusiast, Mr. Blair donated his collection of French painter Paul Gauguin's works on paper to the Art Institute of Chicago in 2003. He also loved to travel. His favorite place was Bora Bora, a destination he visited regularly for more than 40 years.
Mr. Blair is survived by two sons, Edward Jr. and Francis; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and brother William "Bill" McCormick Blair Jr. His wife, Elizabeth Iglehart Blair, died in 2001.
A private cremation is scheduled. A memorial reception will be held at the Chicago Club at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Rush University Medical Center or the College of the Atlantic.
Source: Chicago Tribune [email protected]
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