Background
His father P.K. Wrigley preceded him as president Only a few months later, his mother died, saddling Wrigley with a massive estate tax bill.
President of the Wm Wrigley Junior
His father P.K. Wrigley preceded him as president Only a few months later, his mother died, saddling Wrigley with a massive estate tax bill.
He inherited ownership of the Chicago Cubs in 1977. Most of his money was tied up in either the Company or the Cubs, forcing him to sell the Cubs to the Chicago Tribune in 1981. The company enjoyed a substantial lead in the chewing gum industry during his early years with the firm but, by the time he assumed the presidency in 1961, the company"s leadership was succumbing to sugarless gum, and later bubble gum.
As a result, the Company invested heavily in research in order to expand into several new lines.
Under William "s stewardship the company ventured into the following products: Orbit, Freedent, Extra, Hubba Bubba, and Big Red. The company maintained its position as the world"s largest manufacturer of chewing gum. lived by his mother"s family motto, "When your name is on the door, you"re obliged to watch the store." He was in his office daily, when not traveling to Company factories abroad, which was his practice three times per year.
He was a legal resident of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin where he enjoyed ice-boating, cutting cattle, Arabian horses, and the family dogs. The family"s Arabian horse business, first established at Catalina Island with William, Junior"s original purchase from Kellogg, was moved to Lake Geneva in the 1970s.
The family"s annual 4th of July fireworks display was a tradition in which he participated personally by selecting each component.
He was a benefactor of the arts, enjoyed the American cinema, and was on the board at the University of Southern California"s School of Cinema Television, now called University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.
Wrigley attended Yale College as an undergraduate, and was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon.