Early Life
William Wrigley Jr. was born on October 6, 1963. He is the son of William Wrigley III, grandson of Philip K. Wrigley, and great-grandson of William Wrigley Jr., who founded the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company in 1891. He graduated from the Phoenix Country Day School in Phoenix, Arizona. He received his undergraduate degree from Duke University in 1985 and earned his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Rise to Success
William Wrigley Jr. is an heir to the Wrigley's chewing gum fortune. He took over the business from his great-grandfather in 1999. Under his leadership, the company expanded beyond chewing gum by purchasing Altoids and Life Savers from Kraft Foods in 2005 for $1.46 billion. He oversaw the sale of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company to Mars, Inc. in 2008 for $23 billion.
Key Business Strategies
Wrigley’s success came through savvy marketing and innovation. The original William Wrigley Jr. focused on advertising and giving away chewing gum as a premium. Wrigley's brands, such as Spearmint and Juicy Fruit, became well-known. Wrigley's also expanded internationally, opening plants in other countries and advertising in more than 30 languages.
Philanthropy
William Wrigley Jr. is involved in philanthropy and has donated to various charities, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Art Institute of Chicago.