{"id":7944,"date":"2016-10-25T21:32:53","date_gmt":"2016-10-25T21:32:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/minutes.machine.market\/?p=7944"},"modified":"2016-10-25T21:32:53","modified_gmt":"2016-10-25T21:32:53","slug":"ex-caterpillar-ceo-glen-barton-dead-at-age-77","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/machine.market\/blog\/ex-caterpillar-ceo-glen-barton-dead-at-age-77\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-Caterpillar CEO Glen Barton dead at age 77"},"content":{"rendered":"

PEORIA, IL<\/strong> \u2014 The title \u201cretired Caterpillar Inc. CEO\u201d was almost always attached to Glen Barton\u2019s name in recent years. But the Barton name leaves a mark that goes far beyond the job title.<\/p>\n

PJStar.com<\/a> reports, Barton died Monday at age 77. \u00a0He brought the 6 Sigma operating methodology to Caterpillar and steered it to continued profits during an economic downturn. His retired in 2004, capping a 43-year career at the heavy manufacturing giant.<\/p>\n

With his wife, Polly, Barton made multi-million dollar donations that resulted in the Barton Pavilion at Peoria Zoo, the Barton Plaza at WTVP Studios, the Barton Scholarships and Glen Barton Dealer Service Technology Program at Illinois Central College. Several hundred people recognized their work at a tribute in April that raised more than $400,000 for Quest Charter Academy, the school he devoted much of his time, talent and money to after retirement.<\/p>\n

The couple also recently made a seven-figure donation to Bradley University for a high-tech lab in the soon-to-be-built Convergence Center, designed to bring the engineering and business colleges under one roof.<\/p>\n

\u201cGlen was a lot more to Peoria than just Caterpillar,\u201d said Tim Cassidy, president of the Peoria Park District\u2019s board. \u201cAlthough he did good things for Cat, he did great things for Peoria.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Africa exhibit at the zoo, the new zoo entrance and the new children\u2019s museum are a direct result of the Bartons\u2019 philanthropy, Cassidy said.<\/p>\n

Barton was a driving force behind the development of the charter school, said Tom Fliege, who succeeded Barton last year as president of the school\u2019s board of directors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are people who send their money to a worthwhile organization, Glen took his,\u201d said Fliege, describing how Barton helped paint, plant flowers and put up smartboards when the school opened six years ago.<\/p>\n

Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman acknowledged the Bartons’ contributions, calling the couple the \u201cepitome of philanthropic leaders\u201d in a prepared statement.<\/p>\n

“The Caterpillar family is extremely saddened by Glen’s passing,” Oberhelman said. “Glen’s legacy of leadership extends far beyond Caterpillar\u2019s walls. His commitment to Peoria and our communities was remarkable.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In an April interview, Barton called Caterpillar his \u201cspringboard to the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

He grew up on the family farm in Alton, Mo. After earning a degree in civil engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1961, he joined Caterpillar as a graduate trainee. He rose through the ranks, traveled internationally, and, in 1990, was named a group president responsible for most of Caterpillar\u2019s extensive line of forest, mining and construction equipment. He was named chairman and chief executive officer in 1999.<\/p>\n

On his retirement in 2004, Barton spoke of the company’s close relationship with the city it had called home since its inception.<\/p>\n

“Caterpillar is strong. But it needs a strong Peoria. The seeds are well planted, but we need to keep it going,” he said.<\/p>\n

Barton also said that the company’s continued success depended upon a number of factors, including taking good care of its customers, retaining a high level of integrity, recognizing shareholder value and “the recognition that our people are our most important asset. They are the ones who make the difference.”<\/p>\n

After five years as chairman, he pointed as an accomplishment to the continued diversification of the company as a benefit to help it weather economic downturns.<\/p>\n

“Until we had to go through the experience and demonstrate our diversity, I don’t think the investment community was convinced,” Barton said, having maintained corporate profits during the down business cycle that followed the dot-com burst at the end of the millennium followed by the 9\/11 terrorist attacks.<\/p>\n

When he retired, he said he saw opportunity for technology-sector growth in central Illinois, leveraging assets including area colleges, the ag lab and the medical community.<\/p>\n

The mining industry recognized him in 2012 when he was named to the National Mining Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n

Barton\u2019s search for solutions led him to once advocate for a single-payer health care plan. He joined the effort to launch Quest, a charter school focused on science, technology and math, when he realized many students weren\u2019t prepared for workplace needs of the future. Though controversy has trailed the proposed River Trail Apartments, of which Barton was an investor, he said he believed it will be good for Peoria.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s how Cassidy described Barton and his wife.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey did things out of the goodness of their hearts and what they believed was best for the community,\u201d Cassidy said, \u201cthough I\u2019m sure Polly will continue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pam Adams can be reached at 686-3245 or padams@pjstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @padamspam. Chris Kaergard can be reached at ckaergard@pjstar.com or 686-3255. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisKaergard.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PEORIA, IL \u2014 The title \u201cretired Caterpillar Inc. CEO\u201d was almost always attached to Glen Barton\u2019s name in recent years. But the Barton name leaves a mark that goes far beyond the job title. PJStar.com reports, Barton died Monday at age 77. \u00a0He brought the 6 Sigma operating methodology to Caterpillar and steered it to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7945,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":""},"categories":[2,8],"tags":[266],"yoast_head":"\nEx-Caterpillar CEO Glen Barton dead at age 77 - MachineMarket Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow\" \/>\n<meta name=\"googlebot\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"bingbot\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cranemarket.com\/blog\/ex-caterpillar-ceo-glen-barton-dead-at-age-77\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ex-Caterpillar CEO Glen Barton dead at age 77 - MachineMarket Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"PEORIA, IL \u2014 The title \u201cretired Caterpillar Inc. 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