William Wrigley III

Who was William Wrigley III?

William Wrigley III, 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. 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, saddling Wrigley with a massive estate tax bill. Most of his money was tied up in either the Wrigley 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 Wrigley Company invested heavily in research in order to expand into several new lines. Under William Wrigley'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.