Glen Barton, former Caterpillar chairman and CEO, died this week in Peoria, Ill., at the age of 77. Barton retired in 2004 after nearly 43 years with Caterpillar, the last five as chairman and CEO.
Barton joined Caterpillar in 1961 and held numerous positions in marketing and general management. He worked in Geneva, Switzerland and became manager for South American sales in 1972. In 1977 he became manager of the merchandising division and later became U.S. sales and product support manager for the industrial lift truck division, then vice president of Products Control, president of Solar Turbines, a Caterpillar subsidiary, and several other positions before becoming chairman and CEO in 1999.
“Glen’s legacy of leadership extends far beyond Caterpillar’s walls,” said current Caterpillar chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman. “His commitment to Peoria and our communities was remarkable. I’ll start with his Caterpillar leadership. He rose through the Caterpillar ranks, starting in 1961 as a college graduate trainee. Under his leadership, Caterpillar embraced 6 Sigma. It brought remarkable improvements throughout the company, including an intense focus on quality and safety. We continue that focus today and 6 Sigma remains our foundation for continuous improvement. We are forever indebted to him for his commitment to making Caterpillar a stronger company.”
In 2012, Barton was recognized for helping pave the way for the company’s leadership in the global mining industry with his induction into the National Mining Hall of Fame.
