Heinz F. Hutter

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Hutter, Heinz F. Passed away on June 15, 2015 peacefully in his sleep; he was 85 years old. Heinz lived a long and very full life. He was born on July 29, 1929, in Munich, Germany, to Philipp Hutter and Christiane Meisel Hutter of Bamberg, Germany. After WWII he attended University of Erlangen, West Germany and received degrees in both Business Law and Economics. While working for the mayor of Augsburg, he received the honor of being the first German after the war to be awarded the Fulbright scholarship. He began his studies in the USA at Columbia University in New York, but finished his studies in Business Management and International Law at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, where he graduated in 1954. Heinz joined Cargill, Incorporated, as a merchant for Tradax, in Hamburg, West Germany, in 1955 working for Charlie Bachman. He was then transferred to the United States where he worked in various Cargill locations throughout 1958. In 1959, he was asked by the head of Tradax in Geneva, Switzerland, Walter Gage, to go to South America to help establish an office in Brazil, and to make the office in Argentina profitable or shut it down. At the end of that year he was named a director of Cargill S.A., Buenos Aires, and was elected president of that firm in 1960. During his many flights between Porto Alegre, Brazil, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, Heinz met his future spouse, Isis 'Sisi' Biensoba. She worked for Varig Airlines at the Buenos Aires airport. They were married on December 2, 1960, in Montevideo, Uruguay. In 1973, Heinz and his family moved to Minneapolis. During that year, he was elected group vice president of the food and farm products group. He served as a member of the Cargill Board of Directors starting in August 1975, and was named executive vice president in August 1981. During his last years at Cargill, Heinz oversaw the financial markets businesses, the meat business, the agricultural trading business, the fertilizer sector and the European and Latin American geographic areas. He was elected president and chief operating officer of Cargill in February 1991. In August 1994 after 39 years with the company, Heinz retired, saying that he was "particularly proud of my involvement and impact on the development of Cargill in South America." Over the years, Heinz served as a trustee of Macalester College, in St. Paul, Minnesota, a director of the Donaldson Company, a board member of the American Express Company, a member of the Grain Exchange of Hamburg and the Grain Exchange of Buenos Aires, an officer of the Grain Exporters Association in Buenos Aires and a member and officer of the Stock Exchange in Buenos Aires. He was also very involved in the arts serving on boards of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, The Minnesota Symphony and the Minnesota Opera, where he was still very active. After his retirement, Heinz truly enjoyed having the opportunity to work for Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein. He helped him develop some of his businesses in the United States including RiceTec, a technology-based rice company that was the first to commercialize hybrid rice seed in North and South America. Heinz was an avid tennis and golf player. He loved being with his friends and his family. A voracious reader, Heinz was known for reading widely and for freely sharing his knowledge and advice. Heinz is survived by his daughter Christl Hutter Larson (Dr. Andrew W. Larson), Robert Philipp Hutter (Mrs. Tish Markey Hutter), grandchildren Harrison Hutter, Natalie Larson, Katherine Hutter, Anna Hutter and Wills Larson, and his fiancée, Dr. Bianca M. Fine. He was predeceased by his wife Sisi Hutter, and his parents Philipp and Christiane Hutter. A memorial service will be held at the Wayzata Community Church in Wayzata, MN, on Monday, June 29, at 11:00 AM. Valet service will be available on the N Ferndale road entrance of the church. The service will be followed by a lunch at Wayzata Country Club. In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer donations to the National Animal Humane Society or the Animal Humane Society of Minnesota, both organizations being very dear to Heinz's heart. In addition, the family would like to thank Dr. Arthur Lindeland, for his wonderful friendship and invaluable medical advice and help over the last few months.

Published on June 21, 2015