Ex-Pillsbury CEO William Spoor dies at 91

William Spoor helped transform Pillsbury from a flour maker into a major diversified food company, growing the Minnesota corporate icon's sales more than fivefold during his tenure as CEO.

Spoor, 91, died last week at his home in Salt Lake City, where he moved in 2005 after living in Wayzata for 40 years.

Spoor served as CEO from 1973 to 1985, a time when Pillsbury bought Green Giant, Haagen-Dazs, Totino's Pizza, Steak & Ale and Godfather's Pizza, among other brands. The company also expanded Burger King, which it then owned.

With Pillsbury struggling in 1988, particularly in its Burger King unit, Spoor came back as interim CEO. But the company was sold later that year to Grand Metropolitan (now Diageo), and sold again in 2001 to crosstown rival General Mills Inc.

As CEO, Spoor was considered a good strategist but sometimes exhibited a dismissive style that put off some subordinates.

"Bill was quite a character … and one heck of a good businessman who took Pillsbury from a sleepy flour-milling company and turned it into a Fortune 200 company," said Minneapolis businessman Jack Morrison, a former Pillsbury executive. "He was also was gruff and tough and a throwback to a different era. He was demanding but a wonderful mentor."

A Colorado native, Spoor served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946. He graduated in 1949 with a history degree from Dartmouth College, where he lettered in track and football.

When Spoor became CEO in 1973, Pillsbury had $816 million in annual sales and $20 million in profits. When he retired twelve years later, those numbers had risen respectively to $4.7 billion and $192 million. Profit gains during his stint were uninterrupted.

In 1985, the Spoor-led Pillsbury board passed over Win Wallin, the president of Pillsbury, and chose a younger executive, Jack Stafford, as CEO to succeed Spoor. The late Wallin, a seasoned No. 2 executive who was popular in the ranks, left Pillsbury to run then-wobbly Medtronic.

By early 1988, Pillsbury was underperforming other U.S. food companies and its stock price was slipping. Spoor replaced Stafford as CEO. Later that year and after a brief takeover battle, Pillsbury was sold for about $5.25 billion, a rich premium to shareholders.

Spoor, who declined to publicly discuss Pillsbury after the Grand Metropolitan takeover, remained active in civic affairs in the Twin Cities, and served on several boards. During his business career, Spoor was a director of the United Negro College Fund, helped raise $32 million for the Minnesota Orchestral Association and served a number of charities.

Spoor was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Janet Spain Spoor. He is survived by his three children; six grandchildren; and his brother. A private family service will be held at a later date.