JOHN HENRY BRYAN, JR. Biography - Bussiness people and enterpreneurs

 
 

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JOHN HENRY BRYAN, JR.

Name: John Henry Bryan, Jr                                                           
Born: 1936                                                                           
                                                                                     
John Henry Bryan, Jr. is the former CEO of the Sara Lee Corporation.                 
                                                                                     
A graduate of Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee and Darden Graduate School of     
Business Administration, he is also affiliated with the French Legion of Honor,       
the World Economic Forum, and was a Member of the Board for Sara Lee, Goldman         
Sachs, General Motors, British Petroleum, and Bank One.                               
                                                                                     
John H. Bryan is also a philanthropist and art collector. He serves as campaign       
chairs for two major civic improvements in Chicago  Millennium Park and the           
Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago. Estimates place the combined budget     
for these two capital projects at over a billion dollars.                             
                                                                                     
As CEO of Sara Lee Corporation he administered a major gift of impressionist,         
post-impressionist and modern art to museums around the world. In a flourish of       
consistent brand obedience the Sara Lee Millennium Gift consisted of major and       
underappreciated artworks collected by bakery and retail founder Nathan Cummings.     
The catalogue of this gift represents works by Renoir, Monet, Matisse, Rodin,         
Degas, Leger, Dufy, Moore and others from the period 1870 - 1970.                     
                                                                                     
Bryan's international charitable interests engage his family and the community       
and represent advice and support for museums, historic preservation advocates,       
performing arts groups & other non-profits. He seems to advocate for excellence       
in design and urban planning with an extensive personal collection ranging from       
Elizabethan to Miesian furniture. There is a quantitative emphasis on the Arts       
& Crafts and Guild movements in the UK and US (1880 - 1920).                         
                                                                                     
Known for a charming Southern cadence, Bryan was quoted by the Chicago Tribune       
in reference to the Millennium Park project  when asked how he got                   
contributions for these vast projects he replied, you just wrap them in a cloak       
of civic pride.                                                                       
                                                                                     
John Bryan currently resides in Lake Bluff, Illinois on Crab Tree Farm. Since         
his purchase of the farm Mr. Bryan has restored many of its structures back to       
19th century standards using techniques and materials that were available at the     
time of their original construction.