Eric McClintock

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Sir Eric McClintock
Born
Eric Paul McClintock

(1918-09-13)13 September 1918
Died27 March 2018(2018-03-27) (aged 99)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Alma materDe La Salle College, Armidale,
University of Sydney
Occupation(s)Public servant, businessman
Years active1935–2018
EmployerWoolworths Limited (1980–1987)
Spouse
Lady Eve
(m. 1943; died 2013)

Sir Eric Paul McClintock (13 September 1918 – 27 March 2018) was an Australian public servant and businessman. He was notable for serving as chairman of Woolworths Limited from 1980 to 1987.

Early life[edit]

McClintock was born on 13 September 1918 in Gulgong, New South Wales, to Robert Emanuel McClintock (d. 1979),[1] a newspaper proprietor and his wife, Ada Marion McClintock (née Whitton; 1888–1987).[2][3] He was educated at De La Salle College, Armidale, and the University of Sydney.[3]

Career[edit]

McClintock worked in the Naval Supply Office, Department of the Navy, 1935–1947.[4][5] He joined the Australian Trade Commissioner Service, serving in Washington as Commercial Attaché on various international emergency food council committees.[5] He was appointed an Assistant Trade Commissioner in 1948, based in New York.[5] He returned to Australia in 1951 as Director of Trade Promotion in the Department of Commerce and Agriculture.[5]

He was a speech writer for future Prime Minister John McEwen, then Minister for Trade, and served as First Assistant Secretary, Department of Trade, 1958–1961.[6] He was also associated with the Australian Industry Development Corporation.[5]

After leaving the Public Service, he was chairman of Woolworths Limited from 1980 to 1987.[7] During his tenure, the Dick Smith electronics business and Victorian supermarket chain Safeway were acquired, and the "Fresh Food People" slogan was instituted.[8] In 1986, for the first time since 1923, no final dividend was paid on the company's shares.[9]

Directorships and board appointments include Ashton Mining,[10] the Asia Pacific Space Centre Advisory Board,[11] and Commissioner of Medicare Australia 2004–05.[12] He was NSW campaign chair for the Australian Prospectors & Miners' Hall of Fame (now defunct).[13]

Personal life[edit]

McClintock was married to Lady Eve from 1943 until her death in 2013.[3] They had three children;[3] Paul, the former chairman of Myer and Medibank Private; Leigh, who followed his father into the Department of Trade and worked for Alcoa in North Asia; and Marjorie "Marg", an architect.[3][14] In 2010, McClintock delivered the eulogy at the funeral of his friend and neighbour, the novelist Jon Cleary.[15]

McClintock died in Sydney on 27 March 2018 at the age of 99.[3]

Honours[edit]

Eric McClintock was knighted in the 1981 New Year's Honours for service to exports and industry.[16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Tributes flow for newspaper man". Muswell Brook Chronicle. 28 June 2012. After the war, Mr McClintock came to work with his father Robert Emanuel McClintock at the Chronicle.
  2. ^ "Bernard McCLINTOCK". Legacy.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Tributes flow for former Woolworths chairman Sir Eric McClintock". Financial Review. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  4. ^ Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 24 June 2017
  5. ^ a b c d e Boris Schedvin, Emissaries of Trade: a history of the Australian trade commissioner service. Retrieved 24 June 2017
  6. ^ Peter Golding, Black Jack McEwen: Political Gladiator. Retrieved 24 June 2017
  7. ^ Woolworth's History Archived 30 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 24 June 2017
  8. ^ Ian McIlwraith, "Long way to the top for Myer's new chairman", The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 August 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2017
  9. ^ Justinian. Retrieved 24 June 2017
  10. ^ Jack Carr, Major Companies of The Far East and Australasia 1992/93: Volume 3: Australia. Retrieved 24 June 2017
  11. ^ Senate Hansard. Retrieved 24 June 2017
  12. ^ Medicare Australia Annual Report 2005–06. Retrieved 24 June 2017
  13. ^ Australian Mining Hall of Fame, Official Opening. Retrieved 24 June 2017
  14. ^ "Sir Eric Paul McCLINTOCK Obituary". Legacy.
  15. ^ Kimberley Community Profile, Oct 2010 Archived 21 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 24 June 2017
  16. ^ It's an Honour: Knight Bachelor. Retrieved 24 June 2017