Longtime Walgreen's President Passes Away

LAKE FOREST, IL - Charles R. (Cork) Walgreen III, who led Deerfield-based Walgreens for years and was the grandson of the leading pharmacy company’s founder, died Monday at his Lake Forest home. He was 80.

Walgreen III was the president and CEO of the company in an era that saw one of its most rapid growth, according to a news release from the company.

From 1969 until he retired in 1998, Walgreen’s saw 23 consecutive years of record sales and had rolled out more than 2,400 stores, up from just 561 when he started in the role.

But Walgreen’s contribution to the family company turned national giant dates back even further.

He started in 1952 as a stock boy and rose through the ranks, serving as a pharmacist, administrative assistant and was elected to a spot on the company’s board of directors.

In all, he served the company for 58 years.