Kenneth A. Macke

Kenneth A. Macke Kenneth Anthony Macke, Chairman and CEO of Dayton Hudson Corporation from 1984 to 1994, died Saturday in Napa, CA, from complications associated with Parkinson's disease. He was 69. He is survived by his wife of over 42 years, Kathleen, of Napa, CA. In addition, he is survived by his children, Michael (Sarah) of Napa, Jeffrey (Anne) of Bedford, NY, and Melissa (Dan) Raz of San Francisco; and his grandchildren, Haley and Hannah Macke, Helena and John Kenneth Macke, and Leo Raz. He is also survived by his sister, Judy DeGraeve of Green Bay and his brother, Jim, of Carroll, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Carol Macke. After graduation from Drake University, he joined Dayton's in 1961 as a merchandise trainee and began a 33-year career in retailing, rising through the ranks to head merchant positions at Dayton's and Target. In 1976, he was named president and CEO of Target, and in 1977 was named chairman and CEO of Target. During that time, Target grew from 49 stores in nine states to 137 stores in 16 states and became the corporation's top profit-maker. In 1981, he was elected president of Dayton Hudson Corporation and in 1983 became the corporation's CEO. From his first job as a 15-year-old shoe salesman in Carroll, IA, he always loved every minute of his life in retail. During the decade he was chairman and CEO of Dayton Hudson, the company grew from 350 stores to 909 stores in 33 states and revenues more than doubled to over $19 billion. He was proudest of the company's strategy to concentrate on its three largest companies; Target's growth and move into California, the Northwest and the Southeast; the acquisition of Marshall Field's; the successful defeat of an attempted takeover of Dayton Hudson; and the people he worked with and developed. During that time the company was named "America's Best Managed Company." His commitment to provide opportunities for women and minorities brought national recognition to Dayton Hudson: "100 Best Companies to Work for in America," "100 Companies Providing the Most Opportunities for Hispanics," "50 Best Companies for Hispanic Women." He was named by many publications and groups as one of America's best managers. He served as a trustee of Drake University, and was a director of the Walker Art Center and the Urban Coalition of Minneapolis. In 1989, he chaired the United Way annual campaign, breaking all records for annual fund drives. In 1993, he chaired the board of the Greater Minneapolis United Way. He served as a director of General Mills, Carlson Companies, Unisys, First Bank, The Pillsbury Company, McGlynn Bakeries and Duckwall. After his retirement, he and Kathy moved to the Napa Valley and continued to mentor retail entrepreneurs. The family requests no flowers. Memorials are preferred to UCSF Memory and Aging Center c/o Tamara Scott, 350 Parnassus Ave., Ste. 905, SF, CA 94143-1207 or online memory.ucsf.edu/gift.htm; or the donor's choice.