Former DuPont CEO and national business leader Edgar S. Woolard, Jr. died on Dec. 4 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, at 89.
Woolard was born in Washington, NC. He got his first job at a DuPont plant in Kinston, NC, and after many took on many assignments, eventually rising to CEO.
Woolard and DuPont faced growing worldwide competition, leading to asset sales and staff reductions that ran into the thousands in Delaware. The changes reshaped the company and moved it away from being a conglomerate with diverse businesses.
Woolard took an early retirement from DuPont but went on to serve on boards of companies that included Apple, which at the time was struggling with bad management decisions.
As Apple’s chairman, Woolard has been credited with getting Apple founder Steve Jobs to return to the company, which under his second stint as CEO developed the iPhone, IMac computer and other products. It is now one of the world’s largest companies.
Post retirement wife Peggy and Edward Woolard both were involved with the International Tennis Hall of Fame, where Peggy served several terms on their board, and Ed supported her as assistant in chief.
He remained active in charitable and and philanthropic activities, forming the Woolard Family Foundation, and supporting many causes in Delaware, including Sunday Breakfast Mission, Delaware Art Museum, Christian Outreach Efforts, Autism Delaware, Meals on Wheels, and Christ Church Christiana Hundred.
He is survived Peggy Harrell Woolard, along with his daughter Lynda Woolard, daughter Annette Woolard-Provine and son-in-law Bill Provine, and his two grandchildren Will Provine and Caroline Provine.
Click here for his full obituary
