Doug Meijer was the second son of Frederik Meijer [1919-2011], and the grandson of Hendrik Meijer, Sr. [1883-1964]. The senior Hendrik Meijer was the founder of the super center retailing chain bearing his name. Hendrik Meijer began his retailing business as a grocery retailer in 1934, with the help of his wife and two children, Frederik Meijer and Johanna Meijer. The senior Meijer passed away in the early 1960’s, and following his death most of the growth in the Meijer retailing business occurred under the leadership of Frederik Meijer, the only son of Hendrik Meijer.
Doug Meijer, following his high school education, entered the University of Michigan and was awarded a bachelor of science degree following his studies. He then apparently went to work in the family business, and worked in a variety of management positions.
Frederik Meijer, Doug’s father, built up the retailing business from its first super center store to a chain of over 200 super center stores today. When Frederik Meijer turned 80 around the turn of the century, he turned the senior management of the business over to his three sons, Hank, Doug and Mark Meijer. In 2001, Hank Meijer became chief executive officer [CEO] of the Meijer firm. In 2003, Hank and his brother, Doug Meijer, were appointed to the positions of Co-Chairman of the Meijer firm. At that time Hank Meijer, who was the CEO of the firm, decided to get help in the CEO position, and became the Co-CEO, sharing that position with an appointed non-family executive.
Although the three Meijer brothers, earlier in their respective lives, had followed other professional careers outside of the Meijer firm, over time they gradually became involved in management positions within the Meijer firm. And when the father, Frederik, retired in 2001, each one of them was able to take over the senior management responsibilities they were assigned to in the Meijer firm.
In their October 2013 issue Forbes Magazine estimated the worth of Hank and Doug Meijer to amount to @ 8.3 billion.
REFERENCES
Hank Meijer, "Thrifty Years: The Life of Hendrik Meijer", Eerdmans, 1984
"Michigan Today", http://www.umich.edu/o3/Sum03/meijer.ht
Larry Ten Harmsel and Bill Smith, "Fred Meijer: Stories of his Life", Eerdmans, 2009
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