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Neil MacDonald — A Legacy Continues As A Leader Passes
Neil MacDonald — Founder and CEO of Independent Container and In- dependent II —accomplished his vision of building and selling his com- pany successfully to Hood Container earlier this month. He entered the box making world in 1969. On July 16, 2024, MacDonald fought his way out of life — passing in peace with family at his side. For the 55 years in between MacDonald was many things: entrepre- neur, relationship seller, innovator, father and leader, generous and hu- morous, very sharp and always formidable. Finn MacDonald, outgoing President of Independent II, says that “My father loved the box business. He thrived on the challenge of building businesses. He created lifelong relationships with customers, sheet sup-
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pliers, and peers to propel his companies. And over many decades he created a bond with all he worked with. Our employees were really an ex- tended family of his own — no one worked for the boss. Ev- eryone worked with a guy they loved and respected. We call this the Independent Way.” Finn MacDonald found an early reference to the “Inde- pendent Way” in a 1967 letter to shareholders that his grand- father, Philip Miller, CEO of Independent Boxmakers Inc.,
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wrote. The letter reported that IBI had a successful year in sales and in controlling expenses. Miller then said why he believed the company performed well —he credited all employees for working together to take care of customers and each other — describing this spirit as the “Inde- pendent Way.” Neil used this guiding philosophy to build fast-growth, service first, best-in-class sheet plants dedicated to serving the southern Indiana, northern and central Kentucky, and Lexington and Louisville markets. His mottos were “get the customer what they want—when they want it. You cannot improve business that you do not have. It takes as much energy and time to make a mess or a bad box as it does to make a good box and have a clean Plant...so do the right thing.” The combination of these statements fueled many achievements. Independent Container Inc. opened in 1981 in Louisville, Kentucky. The company was recognized as the 14th fastest growing company in the country in the 1986 edition of the Inc. 500 List. ICI would expand to Erlanger, Kentucky, Ferdinand, Indiana, and Jasper, Indiana. In 1995, Greif Bros. Corporation purchased Independent Container and MacDon- ald oversaw the construction of a new 240,000-square-foot facility. Deja vu. In 2006, MacDonald started Independent II. Former employ- ees joined him quickly and the group immediately picked up where they left off. Many loyal customers came back too. Rapid growth followed and the company was again an Inc. 500/5000 honoree (#55 in Manufactur- ing) and recipient of seven LBJ “Fast-50” awards. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
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July 29, 2024
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