Owens & Minor is saddened at the loss of G. Gilmer Minor III, Chairman Emeritus and former CEO of Owens & Minor, whom many teammates knew as Gil.
From the day he joined his family’s business in 1963, Gil followed a simple, yet powerful, philosophy that guided his leadership and helped transform Owens & Minor into an industry leader — be honest, always, and know that there is no right way to do a wrong thing. An innovator, pioneer and lifelong learner, he believed that the real heart of any organization is its people. One of Gil’s many enduring legacies will be the fact that he instilled this sense of teamwork, and his deeply held values, at every level of the company.
“Gil’s honesty, integrity, and unrelenting passion for Owens & Minor to be the best when it comes to serving our healthcare customers are the bedrock that our IDEAL values were built on,” commented Edward A. Pesicka, President and CEO, Owens & Minor. “His friendship and guidance were invaluable to me and many other teammates and will continue to contribute to the company’s success.”
Gil was also deeply dedicated to serving his community, particularly in the areas of education and ethics. Throughout his life, he contributed his time, his support and his leadership to a variety of causes, including the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business Foundation, Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia, and the Virginia Health Care Foundation. Gil was also proud to serve as an appointee to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia Board under former Governor Tim Kaine and the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation and Investment. He was also recognized with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award, the B’nai B’rith National Healthcare Award, the Greater Richmond Business Hall of Fame Award and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Award of Excellence. Gil often spoke of his strong affection for his alma mater, Virginia Military Institute, where he served as co-captain of the football and baseball teams, and was later inducted into the school’s Sports Hall of Fame for both.
Gil’s own words spoke volumes about who he was, and how much he cared about the success of the company his family founded, as well as his fellow teammates: “As proud as I am of our success, I am probably prouder of the way we have handled adversity and the strong fiber of the company that has held us together. And, most of all, I am proud to be part of a team that cares so much about each other, our customers and our suppliers, and always strives to do better.”