Roger Milliken transformed South Carolina’s economy by relocating his family’s textile headquarters from New York to Spartanburg in 1958, leading Milliken & Company for 71 years until his death in 2010 at age 95. His visionary leadership built it into a global leader with over 7,000 employees across six countries, more than 2,500 U.S. patents, and innovations in flame-resistant gear, parade balloons, and even Jell-O texture.
Business Legacy
Milliken pioneered the world’s largest textile research center, embracing W. Edward Deming’s quality principles and phrases like “Good is the enemy of best.” Named Textile Leader of the Century in 1999, he demanded constant improvement, with executives on call 24/7; the company earned recognition as one of…..