John Gideon Searle
John Gideon Searle (1901–1978) was an American heir, businessman and philanthropist. Early life John Gideon Searle was born March 18, 1901, in Iowa. His paternal grandfather was Gideon Daniel Searle, founder of G. D. Searle & Company in 1888. His father, Claude Howard Searle, served as president of the family business after his grandfather's death in 1917. He began working for the family business at the age of fourteen, working every summer through high school and college. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in pharmacy. Business career At Searle, he worked as a buyer in 1923, and then was appointed office manager and treasurer. In 1931, he became vice president and general manager of Searle, up until 1966. To remain competitive during the Great Depression, he reduced its product lines and focused on successful products such as Aminophyllin, Metamucil and Dramamine. He also launched the first oral contraceptive drug Enovid in 1957. He moved its headquarters to Skokie, Illinois, in 1942. In 1966, his son Daniel C. Searle became president of Searle. His other son, William L. Searle, as well as his son-in-law, Wes Dixon, also worked for the company. Philanthropy In 1964, he