David W. Grainger III ’50 is being remembered by the University of Wisconsin–Madison community as a successful businessman and generous supporter of the university in myriad ways.
Grainger died peacefully Thursday, Jan. 9. He was 97.
“David Grainger was an extraordinary leader, visionary, and philanthropist who made an indelible mark across our campus,” says Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin. “His unwavering generosity has empowered UW–Madison to prepare accomplished graduates in critical fields like business and engineering and help meet the crucial demands of the modern workforce. He was a passionate alumnus, and we will be forever thankful for his dedication to education, innovation, and discovery.”
David enrolled at UW–Madison in 1945, but then served 12 months in the Army Air Force. He was honorably discharged in 1947 and served five subsequent years in the Army Air Force Reserve. He earned a UW–Madison degree in electrical engineering in 1950, fulfilling a life-long interest in electrical technology, efficiency, and application — a legacy he continued as an alumnus.
In 1952, David joined his father’s company, W.W. Grainger, which was founded the year David was born in 1927. He became the CEO and chair of the industrial supply and distribution firm in 1968. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he led major expansions throughout the company. He stepped down as CEO in 1997, retired as a director in 2007, and served as a senior adviser until 2015.
David and Juli Plant Grainger ’48, his beloved wife of 64 years, met while attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Together, they had three children: Susan, Thomas, and Nancy. Prior to Juli’s passing in 2014, they were partners in all things, including his work at W. W. Grainger and then The Grainger Foundation.
In 1979, David took the helm of The Grainger Foundation, a charitable nonprofit founded by the family in 1949. The Grainger Foundation has given generously to education and health care organizations, as well as cultural institutions, including to many programs in the greater Chicago area, the University of Illinois, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. David and Juli were steadfast advocates of the UW, making the Grainger name synonymous with the university.
The Graingers built and maintained a strong philanthropic base that led to the transformational support of the Wisconsin School of Business (WSB). They donated nearly $10 million for the construction of the Grainger Hall, the WSB building; more than $20 million for the building’s expansion; and $6 million to the Wisconsin School of Business Naming partnership. WSB credits these many investments with helping the school to draw top-tier talent into faculty ranks.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to help ensure progress,” David shared. “We are pleased to be a part of UW–Madison’s continuing excellence.”
The family also established an endowment to launch the Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management at WSB in the 1990s, the first of its kind in the nation. Over the years, they gifted nearly $10 million to build a one-of-a-kind program launching hundreds of students on supply chain career paths. In 2023 alone, 70 students graduated from the program.
“We are so fortunate to count Mr. Grainger among our most successful and generous UW alumni,” said Vallabh Sambamurthy, Albert O. Nicholas Dean at the Wisconsin School of Business. “Through his involvement and philanthropy, he has helped advance the reputation of WSB in innumerable ways. He remained always involved and curious, serving as an excellent role model for our students.”
The Graingers were also incredibly generous to the College of Engineering, in myriad ways over many decades, giving more than $100 million in total to support the college. A $25 million grant in 2014 from The Grainger Foundation established the Grainger Institute for Engineering, which serves as an incubator for transdisciplinary research and has created endowed professorships, faculty scholar awards, and postdoctoral fellowships. This contribution helped expand the college’s facilities, including its Grainger Engineering Design Innovation Laboratory.
While offering significant support to facilities, David also gave to support numerous impactful scholarships and fellowships. The Grainger Power Engineering Awards Program, established in the 1990s to attract students to specialize in electrical power and energy systems, has offered hundreds of awards to both graduate and undergraduate students.
In 2015, The Grainger Foundation contributed $22 million to improve the experience for engineering undergraduates, offering them a new range of hands-on opportunities. In 2020, The Grainger Foundation pledged $32 million to fund growth across the college. That included more than $20 million to support the Strategic Targeted Achievement Recognition (STAR) Scholarship, including a match program that encouraged other donors to support the program. Now in its third year, the fund is supporting 120 STAR scholars, providing funding to students who, in many cases, say the scholarship is the key reason they chose UW–Madison to further their education. The pledge also created endowments to support the dean of the College of Engineering as well as additional professorships.
“David exemplified what it means to be a UW–Madison engineer and to give back to a college for which he felt so much passion,” says Ian Robertson, Grainger Dean of the College of Engineering. “He possessed exceptional vision and leadership, and held me to a very high standard. Throughout the course of our relationship, he challenged and encouraged me to constantly improve as a leader of a top engineering research college, while never losing sight of our commitment to our students and to developing them into tomorrow’s engineering leaders. Through decades of generous support through The Grainger Foundation, David also left an indelible mark on our College of Engineering. His gifts transformed our facilities, elevated our programs and services, and importantly, empowered countless students and faculty to achieve their highest potential. His legacy will continue to inspire all of us, and to shape the future of engineering at UW–Madison. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to interact with him.”
The breadth of Grainger giving and support across UW–Madison spans from those areas into the College of Letters & Science and Wisconsin athletics. That includes the Juli Plant Grainger Institute for Economic Research and support of astronomy, math, and physics.
David Grainger’s legacy of backing innovative and dynamic programs to support students, faculty, and research are an inspiration for future generations. His impact will be felt across the UW for decades to come.
