Jeb Stuart Magruder - Business Career and Political Organization

Business Career and Political Organization

Magruder relocated his family to Kansas City when he was transferred for work. He became involved there as a political organizer for the Republican Party during the 1960 election campaign, as chairman of an urban ward.

Magruder moved to Chicago for his MBA studies, and changed employers to the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. Magruder's first major political job was managing the successful 1962 primary campaign of Donald Rumsfeld for the Republican nomination, preparing for the congressional election in the 13th district of Illinois, to the United States House of Representatives. Rumsfeld subsequently won the congressional election. Magruder ended his consulting job later in 1962 to become employed by Jewel, a regional grocery firm, where he worked for three-and-a-half years, being promoted to merchandise manager.

Magruder became involved with the Illinois organization of the Barry Goldwater presidential campaign in late 1963, but became disillusioned with Goldwater's political views. He then worked briefly as campaign manager for Richard Ogilvie's 1966 campaign for president of the Cook County Board of Supervisors. The political workload, combined with work pressures, caused Magruder to end employment with Jewel and relocate to California in mid-1966, where he began a new job at a high salary with the Broadway Stores company. Magruder's next political involvement started in mid-1967, when he served as Southern California coordinator for the Richard Nixon presidential campaign, but left early in 1968 due to internal organizational problems.

Magruder entered partnership during early 1969 with two other entrepreneurs to start two new businesses, and became president and chief executive officer of these firms.