NAPA VALLEY, Calif.–Ken Macke, the former chairman and chief executive officer of the Dayton Hudson Corp., now Target Corp., died June 28 near his home in Napa, Calif., from Parkinson’s disease. He was 69.
Macke’s career with Dayton Hudson spanned 33 years. He was plucked by the retailer out of college in 1961 to be a sales trainee.
Macke ran Target, the discount store division, from 1976 to 1981. During that time, the chain grew from 49 stores to 137 stores.
In 1983, Macke was named CEO of parent company Dayton Hudson. The company grew from 350 stores to 909 units during a decade, and sales more than doubled to $19 million.
In 1987, Macke fought a $6.6 billion hostile takeover by holding company The Dart Group.
“By running the nicest stores in the discount world, Target clearly defined its niche and became one of the best companies in America,” said Macke’s son Jeff Macke,, in an obituary in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “My dad absolutely loved working on Target and walking the aisles ‘undercover’ at every opportunity.”
Macke is survived by his wife, Kathleen; three children; five grandchildren; and two siblings.