Maitland Mackie | |
|---|---|
| Lord Rector of the University of Aberdeen | |
| In office March 2012 – May 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Stephen Robertson |
| Succeeded by | Maggie Chapman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 September 1937 Rothienorman,Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
| Died | May 31, 2014(2014-05-31) (aged 76) Rothienorman, Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom |
| Political party | Liberal (until 1988) Liberal Democrats (since 1988) |
| Spouse | Halldis Aslaug Ramm |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent |
|
| Education | Aberdeen Grammar School |
| Alma mater | University of Aberdeen |
Maitland Mackie CBE (21 September 1937 – 31 May 2014) was a Scottish farmer, businessman, and entrepreneur. He held roles as vice-president of theNational Farmers Union of Scotland and as a member of the Agriculture Food Research Council. He was a former governor of theRowett Research Institute, and a former chairman of theScottish Agricultural College Board. He founded the Scottish Pig Industry Initiative. For this work he received the David Black Award – the top honour in the UK pig industry. He was appointedCBE for his wider services to agriculture in 1991. He stood as aLiberal Party candidate in several elections. He was at the time of his deathRector of the University of Aberdeen.
Maitland Mackie was born inRothienorman, Aberdeenshire on 21 September 1937.[1] He was the third generation of his family to bear that name. His father wasSir Maitland Mackie. He was brought up and lived all his life at the family farm at Westertown, Rothienorman.[2] He attendedDaviot Primary School andAberdeen Grammar School.[3] He graduated from theUniversity of Aberdeen with anBSc in 1958.[citation needed] He returned to Aberdeen University to study for an MA in economics which he achieved in 1971.[citation needed]
On graduating, Mackie began working on the family farm which his grandfather had established in the late 19th century, moving to Westertown in 1912.[3][4] When he assumed the running of the business he developed it to become a major farm and milk retailing business with a multi-million pound turnover employing 250 local people.[3]
In 1994, Mackie rationalised the business to ensure that it remained competitive. He sold off the milk retailing section and diversified into the production of premium dairy ice-creams from the old farm buildings. The ice cream business proved successful. In 2014 it supplied all major supermarkets and had a 45% share of Scotland's premium ice cream market.[3]
Mackie was a former vice president of National Farmers Union of Scotland and a past chairman of the Scottish Agricultural College.[5] He stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate in the first Scottish Parliamentary election in 1999 coming third to futureFirst MinisterAlex Salmond.[5] He had previously stood as a Liberal candidate in the first Grampian Regional Council election in 1975.[3]
In 1991, Mackie was made CBE for services to agriculture.[1] He was awarded an honorary law degree in 1999 by the University of Aberdeen University.[1] He served on its Court since 2000, was elected Lord Rector in 2011.[3]
While at University he met his future wife, Halldis Aslaug Ramm, the University's Charity Queen of 1958, who came fromBergen, Norway.[6] They married in July 1961. She graduated as a doctor and practiced as a GP in the local area.[3]
Mackie was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour two weeks after his wife died in February 2014.[3] He died at Rothienorman on 31 May 2014 and is interred at theArboretum. He had two daughters and a son.[1]
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Rector of the University of Aberdeen 2012 – 2014 | Succeeded by |