Harvey Mackay
Encyclopedia
Harvey Mackay is a businessman and columnist. Mackay is perhaps best known as the author of five business bestsellers, including Swim With the Sharks (Without Being Eaten Alive), Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt and Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty. He is a nationally syndicated columnist, and one of America's most popular business speakers. He is also founder, Chairman and CEO of Mackay Envelope Corporation, whose story he tells in anecdotes sprinkled throughout his books.
Mackay writes a nationally syndicated newspaper column and is a motivational speaker. He is also the founder and chairman of Mackay Mitchell Envelope Company. He has been married to Carol Ann for forty-nine years. They have three children and nine grandchildren.
His mother was born in the small town of Virginia, Minnesota
, on the Iron Range
. Her parents – like her future husband’s parents – were all immigrants to this country. She became a school- teacher and after her marriage continued to substitute teach. She died when Harvey was in college.
in Saint Paul in 1950. He graduated from the University of Minnesota
in 1954 as a history major and worked during his four years of college as a salesman at a downtown Saint Paul men’s clothing store. Mackay continued his education in the executive program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business
.
team. According to Minneapolis sports columnist Sid Hartman
, Mackay admitted to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) investigators that he was guilty of 13 recruiting violations and that he had written a letter to university president C. Peter Magrath
to voluntarily disassociate himself from the Minnesota Athletic Department.
Magrath also accepted the recommendation of the university's faculty-student Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics to sever relations with Mackay and tell him in writing to stop representing the university.
Harvey is an accomplished business speaker; he has addressed students at Harvard, Stanford, Wharton School of Business, Notre Dame, and Michigan. He is a member of the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame, and Toastmasters International named him one of the top five business speakers in the world.
Mackay was also significantly involved in organizing a scheme of business leaders in the Twin Cities in 1984 to block Clark Griffith
's efforts to sell the Minnesota Twins
to outside investors who would move the team from the area.
Overview
Harvey Mackay is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive and Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt; both books are among the top 15 inspirational business books of all time, according to the New York Times. His books have sold more than ten million copies worldwide. His newest book Use Your Head To Get Your Foot In The Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You, was released on February 18, 2010. When Larry King interviewed Harvey in late February 2010, Larry said, "I really believe this is the most important book right now." The book is already in its fourth printing as of March 1, 2010. It immediately climbed the bestseller list at Amazon.com and hit #1 in four categories: Job Hunting, Counseling, Vocational Guidance and Education. It can also be found on the Wall Street Journal Business Bestseller list.Mackay writes a nationally syndicated newspaper column and is a motivational speaker. He is also the founder and chairman of Mackay Mitchell Envelope Company. He has been married to Carol Ann for forty-nine years. They have three children and nine grandchildren.
Background
Harvey Mackay was born in 1932 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to Jack and Myrtle Mackay. They lived in an apartment, and it was their dream to some day own a home of their own. His dad had gone to high school but always helped bring in money to the family from the age of eight. In high school, Jack Mackay got a job working for a newspaper, and after he graduated he continued there working for the Associated Press – eventually rising to become an AP correspondent for 35 years.His mother was born in the small town of Virginia, Minnesota
Virginia, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,157 people, 4,333 households, and 2,270 families residing in the city. The population density was 486.1 people per square mile . There were 4,692 housing units at an average density of 249.1 per square mile...
, on the Iron Range
Iron Range
The Iron Range is a region that makes up the northeastern section of Minnesota in the United States. "The Range", as it is known by locals, is a region with multiple distinct bands of iron ore...
. Her parents – like her future husband’s parents – were all immigrants to this country. She became a school- teacher and after her marriage continued to substitute teach. She died when Harvey was in college.
Education
Mackay had a public education from grade school to high school and college. Mackay graduated Central High SchoolCentral High School (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
Central High School of Saint Paul, is the oldest high school in the state of Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1866 in downtown Saint Paul, Central has educated many leaders in business, government, literature, arts, sciences, and education throughout the state of Minnesota and the United States...
in Saint Paul in 1950. He graduated from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1954 as a history major and worked during his four years of college as a salesman at a downtown Saint Paul men’s clothing store. Mackay continued his education in the executive program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford Graduate School of Business
The Stanford Graduate School of Business is one of the professional schools of Stanford University, in Stanford, California and is broadly regarded as one of the best business schools in the world.The Stanford GSB offers a general management Master of Business Administration degree, the Sloan...
.
University of Minnesota Basketball Program scandal
Mackay was admonished by the University of Minnesota in the 1970s for his part in several of violations related to the university's men's basketballMinnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball
The Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team represents the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have played in the Big Ten since the conference began sponsoring basketball in 1905...
team. According to Minneapolis sports columnist Sid Hartman
Sid Hartman
Sid Hartman is an American sports journalist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the WCCO 830 AM radio station.-Background and early career:A high-school dropout, Hartman received no formal writing training...
, Mackay admitted to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) investigators that he was guilty of 13 recruiting violations and that he had written a letter to university president C. Peter Magrath
C. Peter Magrath
Claude Peter Magrath is a higher education administrator who has served as provost or president at multiple American universities. He was born on April 23, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York and received political science degrees as an undergraduate at the University of New Hampshire and as a Ph.D. at...
to voluntarily disassociate himself from the Minnesota Athletic Department.
Magrath also accepted the recommendation of the university's faculty-student Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics to sever relations with Mackay and tell him in writing to stop representing the university.
Accomplishments
Harvey is the author of four New York Times bestsellers. His books have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 35 languages and distributed in 80 countries. He is a nationally syndicated columnist for United Feature Syndicate, whose weekly business article appears in 52 newspapers around the country. His books and columns are used in more than 200 universities and can be found in virtually every library in the United States. Harvey has counseled and mentored more than 500 students and young adults. He’s served on more than 20 nonprofit boards that are committed to help others and communities. He is a past president of many of these organizations.Harvey is an accomplished business speaker; he has addressed students at Harvard, Stanford, Wharton School of Business, Notre Dame, and Michigan. He is a member of the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame, and Toastmasters International named him one of the top five business speakers in the world.
Mackay was also significantly involved in organizing a scheme of business leaders in the Twin Cities in 1984 to block Clark Griffith
Clark Griffith
Clark Calvin Griffith , nicknamed "the Old Fox", was a Major League Baseball pitcher, manager and team owner.-Biography:...
's efforts to sell the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
to outside investors who would move the team from the area.