John T. Dillon, is the retired chairman and chief executive officer of International Paper

International Paper

International Paper Company is an American pulp and paper company, the largest such company in the world. It has approximately 59,500 employees, and it is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:...

 (1996–2003).

Early life

Dillon was born in 1938 in Schroon Lake, New York. He earned an BA from the University of Hartford

University of Hartford

The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...

 in 1965 and and MBA from Columbia Business School

Columbia Business School

Columbia Business School is the business school of Columbia University in Manhattan, New York City. It was established in 1916 to provide business training and professional preparation for undergraduate and graduate Columbia University students...

 in 1971. He joined International Paper in 1965 as a sales trainee. He became President and COO in 1995 and Chairman and CEO in 1996. He held these positions until he retired in 2003.

Prior to his appointment as Chairman and CEO, Mr. Dillon served as President and Chief Operation Officer of International Paper.

Dillon also serves as a director on other corporate boards, including: Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...

 since 1997, DuPont

DuPont

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...

 since 2004, Kellogg

Kellogg Company

Kellogg Company , is a producer of cereal and convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles, and vegetarian foods...

 Co. and Vertis. He is the Vice Chairman of Evercore Capital Partners.

He is also a member of The Business Council. Mr. Dillon is a former chairman of The Business Roundtable and American Forest and Paper Association, was a member of the President's Advisory Council on Trade Policy and Negotiations and served as chairman of the National Council on Economic Education.