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William Osborn

b. 1947

American businessperson and board member, Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Northern Trust Corporation; director at Abbott Laboratories (born 1947)

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About William Osborn

Born 1947. William Osborn is an American business executive.

William A. Osborn (born 1947) is an American bank executive.

William A. Osborn was graduated from Northwestern University in 1969 and from its Kellogg School of Management in 1973. He joined Northern Trust in 1970, and spent the rest of his career at the Chicago, Illinois institution. Eventually he headed the commercial banking and personal financial services business units, and became president and chief operating officer in December 1993. He was chairman and CEO of Northern Trust Corporation multibank holding company and the Northern Trust Company bank from 1995 through 2007. Other directorships include Caterpillar Inc., Nicor Inc., and the Tribune Company. Osborn has been a director of Caterpillar since 2000. Osborn was appointed to the board of General Dynamics (military weapons maker). In 2011, he became chairman of the board of trustees of Northwestern University, replacing Patrick Ryan.

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Important facts

Born
1947
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Kellogg School of Management, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
Positions held
Board of directors member
Also known as
William A. Osborn, William A Osborn

People in William Osborn's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped William Osborn's

Frequently asked questions

Who is William Osborn?

American businessperson and board member, Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Northern Trust Corporation; director at Abbott Laboratories (born 1947)

When was William Osborn born?

William Osborn was born in 1947.

What is William Osborn's occupation?

William Osborn is a business executive.

What nationality is William Osborn?

William Osborn is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: William Osborn

· Wikidata: Q8004020

· DBpedia: William A. Osborn

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Osborn. https://biography.guide/william-osborn/

MLA: "William Osborn." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-osborn/.

Chicago: "William Osborn." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-osborn/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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