Roger Milliken, the founder and former chairman of Milliken & Co. (Spartanburg, SC), died December 30, 2010 at the age of 95. Milliken & Co. says it is the world's largest privately owned textile and specialty chemicals producer.

Milliken served as president of the company from 1947-1983, starting when he took over from his father what was then a woolen mills business based in Maine. He also served as CEO from 1983 to 2005, and chairman from 1983 until his death.

Milliken & Co. says succession plans for chairman are not available at this time. "Mr. Milliken left our company well-positioned for the future, poised for growth, under the capable leadership of Joe Salley, our current president and CEO," the company says. "Milliken & Co. will remain privately held, as it has in the past, with a board of directors that answers to a group of many shareholders."

Milliken Chemical, a division within Milliken & Co., was established in 1957 to supply proprietary textile processing chemicals for use within the larger business. In the 1970s it began supplying outside customers and today it has operations at Spartanburg; Gent, Belgium; Sao Paulo; and Singapore. It makes performance additives, polymeric colorants, industrial specialties, and processing aids. Milliken & Co. does not disclose financial figures for any of its businesses.

Roger Milliken was a big supporter of Republican politicians and causes, but was also an ardent critic of the North American Free Trade Agreement and outsourcing. In 1983 he spearheaded an advertising campaign to help stem the flood of textile imports on the U.S. market. In 2001, he co-founded the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (Washington), which aims to create and preserve American manufacturing jobs.