Don McLaren | |
Birth Name: | Donald George McLaren |
Birth Date: | 21 August 1933 |
Birth Place: | Auckland, New Zealand |
Death Place: | Auckland, New Zealand |
Occupation: | Businessman |
Known For: | Animal healthcare business, thoroughbred racehorse breeding |
Donald George McLaren (21 August 1933 – 5 November 2014) was a New Zealand businessman specialising in equine pharmaceuticals.
Born in the Auckland suburb of Epsom in 1933,[1] McLaren founded Bomac Laboratories, an animal remedies company, in 1958.[2] The company, which held 154 patents, 55 inventions and registered 360 products in New Zealand, was sold to German company Bayer in 2010.[3]
McLaren was also active in the thoroughbred racing industry. He established Northfields Stud near Karaka,[4] served on the committee of the Auckland Racing Club from 1980 to 1999 including a term as president from 1995 to 1999,[5] and was patron of the New Zealand racing hall of fame.[4]
McLaren was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in 1999.[6] In the 2000 New Year Honours, McLaren was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the animal health industry and racing.[7] He was promoted to Companion of the same order in the 2014 New Year Honours.[8] In 2013 he was awarded an honorary DSc degree by Massey University.[2]
He died in Auckland on 5 November 2014.[9]