Lauri Kaukonen (March 3, 1902, Rantasalmi, Grand Duchy of Finland - January 8, 1975, Helsinki, Finland) was a Finnish Secretariate Counsellor, board member, business executive, teacher, lecturer, and author.
Kaukonen was married to Elsa Kaukonen (née Iukkanen, September 30, 1915 Terijoki, Grand Duchy of Finland - July 20, 2008 Helsinki, Finland).[1] Philanthropist Elsa Kaukonen collected anecdotes and historical stories about Karelian Isthmus and Terijoki for Finnish universities, and she participated in charity activities.
Kaukonen had five children. His son Pertti Kaukonen served as Finland's Ambassador in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and The United Arab Emirates.[2] [3] Kaukonen's grandson is Jukka Aminoff FRSA.
Kaukonen studied at the Helsinki School of Economics from where he received his bachelor's (1927) and master's (1933) degrees in economics. In the 1920s and 1930s, pursuing a master's degree was uncommon because it required a significant amount of independent research.[4]
Kaukonen began his career at Hanke Limited Company in Vyborg, which was the second largest city in Finland after Helsinki. Vyborg thrived in culture, commerce, and industry. Then Kaukonen moved on to Pohjola Insurance Company's Sea Insurance Department in Helsinki, and then to the Finnish Transoceanic Trading Company Co. Limited in 1927.
In 1928, Kaukonen began his career as a business teacher at Rauma Maritime College. In 1930, he moved Terijoki and he joined the Terijoki Business College as a teacher. He became a board member at Rajaseutu Merchants' Association.
In 1932, Kaukonen moved back to Vyborg. He participated as a member of the board and secretary in the activities of the city's Social, Allotment, Civil Protection, and Economic Committees in 1934–1940. He was the chairman of the Vyborg Clerk Association 1934-1940 and a board member of the Vyborg Municipal Officials' Association 1935–1941. Kaukonen taught commercial subjects at Vyborg College.
Kaukonen worked as the actuary of the Vyborg City Council and as a board member of the Public Welfare Committee until the end of the Winter War and the fatal loss of the city of Vyborg during World War II. After his family's war refugee journey, he worked as the head of the office of the State Gift Committee under the Ministry of Finance in 1940-1941 and as the deputy director of the revenue tax office of Uusimaa Province in 1941–1946.
In 1946, Kaukonen was elected as the director of the Dairy Mutual Insurance Company and the Dairy Professionals Pension Fund. As the director of Dairy Professionals Pension Fund, he reformed the pension system for dairy professionals. Later, he served as a member of the board of at both companies.
Kaukonen was a teacher at the Helsinki Business College 1940–1948. He was a board member of Association for Business Sciences 1945–1950.
Kaukonen joined Valio, the market leader in dairy products in Finland, as an executive in 1951 and its executive team in 1956. Valio's employee Artturi Ilmari Virtanen received a Nobel Prize in Chemistry.[5]
In 1956, Valio began to export cheese, butter, and other dairy products to the Soviet Union.[6] Valio's Viola Cheese became a highly popular product in the Soviet Union because consumers preferred western quality products.[7] The Soviet market became one of the largest export markets for Valio.[8]
Valio's main export market was the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy during Kaukonen's time of service. Midnight Sun was launched in 1962 in Northern England and Scotland and became the region's leading butter within five years. In the early 1970s a remarkable 95% of Finnish export butter was destined for the UK – but this ceased abruptly when the UK joined the EEC in 1973.
Kaukonen was also a member of the board at the Pellervo Society, which represents Finland's cooperatives.[9]
Kaukonen renewed the pension scheme for dairy professionals in Finland. He also enhanced accounting, cost accounting, management and audit methods among cooperatives. He wrote a large number of articles concerning economics, business history and business computing issues for Finland's leading newspapers, magazines and congress publications. Kaukonen gave lectures at the Helsinki School of Economics and at Helsinki Business College. He wrote several business books.[10] [11] [12] [13]
He was also the founder and the first chairman of The Pellervo Society's Commercial Club (Pellervon liiketaloudellinen kerho). He was chairman at Pakastamo Limited. Kaukonen was a member of the board of several companies and an auditor, such as a member of the board of MVK and ME. Kaukonen was also a member of the Dairy Science Society and the Finnish Statistical Society.
In 1962 Kaukonen was granted Knight of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (FWR) from the President of Finland Urho Kekkonen.[14] FWR decorations are conferred upon citizens who have distinguished themselves in the service of Finland.[15]
Kaukonen received the honorary title of Secretariate Counsellor (kanslianeuvos) of his achievements and dedication among Finland's cooperatives from the President of Finland Urho Kaleva Kekkonen in 1967.[16] The title is ranked 6th in Finland's protocol rankings.[17] The title of Secretariate Counsellor have been given for prominent professors. Staff professors are ranked 7th.
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