Conrad Austin Plimpton passed away on April 19 in Tucson, Arizona, at the age of 83.
Born on August 26, 1943, he earned an AB from Harvard College, an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a Master’s degree in Astrophysics from the University of Chicago.
Conrad was a well-known and widely respected figure in the cosmetics industry. He began his career at McKinsey & Company, focusing on technology investments, and later worked as an investment banker at Kuhn Loeb & Co. In 1975, he founded Plimpton & Company, dedicated to buying and building businesses, with a strong emphasis on supporting people and entrepreneurs.
In 1981, he led the buyout of Inolex, where he served as Chairman and CEO until 2013. Today, Inolex is an ingredient design firm serving the health, beauty, and wellness industries and remains an independent, multigenerational family investment. Conrad was also instrumental in the acquisition of Troy Corporation, a company focused on safe preservation technologies, in 1983, and remained a long-term investor and director until its eventual sale to Arxada. In 2018, he co-founded Sustainable Botanicals International, focused on traceable, sustainable natural ingredients for the beauty industry.
In recent years, Conrad was most active as an angel investor in projects that inspired him and as a donor to organizations that reflected his values, most notably MSDx, Flourishing Arizona, and the Child Health Institute of New Jersey, where he served as founder and trustee.
A memorial service will be announced later.
Donations in his honor may be made to:
Child Health Institute of New Jersey
89 French Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Or
Misericordia Home
6300 North Ridge
Chicago, IL 60660
