3M vs Visa: Founders, CEOs and History
3M was founded in 1902 by J. Danley Budd, John Dwan, Henry S. Bryan and is led by William M. "Bill" Brown. Visa was founded in 1958 by Dee Hock and is led by Ryan McInerney.
Company facts
Founders
3M
J. Danley Budd
Budd was the doctor among 3M's five founders. The others were attorney John Dwan, meat market owner Hermon W. Cable, and railroad men Henry S. Bryan and William A. McGonagle.
John Dwan
John Dwan was one of the five original founders of 3M, contributing his legal expertise and local Minnesota business connections to the venture's organization in 1902.
Henry S. Bryan
Bryan was one of the two railroad men in the founding group, alongside William A. McGonagle, and joined physician J. Danley Budd, attorney John Dwan and meat market owner Hermon W.
Hermon W. Cable
Cable was the merchant of the founding group, which also included physician J. Danley Budd, attorney John Dwan and railroad men Henry S. Bryan and William A. McGonagle.
William A. McGonagle
McGonagle and Henry S. Bryan were the railroad men of the founding group; the others were physician J. Danley Budd, attorney John Dwan and meat market owner Hermon W. Cable.
Visa
Dee Hock
Dee Hock (1929-2022) was the founding CEO of National BankAmericard Inc., the bank-owned company that took over the BankAmericard licensing system from Bank of America in 1970 and adopted the Visa name in 1976.
CEOs and their tenures
3M
- William McKnight1914–1966
General Manager, President, and Chairman
William Lester McKnight is more responsible than any founder for creating the organizational philosophy and cultural infrastructure that made 3M's sustained innovation record possible across the twentieth century.
Source - Lew Lehr1980–1986
Chief Executive Officer
Lew Lehr led 3M during one of its most commercially successful periods, overseeing the national launch of Post-it Notes in 1980 and managing the company's expansion into international markets during a period of strong global economic growth.
Source - James McNerney2001–2005
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
W. James McNerney Jr. was the first CEO hired from outside 3M, arriving from General Electric in 2001. He introduced GE-style Six Sigma process discipline and cost controls across 3M before leaving in mid-2005 to become chairman and CEO of Boeing.
Source - George Buckley2005–2012
Chief Executive Officer
George Buckley, who joined 3M from Brunswick Corporation in 2005, is credited with reinvesting in 3M's research and development capabilities after a period under his predecessor James McNerney when cost-cutting had reduced R&D spending and raised questions abo…
Source - Inge G. Thulin2012–2018
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Swedish-born Inge G. Thulin, a 3M veteran who had built its international business and served as chief operating officer, became president and CEO on February 24, 2012, succeeding George Buckley.
Source - Michael F. Roman2018–2024
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Michael F. Roman, previously 3M's chief operating officer, succeeded Inge Thulin as CEO on July 1, 2018.
Source - William M. Brown2024–present
Chief Executive Officer
William M. "Bill" Brown became 3M's CEO on May 1, 2024, weeks after the April 1 spin-off of Solventum, succeeding Michael Roman.
Source
Visa
- Alfred F. Kelly Jr.2016–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO from 2016 to 2023, he heavily modernized the massive legacy network, aggressively integrating fintechs and preparing the network to process highly complex cryptocurrency transactions.
Source - Ryan McInerney2023–present
Chief Executive Officer
McInerney joined Visa in 2013 as president after senior roles at JPMorgan Chase and became chief executive on February 1, 2023, succeeding Alfred F. Kelly Jr.
Source
Timeline: 3M and Visa side by side
19023M
Company Founded in Two Harbors, Minnesota
Five Minnesota businessmen incorporate the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company with the intention of mining corundum abrasive mineral from a deposit on the Lake Superior shore.
19103M
Relocation to Saint Paul and First Laboratory
3M relocates its operations to Saint Paul, Minnesota, establishing the geographic base that it would maintain for the remainder of the twentieth century.
19213M
Wetordry Waterproof Sandpaper Introduced
Researcher Francis Okie develops Wetordry waterproof sandpaper, the first 3M product to achieve significant commercial success by offering genuine technical differentiation from competing products.
19253M
Masking Tape Invented by Richard Drew
Richard Drew, a 3M laboratory researcher who observed automotive painters struggling with imprecise color boundary masking, develops a pressure-sensitive masking tape that allows clean paint line definition without surface damage upon removal.
19303M
Scotch Transparent Tape Commercialized
Richard Drew extends his adhesive tape work to create a transparent, pressure-sensitive tape initially called Scotch tape.
1958Visa
BankAmericard launched
Bank of America launched BankAmericard, the direct predecessor to Visa.
19623M
Headquarters Moves to 3M Center in Maplewood
After 52 years in St. Paul, 3M outgrew its campus and moved its headquarters to 3M Center in Maplewood, Minnesota, where it remains.
19763M
3M Added to the Dow Jones Industrial Average
3M is added to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, reflecting its status as one of the defining companies of American industrial manufacturing.
1976Visa
Visa name adopted
The network adopted the Visa name to support international acceptance and brand consistency.
19803M
Post-it Note Launched Nationally
After a limited test market launch in 1977 and a national rollout beginning in 1980, Post-it Notes become one of the most successful new product launches in 3M history.
19963M
Imation Spin-off
3M spun off its data storage and imaging businesses as Imation Corporation, shedding about 20% of its sales in product lines such as removable storage media and photographic film.
20023M
Legal Name Changed to 3M Company
On April 8, 2002, 3M's centennial year, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company changed its legal name to 3M Company, adopting the abbreviation it had long used as its brand.
2008Visa
Visa IPO
Visa became a public company, changing the economics from a bank association structure to a shareholder-owned company.
2016Visa
Alfred F. Kelly Jr. becomes CEO
Alfred F. Kelly Jr. became CEO of Visa in 2016. Chief executive of Visa from December 2016 to January 2023, when Ryan McInerney succeeded him; Kelly then served as executive chairman.
20203M
Record N95 Respirator Production During COVID-19
3M expands N95 respirator production capacity at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, ultimately producing more than 2.5 billion respirators between January 2020 and year-end 2021.
2020Visa
Acquired Plaid (abandoned)
Visa acquired Plaid (abandoned) for $5.3 billion. Visa agreed in January 2020 to buy US data-connectivity fintech Plaid for USD 5.3 billion.
2022Visa
Tink acquisition
Visa completed its purchase of Stockholm-based open banking platform Tink in March 2022.
20233M
Landmark PFAS and Combat Arms Settlements Announced
3M announces separate landmark settlements addressing its two largest litigation liabilities: a $10.3 billion settlement with municipalities across the United States over PFAS water contamination, to be paid over thirteen years, and a $6.01 billion settlement…
2023Visa
Ryan McInerney becomes CEO
Ryan McInerney became Visa's CEO after serving as president.
20243M
Solventum Healthcare Spinoff Completed
3M completes the spinoff of its healthcare business segment into a separately listed public company named Solventum Corporation in April 2024.
20243M
William Brown Appointed CEO
William M. Brown, former chair and CEO of L3Harris Technologies, becomes 3M's Chief Executive Officer on May 1, 2024, succeeding Mike Roman, who became executive chairman.
2025Visa
Revenue reaches $40.0B
Visa reported $40.0 billion in fiscal 2025 net revenue.
Acquisitions
3M
- M*Modal (technology business)2019$1B
- Acelity (KCI)2019$6.7B
- Scott Safety2017$2B
- Capital Safety Group2015$2.5B
- Cogent Systems2010$943M
- Aearo Technologies2008$1.2B
Questions about 3M vs Visa
Who is the CEO of 3M Company and Visa Inc.?
3M Company is led by William M. "Bill" Brown and Visa Inc. is led by Ryan McInerney. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was 3M Company founded vs Visa Inc.?
3M Company was founded in 1902 — 56 years before Visa Inc., which was founded in 1958. 3M Company's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Visa Inc..
How many employees does 3M Company have compared to Visa Inc.?
3M Company employs approximately 60,500 people, while Visa Inc. employs approximately 34,100. 3M Company has the larger workforce at 60,500 employees, compared to Visa Inc.'s 34,100. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are 3M Company and Visa Inc. headquartered?
Both 3M Company and Visa Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded 3M Company and Visa Inc.?
3M Company was founded by J. Danley Budd, John Dwan, Henry S. Bryan, Hermon W. Cable, William A. McGonagle. Visa Inc. was founded by Dee Hock.
Which company has a longer operating history — 3M Company or Visa Inc.?
3M Company has been operating for approximately 124 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Visa Inc. has been in operation for around 68 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the 3M vs Visa overview