Milan Panić facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Milan Panić
Милан Панић
Panić in 2015
1st Prime Minister of FR Yugoslavia
In office 14 July 1992 – 9 February 1993
President	Dobrica Ćosić
Deputy	Oskar Kovač Radoje Kontić
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Radoje Kontić
1st Minister of Defence of FR Yugoslavia
In office 14 July 1992 – 2 March 1993
Prime Minister	Himself Radoje Kontić
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Pavle Bulatović
Personal details
Born	(1929-12-20) 20 December 1929 (age 95) Belgrade, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Nationality	Serbian
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	DEPOS (1992) SZP (1998–2000)
Spouses	Jelica Narandžić ​ ​ (m. 1954; died 1976)​ Sally Taylor ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 1998)​ Milena Kitić ​ ​ (m. 2006; div. 2011)​ Alexandra Novak ​ (m. 2019)​

Milan Panić (born December 20, 1929) is a Serbian-American businessman and former politician who once served as the Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. He is known for his work in the medicine industry and for his efforts to bring peace to the Balkan region in Europe.

Panić was an American citizen when he became the Prime Minister of Yugoslavia in 1992. This was unusual, as most countries have rules about their leaders being citizens of other nations. He was the first U.S. citizen to hold such a high-level political job in another country since Golda Meir. He was also the first non-military person to be Serbia's Minister of Defence.

Besides politics, Panić had a long and successful career in business. He started a company called ICN Pharmaceuticals in his garage and grew it into a major global corporation. Later, he started another company, MP Biomedicals, which makes products for science and medical testing.

Panić also uses his money to help others. He gives to charities, supports students with scholarships, and helps cultural groups like the Los Angeles Opera.

Early Life and Adventures

Growing Up in Serbia

Milan Panić was born in Belgrade, which was then part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (now Serbia). His father died when he was only three, so his mother raised him and his sisters. During World War II, when Nazi Germany occupied his city, a young Panić started a vegetable farm to help feed his family and neighbors.

As a student, he loved geography and chemistry. He even built a small science lab in his room to do experiments. When he was just 14, he joined a resistance group led by Josip "Marshal" Tito to fight against the Nazis in his country. After the war, he returned to his studies and went to the University of Belgrade.

A Champion on Two Wheels

Panić was a talented cyclist. He became a national champion in Yugoslavia and competed for his country's national and Olympic teams. In 1955, while traveling to a cycling competition in the Netherlands, he and his wife decided not to return to Yugoslavia. At the time, Yugoslavia had a communist government, and they wanted to live in a country with more freedom.

A New Start in America

After leaving the cycling team, Panić and his wife went to a refugee camp in West Germany. A refugee is someone who has to leave their home country for safety. While in Germany, he studied at the University of Heidelberg.

Soon, they were accepted into a program that helped refugees move to the United States. In 1956, they settled in California. Panić worked in science labs and studied biochemistry at the University of Southern California. In 1959, he decided to start his own company.

Building a Business from Scratch

The Start of ICN

In 1959, with only $200, Panić started a company called International Chemical and Nuclear Corporation (ICN) in his garage. At first, he made special chemicals and sold them to research labs in California.

One of ICN's early products was a version of L-Dopa, a medicine used to treat Parkinson's disease. Over the years, ICN grew into a large company called ICN Pharmaceuticals. In 1967, it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange, which meant people could buy and sell shares of his company.

A Major Medical Discovery

In 1972, scientists at ICN discovered a compound called ribavirin. This was one of the first medicines that could fight a wide range of viruses. The medicine, sold under the name Virazole, was approved in 1985 to treat a serious breathing illness in children called RSV.

Later, Virazole was also approved to treat Hepatitis C, a liver disease, when used with another medicine. It became a standard treatment for many illnesses around the world.

ICN Becomes a Global Company

After the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, many countries in Eastern Europe opened up to new businesses. ICN bought several drug companies in the region. In 1991, it bought a majority of Galenika, the biggest drug maker in Yugoslavia. This new part of the company, called ICN-Galenika, was very successful.

By the time Panić retired as CEO in 2002, ICN was selling over 600 different medicines in 90 countries.

A New Chapter: MP Biomedicals

After leaving ICN, Panić bought one of its smaller divisions and renamed it MP Biomedicals. This company focuses on creating products for scientific research and medical diagnostics. MP Biomedicals has offices and operations all over the world, including North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. In 2015, Panić announced he was selling the company to Valiant Fine Chemicals Co. Ltd., a company based in China.

A Leader for Peace

Prime Minister of Yugoslavia

In 1992, during a time of conflict in the former Yugoslavia, Panić was asked to become the Prime Minister. He accepted the job with the goals of bringing peace, writing a new constitution for the country, and ending the economic penalties (called sanctions) that the United Nations had placed on Yugoslavia.

He played a key role in a peace conference in London and gave a famous "Speech of Peace" at the United Nations General Assembly.

Running for President

In December 1992, Panić ran for President of Serbia against the current leader, Slobodan Milošević. Panić argued that Milošević's policies were hurting the country and causing conflict. He wanted to bring peace and improve the economy.

Panić came in second in the election. Some international observers and journalists believed the election was not fair and that the results were manipulated.

Working for Peace After Politics

Even after his term as prime minister ended, Panić continued to work for peace. He wrote to U.S. President Bill Clinton and suggested a peace summit with all the leaders from the former Yugoslavia.

These efforts helped lead to a major peace conference in Dayton, Ohio, in 1995. The conference resulted in the Dayton Accords, a peace treaty that officially ended the Bosnian War.

Giving Back to the Community

Panić is a philanthropist, which means he donates money and time to help others. He supports universities, research programs, and charities through his foundations. He has given scholarships to students at top schools like MIT and Harvard.

He also supports cultural organizations. He is the Vice Chairman of the Los Angeles Opera and has sponsored its opening night performances for many years. He has also given to the City of Hope, a famous cancer research and treatment center.

Awards and Honors

• Ellis Island Medal of Honor (1986): An award given to American citizens who have made great contributions to the country.
• European of the Year (1992): Named by the Wall Street Journal Europe for his efforts to bring peace and democracy to Yugoslavia.
• Lifetime Achievement Award (2015): Given by the Lifeline Humanitarian Organization for his support of causes around the world.

Works

• Prime Minister for Peace: My Struggle for Serbian Democracy. (2015)