Colin R. McMillan

{{Short description|American politician (1935–2003)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Colin McMillan

|image = Portrait of Colin R. McMillan, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Production and Logistics.jpg

|office = Assistant Secretary of Defense for Productions and Logistics

|president = George H. W. Bush

|term_start = March 5, 1990

|term_end = December 11, 1992

|predecessor = Jack Katzen

|successor = Roger Kallock {{small|(Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Logistics and Materiel Readiness, 2000)}}

|office2 = Member of the New Mexico House of Representatives

|term_start2 = 1971

|term_end2 = 1982

|birth_name = Colin Riley McMillan

|birth_date = {{birth date|1935|7|27}}

|birth_place = Houston, Texas, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|2003|7|24|1935|7|27}}

|death_place = Three Rivers, New Mexico, U.S.

|party = Republican

|education = University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill {{small|(BS)}}

| branch = United States Marine Corps

| serviceyears = 1957–1960 (active)
1960–1972 (reserve)

| rank = Major

}}

Colin Riley McMillan (July 27, 1935 – July 24, 2003) was a United States Assistant Secretary of Defense under President George H. W. Bush during the Gulf War. He was awaiting confirmation as United States Secretary of the Navy in 2003 when he died from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound in the head at his New Mexico ranch.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/23/us/deputy-security-official-leaving-post.html|title=Deputy Security Official Leaving Post |first=Philip|last=Shenon|date=August 23, 2003|accessdate=April 26, 2019|via=NYTimes.com}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/26/us/nominee-for-navy-secretary-killed-himself-official-rules.html|title=Nominee for Navy Secretary Killed Himself, Official Rules|agency=Associated Press|date=July 26, 2003|accessdate=April 26, 2019 |via=NYTimes.com}}

McMillan was the chairman and CEO of Permian Exploration Corporation, an oil exploration company, the chairman of the First Federal Savings Bank in Roswell, New Mexico, and the founder and CEO of McMillan Production Company. He was appointed in 2001 to be the chairman of the Sallie Mae Corporation by President George W. Bush.

McMillan earned his bachelor's degree in geology from the University of North Carolina in 1957. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1957 to 1960 and in the Marine Corps Reserve from 1960 to 1972, attaining the rank of major.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jul-25-me-mcmillan25-story.html |title=Colin McMillan, 67; Oilman, Navy Secretary Nominee |date=July 25, 2003 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=September 1, 2021}}

McMillan served in the New Mexico House of Representatives from 1971 to 1982. He ran for the United States Senate seat in New Mexico in 1994 but lost to incumbent Democrat Jeff Bingaman by a 54% to 46% margin. In 2000, McMillan was the New Mexico state chairman of George W. Bush's presidential campaign.

McMillan was survived by his wife, Kay, four children, and eight grandchildren.