Sam Walton
Sam Walton leading the Walmart cheer. Give me a W, give me an A, give me an L, ... what's that spell? Wal-Mart!
He opened the first Walmart store in 1962 (after a lifetime in the small town retailing business). Officially incorporated in October, 1969 (when he was 51 years old). Went public on the NYSE in 1972. Recognized by Forbes as the Wealthiest American in 1985.
This is a company which obsessively measures and tracks everything. Their famed IT systems were the result of this obsession (not the cause). Recently, one of our companies got a chance to tour various facilities in Bentonville. At one receiving dock, they tracked how many cases had to be moved PER HOUR - they were running behind, so the managers and others stepped in to get back on track, causing a delay in the meeting (and some sweaty bodies when people finally walked in).
