May 29, 2008

Remembering J. R. Simplot

Host Joan Cartan-Hansen and guests remember Idaho billionaire J.R. Simplot. Simplot passed away on May 25th at the age of 99.

Simplot left home when he was 14 and made his first fortune selling hogs. He then won a coin toss to win a new electric potato sorter and eventually parlayed that windfall into an estimated 3.6 billion dollar fortune.

Cartan-Hansen will be joined by H. Dean Summers, a friend; Tom Stitzel, former Dean of the College of Business and Economics at Boise State University; and historian Susan Stacy. They will help us remember this remarkable man, his accomplishments and his impact on the world's economy.

Biography: J.R. Simplot: A Billion the Hard Way by Louie Attebery. Caxton Press, 2000.

Guests

• Susan Stacy, historian
• Tom Stitzel, former Dean, College of Business and Economics, Boise State University
• H. Dean Summers

More Information

• J.R. Simplot 1909-2008: 'He did more to build Idaho than any other one person' (Tim Woodward)
• Obituary (Simplot Family)
• Obituary (Idaho Statesman)
• Obituary (Washington Post)
• What I've Learned: J.R. Simplot (Esquire Magazine)

Video and Audio

Full Show: "Remembering J.R. Simplot"

• Hi-bandwidth (Play here)    Hi-bandwidth (Download)
• Lo-bandwidth (Play here)    Lo-bandwidth (Download)
• Ultra Hi-bandwidth (Click to play; right-click to download)
• Video iPod format (Click to play; right-click to download)
• Audio-only MP3 (Click to play; right-click to download)