May 29, 2008

Remembering J. R. Simplot

Joan Cartan-Hansen and guests remember Idaho billionaire J.R. Simplot. Simplot passed away 5/25/08 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, Simplot's 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)