Simplot, J(ohn) R(ichard)

▪ 2009

      American agriculturist and entrepreneur

born Jan. 4, 1909, Dubuque, Iowa

died May 25, 2008, Boise, Idaho

was renowned for developing (1946) commercial frozen French fries and building the J.R. Simplot Co. into a multibillion-dollar corporation. His enterprise helped to develop the lagging economy in Idaho. In 2007 Forbes magazine listed Simplot as the 89th richest American, with an estimated net worth of $3.6 billion. During World War II, Simplot supplied the U.S. Army with about one-third of its supply of dried potatoes. He struck a major deal with McDonald's Corp. in the mid-1960s and began selling his frozen French fries to the fast-food company. In addition, Simplot found success drying various other vegetables, building sawmills, manufacturing fertilizer, and raising livestock. In 1980 he invested $1 million in what became Micron Technology, Inc., a leading manufacturer of computer memory chips.

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