Sysco

[Oceangroveguy]

John F. Baugh

HOUSTON (AP) -- John F. Baugh, founder of Houston-based food and service supplier Sysco Corp., died Monday. He was 91.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/09/business/09baugh.html?

OG Guy here, original post of complete AP article was contrary to EG rules, so it was deleted in favor of a link to the AP's obit.

The Sysco Kid he was a friend of mine....

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Edited March 9, 2007 by Oceangroveguy (log)

[scottie]

not sure whether to mourn or rejoice.

The guy had a good idea that was very successful. Good for him, bad for people who actually care about the quality of their food.

[David Naylor]

not sure whether to mourn or rejoice.

The guy had a good idea that was very successful. Good for him, bad for people who actually care about the quality of their food.

←

Perhaps, but with $32.6 billion in sales last year there are plenty of people who don't seem to care about the quality of their food. The guy got off his arse and made something, providing employment for a considerable number of people. In my experience it's often those who don't want to get off their arse who are happy to eat eat poor quality food.

[Michaeltheonion]

I dont really know much about his work, of if he was devoted to any charities or if he did any good in the world. If not him and Sysco then someone else would have taken the market the way he did. But sysco represents everything that is wrong with the food industry today. Im speaking from a purist/unrealistic/ leftist persepctive of course. Id be much happier to hear that they went bankrupt or perhaps the company had been exposed to using extremely unfair business practices. One dead CEO dosnt really mean much in the big picture. Mourn him as a person yes, but for what hes done to the world... no sympathy whatsoever.

Im going to google him and see if I can find any charitable works for a possible retraction.

[Juanito]

As a distributor sales rep who has competed against SYSCO (successfully) for over twenty years, I can say without question that I take a back seat to no one in my dismay over the changes SYSCO has effected on the Foodservice industry.

The business model of extorting money from manufacturers (sorry - they call it marketing dollars) has decimated small manufacturers of quality items, because they simply cannot afford to pay to play with the Tysons, Heinzes, and Con Agras of the world. Independent distributors have been forced to adopt similar models in order to compete. Only the largest markets can support small, artisinal producers of things talented chefs might actually want to buy and use, and the rest of the country eats Poppers. The last decade has brought us countless buyouts and mergers of foodservice producers, so that there are only a handful of players left.

Thank you SYSCO.

With all that said, I don't think personal attacks on the founder are called for, and whatever he did wrt charity is really none of our business. He obviously had a vision, and it has been successful, so let's give him his due.

[Juanito]

Seems Mr Baugh was philanthropic....from his obit:

.....

Baugh, a philanthropist who donated money to various Baylor programs, projects and buildings, was 91. He served as a trustee and regent from 1987-1996.

"He's been an incredible philanthropist in the church and in the world," said Diana Garland, dean of the School of Social Work, which received funding for programs and projects from the Baugh family.

"He certainly has made a significance for good at Baylor University and far beyond," she added.

...........

Baugh's donations to Baylor were estimated at more than $20 million, according to the Associate Baptist Press. He founded the John. F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship in the Hankamer School of Business, which is now one of the top 10 entrepreneurship programs in the nation.

The Baughs were some of the founding benefactors of George W. Truett Theological Seminary.