Charles R. Walgreen III

http://www.chaindrugreview.com/front-page/newsbreaks/cork-walgreen-...

Charles R. "Cork" Walgreen III, grandson of Walgreen Co.’s founder, began working for the company as a stock boy in 1952, earned a pharmacy degree from the University of Michigan in 1958 and held positions including pharmacist, district manager, regional manager and vice president. He joined the board in 1963 and was named chief executive officer in 1971 and chairman in 1976.

At the helm in the 1970s, Walgreen brought the retailer back to its pharmacy roots, according to the company. He made the decision to divest the company's freestanding restaurants, among other noncore businesses, and led the change in the 1990s to pull stores out of shopping centers and onto the corner locations that Walgreens is known for today.

Walgreen retired as CEO in 1998 after 23 straight years of record growth, six stock splits and an increase in the company's market capitalization from $164 million to $19 billion under his leadership, Walgreens said.

"Our appreciation can never be adequately expressed for all Cork has done for Walgreen Co. — our record of sustained success over many years, our outstanding assets and our culture of honesty and fair dealing," Walgreens chairman Alan McNally said in a statement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_R._Walgreen_III