Joe Albertson
From Oklahoma
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Joseph A. "Joe" Albertson (October 17 1906 - January 20 1993) was the founder of the Albertsons chain of grocery stores and a notable philanthropist.
Joe Albertson was born in Yukon, Oklahoma on October 17, 1906. His full name was Joseph A. Albertson and he was one of four sons born to Rhoda and Earl Albertson. The family moved to Caldwell, Idaho in 1909, where Joe grew up and went through school.
After graduating from Caldwell High School in 1925, Joe studied business for two years at the College of Idaho in Caldwell. In 1927, while still at the college, he began his career in the grocery industry as a clerk at a local Safeway store. In 1930 Joe married his college classmate Kathryn McCurry, of Boise. They had one daughter, Barbara Jean Newman.
Joe quickly moved through the ranks during his career with Safeway until he was supervising more than a dozen stores. But he was not satisfied and wanted to start his own store -- one that he could build to his own specifications and manage his own way. With $5,000 of the money he and Kathryn had saved, and with $7,500 borrowed from his wife's aunt, Joe formed a partnership with L.S. Skaggs, a former Safeway Division Manager, and Tom Cuthbert, Mr. Skaggs' accountant. Joe's first store was founded in 1939 on three simple principles - quality, good value, and excellent service. He is credited as being one of the pioneers of the complete one-stop, self-service supermarket concept.
Joe opened his second and third Albertson's stores in Nampa and Caldwell, Idaho in 1940. During the years of World War II, when food was being rationed, he filled the empty shelves with health and beauty products, general household goods and other non-food items.
His reputation for generosity and community involvement grew during those war years. His stores promoted war bonds and sponsored scrap drives that collected aluminum, steel, fats and paper for recycling.
During the 1950's and 60's, Albertson's became a familiar name to shopper throughout the west.
Joe's generosity continued throughout the years. The College of Idaho received many generous donations from Joe and Kathryn and today, proudly calls itself Albertson College of Idaho. Perhaps the most obvious gift to the citizens of Idaho is the 41-acre Kathryn Albertson Park with its winding walkways, wildflower's, trees and ponds.
In 1966, Joe and Kathryn established the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation as a way to administer their own charitable giving. They focused their giving primarily on education, which was important to Joe and Kathryn because neither were able to finish college during the Great Depression. Since then, the Foundation has given more than $240 million to Idaho’s communities and education systems. The Foundation continues to give to charities, primarily in areas where Joe and Kathryn lived or worked in Idaho.
Joe passed away in 1993.
It has been written that Joe did the common thing uncommonly well. He accumulated a great wealth of knowledge and formulas for success. He found the fulfillment that comes from setting monumental goals and achieving them. His life was filled with enjoyment of the rare but simple pleasures -- fishing a mountain stream, going hunting with friends, and enjoying the company of his family.
[edit] External Links
- J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Foundation - Main web page of Joe and Kathryn Albertson Charitable foundation
- Albertson College - a brief history from its official website
- Albertsons Inc. – Albertsons Inc main web page
