David Glass, former owner of baseball’s Kansas City Royals
Kansas City, Mo. — Former Walmart Inc. chief executive David Glass, who owned the Kansas City Royals for nearly two decades before selling the franchise last fall, died last week of complications from pneumonia. He was 84.
The Glass family said the businessman died Jan. 9. He had been dealing with health issues for some time.
Glass began negotiations early last year to sell the Royals, who reached the World Series twice under his ownership and won the title in 2015. The deal valued at about $1 billion with a group led by Kansas City businessman John Sherman was completed Nov. 26 after Major League Baseball owners voted unanimously to approve it.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of David’s passing,” Sherman said in a statement. “His voice among other owners was so respected. He served on and led several Major League Baseball committees to better our game. His passion for baseball and love for Kansas City was the driving force in bringing success on the field for this franchise.”
Glass was born in Mountain, View, Mo., and joined the U.S. Army after he was graduated from high school.
He earned a degree from Missouri State before beginning his business career at Crank Drug Company in 1960.
Glass left the company in 1968 and worked for two other companies until 1976, when Walmart founder Sam Walter recruited him to be his company’s chief financial officer. Glass continued to take on a bigger role with the company until 1988, when he was named president and CEO of the retail giant. Over the ensuing 12 years, he led the company through a period of dramatic growth and expansions internationally and into new retail formats.
“When we lost my dad, David provided a steady, visionary hand the company needed to lead it forward. He did so with a deep sense of humility while maintaining the values and principles dad founded the company on,” former Walmart chairman Rob Walton said. “More than anyone beyond Sam Walton, David Glass is responsible for making Walmart the company it is today. On behalf of the entire Walton family, I want to express our appreciation for David as a leader and as a friend. He will be deeply missed.”
He also will be missed in Kansas City, his home-away-from home due to his ownership of the Royals.