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Byron Evan Allumbaugh, Retail Grocery Executive & Icon
Facts and Events
About Byron Allumbaugh
Early Life
Byron Evan Allumbaugh was born 15 November 1931 in Beebe, White County, Arkansas, osn of Norman Herschel Allumbaugh (1911-2004) and his first wife Faye E. Harris (1911-1969). Byron's paternal 3rd Great-Grandfather and immigrant ancestor was Revolutionary War Patriot Peter Allumbaugh (abt. 1740-1833), who migrated from Germany to Botetourt County, Virginia, where he served for a year starting in October 1775 as a Private in the 12th Virginia Regiment [the area later became Greenbrier County in 1778] and migrated to Madison County, Kentucky prior the turn of the century in 1800.
Byron's father, Norman Allumbaugh worked as a Baker by trade and his mother, Faye, came from a very poor family in the south who grew up working in the fields chopping cotton as a little girl. They taught Byron the importance of setting an example for his family and being fair and honest and giving back to others. Shortly after Byron's birth, his parents had moved to Chicago, Illinois, where Byron's brother Steven was born in 1938. After a few years, their parents re-located their family during World War II to the pacific northwest to take advantage of jobs in the defense industry. His father worked as a welder and his mother as a riveter.
Byron Allumbaugh started working as an apprentice butcher in a Meat Market in Long Beach, California at only age 12 and worked full-time throughout high school and college at night, progressing up to journeyman meat cutter and later meat manager.
Professional Life
At age 21, Byron was hired to run a chain of markets in Orange County, California and shortly thereafter was recruited by Southern California Supermarket Chain, Ralphs Grocery Company, as its Director of Meat Operations. Byron worked his way up the corporate ladder over the years to become the company's President in 1973. Three years later he became Ralphs’ CEO after the retirement of its then-CEO Eugene B. Walsh (1915-2011).
 For the next 22 years he guided Ralphs through tremendous growth, expanding from 60 to 430 stores, running the company with then Ralphs' President, Patrick W. Collins (1929-2011). Together, Allumbaugh and Collins were instrumental in building one of the finest management teams in the supermarket industry and helping to propel Ralphs into the number one spot in market share in Southern California, and helped keep Ralphs financially successful through several ownership changes during their tenure (including Federated Department Stores, Canadian financier Robert Campeau and retail magnate Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr.).
Allumbaugh and Collins' combined unwavering leadership became especially evident in 1988 when Federated Department Stores, in a failed attempt to stave-off Robert Campeau's unsolicited take-over bid, tried to sell Ralphs (with a strategy sometimes referred to as the (selling off the) "Crown Jewel Defense") to one of two rival chains, which would have most likely resulted in the demise of the chain and the loss of hundreds of jobs. Luckily, the attempt failed, but a few years later with the help of a sliding economy and a collapse of the "junk bond" market, Campeau's newly-founded retail conglomerate found itself without adequate financing and subsequently filed for bankruptcy protection. Even though Ralphs was somewhat shielded from Campeau when he had earlier spun Ralphs off in a management-assisted leveraged buy-out, which was completed in 1990, Campeau's majority interest in Ralphs stock (60.34%) was transferred to Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr., one of Campeau's largest creditors in 1992. Ralphs at the time, after Campeau's (Federated's) department stores went into bankruptcy, was arguably the most valuable single asset worth an estimated $1 billion, as the department stores in Federated's portfolio took the greatest hit from the economic downturn. Both Allumbaugh and Collins along with Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr. and G. William Miller, former Secretary of the Treasury Department (among others), were named to the Board of Directors of the newly re-organized company on February 3, 1992.
Even through these tumultuous times, Ralphs grew through significant store acquisitions, many new store openings and became one of the first supermarkets in the nation to implement new "scan technology" point of sale registers in all of its stores in the early 1980's under his stewardship. Much of Allumbaugh's legacy centers upon Ralphs embracing new technology, which helped to push Ralphs to become one of the top supermarket chains in the country. Just a few years later, Allumbaugh helped to negotiate a "merger/acquisition" by The Yucaipa Companies in September 1994 for approximately $1.5 billion. After Byron retired as Chief Executive Officer in 1996 and as chairman in 1997, Ralphs was sold to supermarket retailer Fred Meyer, which in 1998 was sold to The Kroger Company, the largest retail supermarket company in America by revenue ($109.83 billion for fiscal year 2015). [wikipedia]
Industry/Charitable Support
Byron Allumbaugh was a significant supporter of many industry and charitible causes, including serving as Chairman of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), Chairman of the California Retailers Association from 1986-1993), President of the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) in 1972, helped to establish "Food Industry Circle" for the City of Hope, a leading cancer research hospital, based in Duarte, CA. He was also a winner of the "Horatio Alger Award" in 1996, Byron retired from Ralphs in 1997, a few years after it was acquired by The Yucaipa Companies in September 1994 for approximately $1.5 billion. After his retirement from Ralphs, he served on several industry Boards of Directors including CKE Restaurants [where he served as Chairman for many years], Pantry Convenience Stores, H.F. Ahmanson, El Paso Energy, Ultramar Diamond Shamrock, Federated Department Stores, Galyans Sporting Goods, Penn Traffic, Specialty Brands, Automobile Club of Southern California (Chairman), R.S.I, Daymon International, and Schnucks Markets. He also served as a business consultant for Macy's, Inc. and RSI Holding, LLC. Byron Allumbaugh was known as a fair-minded executive, who was instrumental in helping to guide and mentor the careers of many current executives in the supermarket industry. Allumbaugh's work and career contributions have left an indelible mark on the supermarket industry for many years to come.
Family Life
Byron first married Ruthe E. Graefe on 11 October 1950 in Maricopa County, Arizona [Arizona, County Marriage Records, 1865-1972] and they had two sons, Larry and James. After Byron and Ruthe divorced in August 1976 in Orange County, California [California, Divorce Index, 1966-1984], Byron re-married to Sharon E. "Ronnie" Blair [nee Kagan] on 1 April 1977 in Orange County, California [California, Marriage Index, 1960-1985]. Mr. Allumbaugh was survived by his wife of 40 years, Ronnie; his children Lawrence Allumbaugh, James Allumbaugh, Scott Heger and Clancy Blair Strobel; eight grandchildren and two great-grandsons, Elliot and Carter.
Philanthropy
Byron and his wife Ronnie were very active in supporting many worthy charitable causes after Byron's retirement from the grocery industry. The Allumbaughs served and supported many organizations, including supporting education for underprivileged children
through the Horatio Alger Association. As patrons of the arts, they supported the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and were part of the original group of founding donors for the Center, and were also very supportive of Hoag Hospital, where Byron was a member of the Hoag Hospital Foundation Board of Directors. The Allumbaugh's also were very generous in their donation of a $1.25 million gift to Hoag Hospital, which named its "Ronnie & Byron Allumbaugh Conference Center" in their honor. Byron was recognized for his lifetime of service and philantropy, receiving numerous other awards such as the Sydney R. Rabb Award (1987) (Food Marketing Institute), Spirit of Life Award (City of Hope), Hall of Fame Award (Southern California Grocers), and Humanitarian Award (National Conference of Christians and Jews).
1988 Combined Food Sales Club Speech
Byron Allumbaugh March 1988 Combined Food Sales Club Speech
Horatio Alger Award Video Tribute
References
- Supermarket News. (Penton).
Former Ralphs, FMI chairman Allumbaugh dies at 84
A memorial service will be held Nov. 1 in Newport Beach, Calif. for Byron Allumbaugh, the influential and longtime CEO and chairman of Ralphs Grocery Co. and former Food Marketing Institute chairman.
Allumbaugh, 84, passed away over the weekend, sources said.
He spent 38 years with Ralphs, beginning his career with the Los Angeles-based retailer as a meat manager in 1958. Allumbaugh was named COO in 1971, president in 1973 and chairman and CEO in 1975, retiring as CEO in 1996 and as chairman in 1997.
At Ralphs, Allumbaugh presided over rapid growth helping Ralphs to become Southern California's largest supermarket chain, and helped to pioneer block-ready meat and scanning, among other innovations. He guided the chain through several tumultuous ownership changes as Ralphs passed from Federated Department Stores to Campeau Corp. in a 1988 management-led leveraged buyout, then to Edward J. DeBartolo Corp. in 1993 and a merger with Food 4 Less in 1995. Those companies later were acquired by Kroger Co., which operates the Ralphs brand today.
Allumbaugh was a former FMI chairman, and a president of the Western Association of Food Chains. FMI awarded him its Sidney Rabb award, its highest individual honor, in 1987. Allumbaugh was also named a Horatio Alger Award winner in 1996.
Read More: http://supermarketnews.com/retail-financial/former-ralphs-fmi-chairman-allumbaugh-dies-84#ixzz4OlT3Xz4y
- The Shelby Report.
‘King’ Of The Supermarket Industry Dies
Posted by Kristen Cloud
Date: October 31, 2016
Mr. Byron Allumbaugh, who spent 39 years with Ralphs Grocery Co., including nearly 20 years as chairman and CEO before his retirement, died over the weekend from a massive heart attack. He was 84.
He was “a great leader and mentor to many in our industry,” said Carole Christianson, COO of the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC).
One of those he mentored was Jack H. Brown, executive chairman of Stater Bros. Markets, another Southern California grocery chain.
“I’ve known Byron for over 60 years,” Brown told The Shelby Report on Monday. “Ralphs was built under his leadership into the finest supermarket chain in America. But more than that, he was the American supermarket ambassador to the world. He and (his wife) Ronnie toured the world on behalf of the American food industry. I had the pleasure to be on several of those trips. But he was a true icon in terms of the great programs that Ralphs developed…They were pioneers in the industry. They just keep it to themselves.
“If there was nobility in the supermarket industry, he and Ronnie were the king and queen, and she was a very vivacious representative of the food industry with him.”
Of course, Brown and Mr. Allumbaugh were fierce competitors in the grocery business.
“But you can respect people and still compete, and Byron was a very close, personal friend,” Brown said. “Those were the days when you competed with great respect and, under his leadership, Ralphs became, in my judgment, the finest big supermarket chain in America.”
Brown remembers Mr. Allumbaugh treating him with respect despite that Brown describes himself as Mr. Allumbaugh’s “country cousin” and as a “little guy with only 70 stores” back then.
“But he treated me with the respect as if I had 170 stores,” Brown added. “That was one of his many leadership qualities.”
Brown recalls Ralphs changing ownership twice with Mr. Allumbaugh at its helm, but he “never lost” one of his more than 200 executives during those transitions because the employees “understood that he was there for them.
“Byron could have been billionaire had he decided to go out on his own, but he understood the value of people, which came from his very humble beginnings…and he never forgot his humble beginnings and he worked his way to what I think was the premier icon of the American food industry. And we were very fortunate to have him here in the West to push us harder to do better to serve our customers. There is no question that for many years the Southern California supermarket industry was the envy of the world. We should all be grateful for having had Byron come our way.”
Mr. Allumbaugh served as chairman an CEO of Ralphs from 1976-1995 before retiring in January 1997. He also served as president of the WAFC in 1972. He was chairman of the Food Marketing Institute from 1982-1985.
In 1996 Mr. Allumbaugh received the Horatio Alger Award, an award presentation in which Brown “put the Horatio ribbon around his neck.
“It was a great moment for me,” Brown said. “I can tell you honestly, I wanted to be Byron. I wanted to dress like him. I wanted to talk like him. He was just my idol. The dignity that he brought to our industry will never be repeated—because people have changed.”
- United States. 1940 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T627).
Name: Byron Allumbaugh
Age: 8
Estimated birth year: abt 1932
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birthplace: Arkansas
Marital Status: Single
Relation to Head of House: Son
Home in 1940: Proviso, Cook, Illinois
Street: Orchard Avenue
House Number: 1031
Farm: No
Inferred Residence in 1935: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Residence in 1935: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Resident on farm in 1935: No
Sheet Number: 2A
Attended School or College: Yes
Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 2nd grade
Household Members:
Name Age
Norman Allumbaugh 28
Faye Allumbaugh 29
Byron Allumbaugh 8
Steven Allumbaugh 2
- Legacy.com.
In Memory Of
Byron Evan Allumbaugh
1931 - 2016
Los Angeles, California
November 15, 1931 - October 28, 2016 Byron Allumbaugh was born to Faye and Norman Allumbaugh on November 15, 1931, in Beebe, Arkansas. He was the eldest of two sons. Shortly after Byron was born, they moved to Chicago. In 1943 the family moved to Washington, where his parents worked on munitions for the war effort. After the war in 1946, the family moved to Southern California, where Byron would live for the rest of his life. He passed suddenly and unexpectedly Friday afternoon at home in Newport Beach. Byron had an incredible work ethic. After managing a small supermarket chain in Orange County, in 1958 Byron joined Ralphs Grocery Company. He rose through several positions and eventually became Chief Operating Officer in 1971, and President in 1973. He was named Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1976 and remained in that position for the rest of his tenure at Ralphs, through 1997. During the course of his career, he held many positions within the Food Industry, including: Chairman of the Food Marketing Institute (1982-1985), Chairman of the Uniform Code Council (1988-1990), President of the Western Association of Food Chains (1972-1973), Chairman of the California Retailers Association (1986-1993), and Director of International Chain Store Organization (1985-1996). After retiring from Ralphs Grocery Company in 1997, Byron served on many public and private Boards of Directors, including: CKE Restaurants (Chairman), Pantry Convenience Stores, H.F. Ahmanson, El Paso Energy, Ultramar Diamond Shamrock, Federated Department Stores, Galyans Sporting Goods, Penn Traffic, Specialty Brands, Automobile Club of Southern California (Chairman), R.S.I, Daymon International, and Schnucks Markets. In addition to his numerous professional accomplishments, Byron held directorships at many charitable organizations, including: Horatio Alger Association, Orange County Performing Arts Center, Los Angeles United Way (Chairman), Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce (Chairman), Food Industry Circle for the City of Hope (Chairman), National Conference of Christians and Jews, and Hoag Hospital. Along the way, Byron was presented with multiple accolades, including: Horatio Alger Award, Sydney R. Rabb Award (Food Marketing Institute), Spirit of Life Award (City of Hope), Hall of Fame Award (Southern California Grocers), and Humanitarian Award (National Conference of Christians and Jews). Married for 40 beautiful years, Byron is survived by his loving wife Ronnie. They were a devoted and loving couple, and shared an infinite number of extraordinary experiences. They lived both in Newport Beach and Indian Wells when they weren't traveling, which they did extensively. They loved each other absolutely, a gift that Ronnie will carry with her moving forward. Byron was extremely social, and loved to golf, play Bridge and Gin, attend parties, and travel with their large circle of friends. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to laugh. He will be greatly missed by his many friends across the country, remembered with fondness and affection by his innumerable acts of kindness. He was a very thoughtful and generous man, who leaves an indelible legacy both personally and professionally. Byron's brother Stephen predeceased him in 2011. Byron is survived by four children: Lawrence Allumbaugh, James Allumbaugh, Scott Heger, and Clancy Blair Strobel, and their spouses Dianna, Kathy, Batzi, and Greg. He had eight grandchildren: Shelby, Tyler, Chad, Brynn, Evan, Blair, and Brooke. He was predeceased by his grandson Chase Heger, whom he loved dearly. Byron had two great-grandsons, Elliot and Carter. There will be a private family service and interment Wednesday morning, November 2nd. Friends and family are invited to attend a memorial gathering at 12:30, Wednesday afternoon, at Big Canyon Country Club, #1 Big Canyon Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660. In lieu of flowers, if you care to make a donation, please send gifts to Hoag Hospital Foundation in support of medical education at the Ronnie and Byron Allumbaugh Conference Center, at the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart and Vascular Institute at Hoag Hospital. Their address is Hoag Hospital Foundation, 330 Placentia Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92663.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=182242426
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