Richard Ransom
{{Short description|American businessman (1919–2016)}}
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1919|09|13}}
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| death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|04|11|1919|09|13}}
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| known_for = founding Hickory Farms
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Richard K. Ransom (September 13, 1919 – April 11, 2016) was an American businessman and founder of Hickory Farms.
Life
Ransom graduated from DeVilbiss High School (Toledo, Ohio) in 1938.Toledo Blade obituary] He served in World War II, at Okinawa. Starting in 1951, he built a specialty foods business, using the technique of "free samples". He sold Hickory Farms to General Host Corporation in 1980.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/business/richard-k-ransom-founder-of-hickory-farms-dies-at-96.html|title=Richard K. Ransom, Founder of Hickory Farms Specialty Foods Chain, Dies at 96|last=Walsh|first=Mary Williams|date=2016-04-16|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|accessdate=2016-04-28}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/richard-ransom-founded-hickory-farms-chain-1919-2016-1461371242|title=Richard Ransom Founded Hickory Farms Chain: 1919–2016|last=Hagerty|first=James R.|date=2016-04-22|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|issn=0099-9660|accessdate=2016-04-28}}
Philanthropy
He was on the board of the Toledo Zoo and Riverside Hospital. He was board chairman of St. John's Jesuit High School and Academy.{{Cite web|url=http://www.toledoblade.com/Deaths/2016/04/13/Richard-K-Ransom-1919-2016-Businessman-aided-children-s-charities.html|title=Richard K. Ransom (1919–2016): Businessman aided children's charities|website=Toledo Blade|accessdate=2016-04-28}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.toledoblade.com/Deaths/2016/04/14/Hickory-Farms-founder-s-real-passion-was-civic-philanthropy.html|title=Hickory Farms founder's real passion was civic philanthropy|website=Toledo Blade|accessdate=2016-04-28}}