222:, which aimed to be an upscale discount store, in 1962. Dayton became the first president of the new business, a subsidiary of Dayton's. He promised that the new company would "combine the best of the fashion world with the best of the discount world." The store was an instant success, leading Dayton to boast the chain would hit $ 100 million in annual sales. His brothers doubted his ambitious prediction, but it became a reality in 1968. Even so, competitors such as Kmart were growing at a faster rate. Dayton did not doubt his vision, remarking "I am thoroughly convinced that we are selling a superior product that will bear the test of time."
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market. In 1960, he became the first president of Dayton's new discount subsidiary, Target. He oversaw the company's expansion until 1969 when he became a vice president of Target's parent company after a merger. Dayton left the business in 1972, forming a venture capital firm in 1974. He retired in
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Dayton died of cancer on July 5, 2013, at the age of 88. He is survived by his wife, Wendy; sons, David, Steve, and Bruce; stepdaughter, Elizabeth; and six grandchildren. According to a statement released by Target, "Doug was instrumental in helping to guide the strategic direction of Dayton Hudson
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Throughout his career, Dayton was active in social activism and a wide variety of philanthropic activities. The Dayton family started one of the first corporate-giving programs in
Minnesota and Douglas Dayton said he always found donating money more satisfying than making it. He remained active in
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Dayton joined the family business after the war, becoming one of six grandsons of George D. Dayton to work in the business. In 1948, he and his brothers took over the company from their father. In 1954, Dayton opened Dayton's first branch store and subsequently served as vice president of branch
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In 1952, Dayton married Mary
Downing Haldeman (1927-2008). They had three sons: David Douglas, Steven James and Bruce Conner. They divorced on February 9, 1977. He married Shirley Deyo Whiteman (1931-1997), a divorced woman who had three daughters by her previous marriage and descendant of
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By 1975, Target was the company's top revenue producer and by the end of the 1970s annual sales exceeded $ 1 billion. In 2000, the parent company took the Target name from its stores. At the time of Dayton's death, the company he once led was the 36th largest company in the United States.
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and Dayton left Target to become a senior vice president in the new company, Dayton Hudson
Corporation. During Douglas Dayton's tenure, Target expanded from its initial four stores to twelve across several states. He also oversaw the opening of the company's first distribution center.
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Dayton found he did not like working in administration and left Dayton Hudson in 1972. He spent the next two years leading a team of volunteer executives that helped find ways for the state government to run more efficiently. In 1974, Dayton formed a
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December 2, 1924. He was youngest of five brothers. His father, George N. Dayton, became the president of the family business, Dayton Dry Goods Company, in 1938. The business, which evolved into
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Dayton campaigned for social justice, educational and environmental causes, and the arts. He served on the boards of the Urban League, Summit
Academy, the Minneapolis Urban Coalition, and
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firm, Dade
Development Capital, which he ran until his retirement in 1994. He called his time as president of Target "the most challenging, rewarding and productive" years of his career.
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discount stores chain. Dayton ran Target's operations during its early years and served as the company's first president. He started his career at the family company:
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Corporation for many years and institutionalized the values that are at the heart of Target
Corporation today." His nephew and governor of Minnesota,
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department store. He held various positions in the company, and urged the company to take advantage of the emerging
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stores and merchandise vice president at different times. As a store manager, he saw the rise of discounter
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restoration. "The YMCA was like a religion for him," remarked Dayton's son David.
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philanthropy after his retirement from the business world.
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department store, was founded by
Douglas' grandfather,
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American businessman and philanthropist (1924-2013)
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411:"Douglas Dayton: Target founder, 88"
225:In 1969, the Dayton's merged with
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417:. Associated Press. July 12, 2013
379:Neal St. Anthony (July 8, 2013).
334:William Yardley (July 10, 2013).
159:Douglas James Dayton was born in
134:Dayton served in the Army during
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65:Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
573:United States Army soldiers
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178:Dayton graduated from the
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281:Louis DuBois (Huguenot)
264:University of Minnesota
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104:Bruce Dayton
60:(2013-07-05)
58:July 5, 2013
533:2013 deaths
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294:Mark Dayton
161:Minneapolis
99:Mark Dayton
522:Categories
300:References
155:Early life
39:1924-12-02
480:. Reuters
165:Minnesota
106:(brother)
90:Relatives
506:July 13,
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169:Dayton's
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101:(nephew)
82:Children
268:prairie
220:Target
198:Career
125:Target
49:, U.S.
287:Death
205:Kmart
508:2013
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260:YMCA
55:Died
29:Born
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