| Birth Name: | James Ray Cargill |
| Birth Date: | October 9, 1923 |
| Birth Place: | Chicago, Illinois, US |
| Death Date: | March 26, 2006 |
| Death Place: | Edina, Minnesota, US |
| Education: | Lake Forest Academy University of Minnesota |
| Occupation: | Businessman |
| Spouse: | Mary Janet Cargill |
| Parents: | Austen Cargill Anne Ray Cargill |
| Relatives: | Margaret Anne Cargill (sister) |
James Ray Cargill (October 9, 1923 – March 26, 2006) was an American billionaire heir and businessman.
James Ray Cargill was born on October 9, 1923, in Chicago, Illinois.[1] His father was Austen Cargill and his mother, Anne Ray Cargill. His grandfather, William Wallace Cargill, was the founder of Cargill, an agribusiness corporation.[2]
He grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[1] He was educated at the Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, Illinois.[1] He also worked at Cargill during the summers of 1939 through 1941.[1] He served in the United States Army in Europe for three years during World War II.[1] He graduated from the University of Minnesota.[1]
In 1947, he started his career at Cargill, working in advertising.[1] By 1989, he retired as senior vice president of Cargill.[1] He served on its board of directors from 1963 to 1995.[1] He was a major shareholder of Cargill.[2]
In 1992, he acquired J. B. Hudson Jewelers, a retailer of jewelry, china and crystals.[1] [3]
He was worth US$1.8 billion in 2006.[4]
He donated to his alma mater, the University of Minnesota, from which he was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award.[1] He established Dinnaken Properties, student residences which were affordable yet good quality, at UM.[1]
He was a donor to Ducks Unlimited and Trout Unlimited.[1]
He married Mary Janet Cargill. They had three children:[1]
He died on March 26, 2006, in Edina, Minnesota.[1]
Each of his children inherited a 1/18 share of Cargill.[2]