(1918 – 1992) A successful Arkansas five-and-ten entrepreneur, Walton opened his first discount Walmart in 1962, building it into the largest retailer in the US. Slashing costs through lower profit margins, computerized inventory control and high volume with limited service, his “big-box” stores mushroomed in malls and small towns. While the latter came to see Walmarts as threats to local economic life, the company continually advertises “Americanness,” community involvement and support for workers. By the mid-1980s, Walton became the richest man in America; his 1992 autobiography is Sam Walton: Made in America.