William T. Dillard

William Thomas Dillard, (September 2, 1914 — February 8, 2002) was the founder of the Dillard's Department Store chain.

William T. Dillard was born on 2 September 1914 in Mineral Springs, Howard County, Arkansas. His parents Thomas and Hattie ran a country store. Dillard found employment with Sears & Roebuck Company where he gained experience in retail business. Dillard graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Business Administration and earned a Master's Degree from Columbia University.

Dillard returned to Arkansas and opened his first retail store in 1938 in the town of Nashville, Arkansas. By the turn of the century, Dillard's Department Stores was the third largest department store chain in the United States.

Dillard died at his home in Little Rock.

References

William Dillard was born in Mineral Springs, AR on September 2, 1914 and died on February 8, 2002 at the age of 87.

Dillard graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Business Administration. He later went on to earn his Masters degree in Business Administration from Columbia University in 1937.

After working for Sears Roebuck & Co in Tulsa, OK for a short nine months, inspired by his father’s proprietorship in a country store, William Dillard returned to Arkansas where he followed his original dream and opened his first store in Nashville, AR.

Dillard served in the US Navy during World War II. After his return, he earned enough money to open a department store in...
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