David Glass

David D. Glass became Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Kansas City Royals on April 18, 2000 after serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royals since Sept. 23, 1993. The Board, comprised of Glass and other individuals appointed by Glass, approved his bid of $96 million for the Royals despite the fact a competing bid by Miles Prentice was 25% higher, at $120 million. During the six years of Glass' ownership (2000-2005) the Royals have averaged 97 losses, posting one winning record and three seasons with 100 or more losses, the worst sustained performance for the franchise in its 37 years of operation. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (701x1000, 145 KB)David Glass, former CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (701x1000, 145 KB)David Glass, former CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ... Major league affiliations American League (1969–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5,10,20,42 Name Kansas City Royals (1969–present) Ballpark Kauffman Stadium (1973–present) a. ... April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

Career with Wal-Mart

The former President and Chief Executive Officer of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Glass joined the company in 1976. In his position as Executive Vice President of Finance for Wal-Mart Stores, he administered the overall financial and accounting responsibilities of the company prior to his appointment as Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer. He served in that role until 1984 when he was named President and Wal-Mart’s Chief Operating Officer. In 1988 he was named Wal-Mart’s Chief Executive Officer, stepping down from the position in January 2000. Glass was active in the company’s growth from 125 stores in 1976 to its more than 4,000 nationally and internationally in 2005. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ...

Glass was named Retailer of the Year by members of the retail industry in 1986 and 1991 and was inducted into the Retail Hall of Fame in August, 2000. He is a member of the Board of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

In 1992, NBC news series Dateline interviewed Glass during an investigation into Wal-Mart's "Made in America" and "Bring It Home to the USA" marketing campaigns.^[1] The show aired footage of children working in factories in Bangladesh making clothes destined for Wal-Mart, as well as footage of Wal-Mart stores with "Made in America" signs hung over imported goods. When asked about children in Asia working in sweatshop conditions, Glass' reply was "You and I might, perhaps, define children differently," and then said that since Asians are quite short, one can't always tell how old they were. Glass was shown photographs of one factory that burned down with the children still locked inside. He responded, "Yeah...there are tragic things that happen all over the world." Glass stormed out of the interview, which was terminated immediately by Wal-Mart. On the CNBC Special "The Age of Wal-Mart" the quote "I see Wal-Mart as a big speeding truck just waiting to hit something" was attributed to him. CNBC (an abbrevation for the Consumer News and Business Channel, its official name until 1991) is a group of cable and satellite television Business news channels from the U.S., owned and operated by NBC Universal. ...

Career with Kansas City Royals

During the Major League Baseball strike of 1994-1995, Glass, who was not yet owner of the Royals but chairman of the board administering the team after Ewing Kauffman's death, was one of the most forceful voices on the ownership side to oppose any settlement with the players' union, and supported the use of strike breaking "replacement" players, despite a court ruling that Major League owners were in violation of Federal labor laws. Glass is one of the richest owners in all of MLB baseball and could pose a threat to George Steinbrenner who's Yankees make more revenue than any other team in baseball. Ewing Marion Kauffman (September 21, 1916-August 1, 1993) was an American pharmaceutical magnate, philanthropist, and Major League Baseball owner. ...

Glass created a controversy on June 9, 2006 by revoking the press credentials of two reporters who had earlier asked pointed questions to Royals management. ^[2] The harsh move to avoid critisism infuriated many within the press and led to a backlash of articles that extended far beyond the Kansas City sports community ^[3]

A native of Mountain View, Missouri, Glass graduated from Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. Glass and his wife, Ruth, are the parents of three children, Dan, Don and Dayna, all of whom serve on the Royals' Board of Directors. Mountain View is a city located in Howell County, Missouri. ... Missouri State University located in Springfield, Missouri is the states second largest university in student enrollment, second only to the University of Missouri. ... Springfield is the third largest city in Missouri. ...

References

Links

• Kansas City Royals' front office
• company bio at "walmartfacts.com"
• PBS Frontline story documenting NBC Dateline story
• Time Magazine archived report on Dateline story