James Carlson Obituary

James R. Carlson, 68, of Glen Ellyn, passed away July 25, 2010. Jim was born on March 13, 1942. He held various senior management and executive positions with the Sara Lee Corporation for 28 years. He joined Sara Lee in 1973 in the Law Department and later served as Vice President of Corporate Development executing numerous domestic and international acquisitions and investments including Coach, Jimmy Dean and Kiwi. He served as COO of Sara Lee Bakery and CEO of Sara Lee Foodservice Distribution. He later became the CEO of Sara Lee Foods, a $7BB Group that included Sara Lee Meats, Sara Lee Bakery and Sara Lee Foodservice Distribution. During his career he helped lead turnaround of various Sara Lee businesses including the PYA Monarch Company located in Greenville, SC, where he was President and CEO. In December 2000, PYA/Monarch was sold to Royal Ahold for $1.56 BB and was merged with US Foodservice. After retiring from Sara Lee in 2002, he formed Braydon Partners, LLC, in 2003 located in Chicago. The firm's principals offered a broad range of operating management and corporate development experience to provide Corporate Development Outsourcing Services. Carlson earned his undergraduate degree from Loyola University, Chicago. He is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Law and the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. He served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1969 and was stationed in Kaiserslautern, Germany working on legal matters. The Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC) is the largest military community outside the continental United States, and is a combined community consisting of Army and Air Force components. Prior to joining Sara Lee, Carlson was a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Sam Perry for the Northern District of Illinois. He also practiced law with Notz, Craven Mead, Maloney and Price (Chicago). Carlson served as a Board Member: Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, IL, Greenville Literary Association in Greenville, SC and Saint Francis Hospital in Greenville, SC. Born in San Francisco, California to Andrew Rudolph and Mary Carlson. He graduated from the former Campion Jesuit Boarding High School located in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Beloved husband of 39 years to Pamela, nee Nelson; loving father to Scott Carlson of Chicago, William (Bill) Carlson of Chicago, and Jennifer (Roberto) Torasso of New York; dear grandfather of Luca Torasso; fond brother to Donald (Jeanne) Carlson of Galena, IL, Robert Carlson of Evanston, IL and Kathryn (Ron) Endter of Mequon, WI and uncle to six nieces and nephews. Carlson was diagnosed with a brain tumor in April 2010. He was an avid reader of business and news media and read a book or more a week throughout his life. As a youngster he was a caddie at Glen Oak Country Club in Glen Ellyn and later became a dedicated golfer his entire life as well as a Chicago Cubs fan. Carlson was a long-time resident of Glen Ellyn from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1997-2010. A Memorial Visitation will be held on Sunday, August 1st from 2 to 5 p.m. at Leonard Memorial Home, 565 Duane St., Glen Ellyn, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Evans Scholars Foundation in the name of Jim Carlson C/O Glen Oak Country Club, 21W451 Hill Avenue, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137. Arrangements handled by Leonard Memorial Home, (630) 469-0032.