SD Characters: Sol Price, pioneer of Costco; Larry Lawrence, one of America's richest

Larry Lawrence and the Greening of American Politics

Much of the San Diego money that went into the Clinton campaign’s coffers was collected May 17 at a $1000-per-person party for Clinton at the Coronado home of Hotel del owner Lawrence. Lawrence says more than 200 people showed up; a source who was there says the total was closer to “maybe 50, 75. It was nice,” she adds, “with lots of little hors d’oeuvres — better than hot dogs, okay? But I didn’t see caviar.”

By Thomas K. Arnold, Dec. 17, 1992 | Read full article

Mean Business: Sol Price and the FedMart story (which later became Costco)

Price found himself in the unfamiliar position of having to take and not give orders. He had gone from board chairman of a fairly widely held corporation to president of a closely held one, and he began complaining to Mann about this loss of control. During a visit to San Diego by Mann for the first full board meeting of the newly reconstituted FedMart, Price took Mann aside and begged him to sell the company back to him.

By Bob Dorn, April 1, 1982 | Read full article

Little Computers and Big Bucks

So the Kays are used to dumbfounding the experts, and today one of the expert opinions they scoff at is the Legend of the Coming Small-Computer Shake-out. (Of the 200 or so in business now, maybe 30 will survive, the Wall Street Journal recently quoted one analyst as predicting.) Since IBM is probably the only company that everyone agrees will survive whatever happens, such shake-out talk tends to help IBM, which infuriates the Kay family.

By Jeannette DeWyze, Jan. 19, 1984 | Read full article

On top of the market

Although Russell didn’t write about it, there’s another reason he’s not about to retire — to Monte Carlo or elsewhere. He’s addicted to being a financial guru. He’s addicted to reading all those newspapers, to sifting through all that information, to trying to master the endlessly challenging puzzle of the market. Russell says he’s often wondered how many man-hours are applied to the stock market every week. “It’s unbelievable! Millions of hours, trying to figure this thing out.”

By Jeannette De Wyze, May 21, 1987 | Read full article

What Happened? A Pioneer Family's Tragedy

While Beatrice and Eric were talking about packing up and going home, the phone rang. It was Dan Bridge, his father’s old friend and a childhood friend of Walter Harper. Dan Bridge was hosting the meeting of the dove-hunting club. Bridge said that Ed III was there at the meeting, and, yes, he’d been drinking, but he was behaving himself and Eric really should come, since Eric was, after all, the president.

By Laura McNeal, July 17, 1997 | Read full article

With Friends Like These

On February 28, 2001, Investigator Thomas spoke with Mr. Bob Baker on the telephone. Mr. Baker is the person who bought the Acura dealership from Mr. Simms and Senator Robbins. Mr. Baker stated he met with Mr. Simms at Simms’ La Jolla residence. Simms informed Baker that he wanted $400,000 for the dealership. Mr. Baker became uncomfortable with Mr. Simms when Mr. Simms stated that he (Simms) had ‘underworld’ contacts.

By Matt Potter, March 22, 2001 | Read full article

General Atomics: Color It Blue

Now James Neal Blue and General Atomics face a challenge to their empire. The U.S. Attorney and Sam Kholi, a former GA employee, claim that the firm conspired with Blue's two sons, Linden P. Blue and Neal Karsts Blue, to defraud federal taxpayers by rigging contracts, padding payroll costs, and presenting false claims for payment using a company owned by the sons. Like his father, Linden P. Blue lives in La Jolla; his brother Neal resides in Las Vegas.

By Matt Potter, July 12, 2001 | Read full article