David H. Murdock
David H. Murdock | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | June 9, 2025 (aged 102) Hidden Valley ranch, Thousand Oaks, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, philanthropist |
| Known for | Owner of Dole Food Company; philanthropist in nutrition and longevity research |
David Howard Murdock (April 11, 1923 – June 9, 2025) was a prominent American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and advocate for plant-based nutrition.
Early career
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Murdock was the second of three siblings. His father worked as a traveling salesman while his mother held jobs as a laundress and housekeeper. He grew up in Montgomery Township, Ohio and left high school during the ninth grade. In 1943, he was drafted into the United States Army amid World War II. After his service, Murdock moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he experienced homelessness before obtaining a $1,200 loan to purchase a diner that he later sold for a $700 gain.
Later relocating to Phoenix, Arizona, he engaged in residential and commercial real estate ventures. Following the real estate downturn of the 1960s, he shifted his focus to Los Angeles to continue property development and acquisitions. In 1978, Murdock gained control of International Mining. By May 1981, through a strategic exchange of his 18% interest in Iowa Beef Packers for $800 million in Occidental Petroleum shares—facilitated by Armand Hammer—he became Occidental’s largest shareholder. This transaction positioned Occidental as the primary U.S. beef supplier to the Soviet Union via IBP.
Businesses
In 1982, Murdock acquired Cannon Mills located in Kannapolis, North Carolina, which was then profitable and free of debt. He utilized the company’s earnings to settle acquisition debts but subsequently reduced the workforce by 2,000 positions and liquidated company-owned housing assets. The $100 million pension fund was terminated; $36 million was redirected into Murdock’s personal investments while the remainder was invested in annuities through Executive Life Insurance Company, which eventually collapsed, diminishing retiree benefits. By 1985, he divested Cannon Mills to Fieldcrest.
That same year, Murdock took over the struggling Hawaiian enterprise Castle & Cooke, owner of the pineapple and banana producer Dole Food Company. He broadened Castle & Cooke’s real estate holdings into both residential and commercial projects and elevated Dole to become the world’s largest producer of fruits and vegetables. After privatizing Dole in 2003, he led a $446 million initial public offering in October 2009; Dole remained listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DOLE until it was taken private again through a merger finalized on October 31, 2013. Through Castle & Cooke, Murdock held a 98% stake in Lanai, Hawaii’s sixth-largest island, which he sold to Larry Ellison in June 2012. His business interests also encompassed companies such as Pacific Clay.
Philanthropy
Murdock played a key role in transforming a 5.8 million square foot site in Kannapolis, North Carolina into the North Carolina Research Campus—a biotechnology research hub developed through collaboration between major North Carolina universities and private sector investors. The location previously housed Cannon Mills’ Plant #1 and later Pillowtex, which declared bankruptcy in 2003 resulting in North Carolina’s largest mass layoff. Murdock purchased the property and demolished the mill structures in 2006.
After losing his third wife, Gabriele, Murdock dedicated himself to advancing cancer research, nutrition science, and longevity studies. He founded the Dole Nutrition Institute to advocate for plant-based diets aimed at improving health and preventing disease and partnered with UCLA on producing the Encyclopedia of Foods, A Guide to Healthy Nutrition. In 2006, he established the California Health and Longevity Institute (CHLI).
His contributions exceeded $500 million toward both the North Carolina Research Campus and the David H. Murdock Research Institute.
Personal life and death
Standing 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 140 pounds at the age of 87, Murdock's physical stature was notably slender.
Throughout his life, he entered into six marriages. His third spouse, Gabriele, whom he wed in 1967, gave birth to two children, and he also legally adopted her son, Eugene. Gabriele succumbed to ovarian cancer in 1985, and tragically, Eugene passed away the following year due to an accident at their estate's swimming pool. In 2004, his son David Jr. lost his life in a vehicular accident.
Justin, one of his sons, holds the positions of CEO and executive chairman at NovaRx and serves as senior vice president of investments for Castle & Cooke. Previously, Justin was a board member of Dole Food Company until his retirement in 2013.
In 2011, Forbes placed Murdock as the 190th wealthiest individual in the United States, with his net worth estimated at $2.4 billion as of March 2013.
Beginning in 1985, Murdock adhered to a pescetarian regimen rich in fruits and vegetables. His daily routine included consuming smoothies blending up to twenty different fruits and vegetables, incorporating finely ground peels. His diet featured fish, seafood, egg whites, legumes, and nuts while excluding dairy products, poultry, red meat, alcoholic beverages, processed sugars, and salt. He refrained from taking vitamin supplements and maintained that this nutritional approach could support longevity up to the age of 125.
Murdock passed away at his Hidden Valley ranch near Thousand Oaks, California on June 9, 2025, at the age of 102.
Selected publications
- The Dole Nutrition Handbook: What to Eat and How to Live for a Longer, Healthier Life (2010)