【美国人物志】雷·克拉克（2/6）

英语自学网

雷·克拉克（Ray Kroc，1902年10月5日－1984年1月14日），美国企业家，生于伊利诺伊州。1955年，他接管了当时规模很小的麦当劳公司的特许权，将其发展成全球最成功的快餐集团之一。他被《时代》杂志列为全球最有影响力的企业创始人之一。1974年开始，他成为圣地牙哥教士棒球队老板。
Hints:
Ray Kroc
McDonald
Chicago
Raymond Albert Kroc
Illinois
Oak Park
the Red Cross
World War One

sub_555.gif

Ray Kroc sold restaurant supplies. He recognized the importance of the McDonald brothers' idea. He saw that food sales could be organized for mass production -- almost like a factory. Mr. Kroc paid the McDonald brothers for permission to open several restaurants similar to theirs. He opened the first McDonald's restaurant near Chicago, Illinois, in 1955. Soon, more McDonald's were opening all across the United States. Other people copied the idea and more fast food restaurants followed.
Raymond Albert Kroc was a very wealthy businessman when he died in 1984. But he had not always been successful. Ray was born in Illinois in 1902. His parents were not rich. He attended school in Oak Park, near Chicago.Ray never completed high school, however. He left school to become a driver for the Red Cross in World War One. He lied about his age to be accepted. He was only 15. The war ended before he could be sent to Europe.