Memorial set for Sara Lee executive Carlson
A memorial service will be held Sunday for James R. Carlson of Glen Ellyn, 28-year veteran of Sara Lee, who was instrumental in some acquisitions, including Jimmy Dean and others.
Carlson died Sunday of complications from a brain tumor, which was diagnosed in April. He was 68.
Visitation will be at 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Leonard Memorial Funeral Home, 565 Duane Street, Glen Ellyn.
Carlson held various senior management and executive positions with Downers Grove-based Sara Lee Corp., starting in 1973 in the law department and later as vice president of corporate development, executing numerous domestic and international acquisitions and investments that included Coach, Jimmy Dean and Kiwi.
He served as chief operating officer of Sara Lee Bakery and CEO of Sara Lee Foodservice Distribution. He later became the CEO of Sara Lee Foods, which included Sara Lee Meats, Sara Lee Bakery and Sara Lee Foodservice Distribution.
During his career, he helped lead the turnaround of various businesses, including the PYA Monarch Co. in Greenville, S.C., where he was president and CEO. In December 2000, PYA/Monarch was sold to Royal Ahold for $1.56 billion and was merged with U.S. Foodservice.
After retiring from Sara Lee in 2002, he formed Chicago-based Braydon Partners LLC, which provides corporate development outsourcing services.
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 and Chicago Cubs fan, said his friend Ken Trantowski.
"He treated every one, every day with respect no matter what your title or role was in life. He can be best described as a wise, kind and humble man," Trantowski said. "Despite all his business success, he was not pretentious and never displayed an ounce of arrogance."
Born in San Francisco, Carlson graduated from the former Campion Jesuit Boarding High School in Prairie du Chien, Wis. He earned an undergraduate degree from Loyola University in Chicago. He graduated Northwestern University School of Law and the University of Chicago Graduate School Of Business.
Carlson served in the U.S. Army in 1968-69, stationed in Kaiserslautern, Germany, working on legal matters.
Before 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 in Chicago.
Carlson also served as a board member for Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield and for Greenville Literary Association and St. Francis Hospital, both in Greenville, S.C.
He is survived by his wife Pamela (nee Nelson) of 39 years, sons Scott Carlson of Chicago; William (Bill) Carlson of Chicago; and daughter Jennifer (Roberto) Torasso, N.Y.; grandson Luca Torasso; brother Donald (Jeanne) Carlson of Galena, Ill.; brother Robert Carlson of Evanston; and sister Kathy (Ron) Endter of Mequon, Wis.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Evans Scholars Foundation in the name of Jim Carlson, c/o Glen Oak Country Club, 21W451 Hill Avenue, Glen Ellyn, Ill. 60137.