While Sam Walton is the better-known cofounder of Walmart, he didn't start the world's largest retailer by himself.
Walton had help from his younger brother, James "Bud" Walton, who left behind his stake in the company to his two children, daughters Ann Walton Kroenke and Nancy Walton Laurie, when he died in 1995.
His younger daughter, Nancy, made headlines last year when her $300 million superyacht, Kaos, was spray-painted by climate activists proclaiming the message "You consume, others suffer."
Here's what you need to know about the billionaire Walmart heiress:
Nancy Walton Laurie, 72, is the youngest daughter of James "Bud" Walton, who cofounded Walmart with his brother, Sam Walton. The brothers opened the first Walmart in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas.Sam Walton and James "Bud" Walton cofounded Walmart.
Sam's Club
She currently lives in Henderson, Nevada, and Los Angeles, according to Bloomberg.Nancy Walton Laurie is the youngest of Bud Walton's two daughters.
In 1973, she graduated from the University of Memphis, known then as Memphis State, with a bachelor's degree in English.She attended the University of Memphis.
She met her future husband, Bill Laurie, at the university, where he played basketball. His team made it to the 1973 NCAA finals.Nancy Walton Laurie and husband Bill Laurie at the Red Bull Racing garage prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Miami in May 2023.
The couple had a daughter, Elizabeth Paige Laurie, in 1982. Paige was accused of paying a fellow student $20,000 to do her homework for three and a half years during her time at USC and in 2005, she surrendered her degree.Elizabeth Paige Laurie is 42 years old today.
When James "Bud" Walton died in 1995, Nancy inherited around half of her father's 40 million shares in Walmart, while her older sister, Ann Walton Kroenke, received the rest. Nancy owns less than a 5% stake in the company, according to Bloomberg. She is not actively involved in Walmart's operations.Nancy inherited half of her father's stake in Walmart when he died, according to Bloomberg.
Nancy is the 269th richest person in the world as of April 29, 2024, according to The Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with an estimated net worth of $9.10 billion.Nancy Walton Laurie and her siblings and cousins are among the world's richest people.
Nancy's cousin, Alice Walton, is one of the world's richest women and for a brief time was named the richest woman in America.Alice Walton is the only daughter of Sam Walton.
Nancy is a patron of the arts. In 1998, she established a dance school called the Columbia Performing Arts Center in Columbia, Missouri.Nancy has poured some of her wealth into dance.
She also owned a contemporary ballet company called the Cedar Lake Ensemble in New York City. She established the company in 2002. In 2004, she paid $11.37 million to build out "a 191-seat theater, a rehearsal studio and offices for her company," according to the New York Times. The company closed in 2015.Christine Dakin and Nancy Walton Laurie attend Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet "Dream Collaborations: An Evening of Three Choreographers" at Cedar Lake on January 30, 2006 in New York City.
Christian Grattan/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Nancy and her husband owned the St. Louis Blues hockey team from 1999 to 2005. Today, they have a commercial real estate portfolio, multiple homes, and two yachts, according to Forbes.Nancy and her husband owned the St. Louis Blues hockey team for several years.
One of Nancy's yachts, called Kaos, was the subject of news last year when climate activists spray-painted it.Nancy's yacht, Kaos, not pictured here, was spray-painted in an act of climate activism in 2023.
Mandoga Media/picture alliance via Getty Images
Members of Spanish environmental group Futuro Vegetal last year spray-painted the yacht as it was docked at a port in Ibiza, an island off the coast of Spain.
The 361-feet long yacht is worth an estimated $300 million and includes a swimming pool, cinema, spa, and aquarium, according to Yacht Bible.
After activists spray-painted the stern of the yacht in red and black, they held up a sign that read "You consume others suffer."
A video of the event, and of workers hosing down the paint afterwards was uploaded online.
Smi24.net — ежеминутные новости с ежедневным архивом. Только у нас — все главные новости дня без политической цензуры. "123 Новости" — абсолютно все точки зрения, трезвая аналитика, цивилизованные споры и обсуждения без взаимных обвинений и оскорблений. Помните, что не у всех точка зрения совпадает с Вашей. Уважайте мнение других, даже если Вы отстаиваете свой взгляд и свою позицию. Smi24.net — облегчённая версия старейшего обозревателя новостей 123ru.net. Мы не навязываем Вам своё видение, мы даём Вам срез событий дня без цензуры и без купюр. Новости, какие они есть —онлайн с поминутным архивом по всем городам и регионам России, Украины, Белоруссии и Абхазии. Smi24.net — живые новости в живом эфире! Быстрый поиск от Smi24.net — это не только возможность первым узнать, но и преимущество сообщить срочные новости мгновенно на любом языке мира и быть услышанным тут же. В любую минуту Вы можете добавить свою новость - здесь.
