page_title: James McLamore
section_title: The Burger King Years
hierarchical_section_title: James McLamore / The Burger King Years
caption_attribution_description: English: Hotel and Restaurant Greats from 1979 (left to right): Patrick O’Malley (Canteen Corp.), Barron Hilton (Hilton Hotels), J. Willard Marriott (Marriott Corp.), Col. Harland Sanders (Kentucky Fried Chicken), Jim McLamore (Burger King), Kemmons Wilson (Holiday Inns)
context_page_description: James Whitman McLamore was creator and first CEO of the Burger King fast food franchise along with David Edgerton. He also created the Whopper sandwich. After selling Burger King to the Pillsbury Company in 1967, he remained CEO for 5 years. After retiring, he served on the board of several large corporations, was Chairman of the University of Miami, chaired the United Way and was a member and Chairman of the Orange Bowl Committee. He invested in the Miami Dolphins for several years and reinvested in the educational institutions that impacted him at Northfield Mount Hermon and Cornell University. He was also a gardener, and Chairman at Fairchild Tropical Gardens.
context_section_description: Edgerton originally opened Insta Burger King in Miami, Florida on March 1, 1954. Three months later, on June 1, he met McLamore and they formed the Burger King Corporation. The corporation opened Burger King stores and went on to introduce the Whopper burger in 1957, when it also dropped "Insta" from the name. At this same time, Edgerton, frustrated with the issue-prone Insta machines, created the flame broiler that would provide the signature for Burger King.
  In 1961, McLamore negotiated the national rights to Burger King and began growth across the country. McLamore and Edgerton created two supporting businesses in 1962: Distron and Davmor Industries. Distron became the food distribution center for all the stores. Davmor Industries was the manufacturing plant that produced all kitchen equipment for each new store. 
  Burger King was expanding, but as McDonald's went public in 1965, organic growth became difficult in keeping up. The pair sold the 274 store business to Pillsbury in 1967 in an attempt to grow under the brand. McLamore served as Burger King's CEO until 1972, when he stepped down as Pillsbury was taking the business in a different direction. He remained chairman of the company until 1976.
caption: Hotel and Restaurant Greats from 1979 (left to right): Patrick O’Malley (Canteen Corp.), Barron Hilton (Hilton Hotels), J. Willard Marriott (Marriott Corp.), Col. Harland Sanders (Kentucky Fried Chicken), Jim McLamore (Burger King), Kemmons Wilson (Holiday Inns)
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