Don Fisher

Don and Doris Fisher founded and then transformed a single store in San Francisco stocked with Levi’s, records and tapes into a thriving, nearly $15 billion global business with more than 134,000 employees, more than 3,100 stores and a permanent place in pop cultural history. They have been credited with inventing the specialty retail category, though they were equally known for their commitment to philanthropy and civic work. Throughout his distinguished career, Don kept a sharp focus on growing Gap Inc. thoughtfully, but always maintained a commitment to his family, his philanthropic and civic duties and his love of the arts. Don had never anticipated that his once small business would grow so rapidly, that it would revolutionize retail and transcend cultures. He’d always envisioned a modest chain of casual wear stores—maybe, as he once put it, “as many as 10.” His approach was led by passion and determination—doing things his own way. The first Gap store, in 1969, would change retail forever.