Interview with Cal Turner, Jr., November 13, 2014

Interview Summary

Turner says he regrets the name change of the company from J. L. Turner & Son to Dollar General when the company went public in 1968. He says the company has been a successful performer since going public in 1968 although it did not fit neatly into a retail category. Turner talks about how unprepared he was to manage a public company, and being unaware of what an annual report was. He discusses the challenges of taking the company public and its history of growth and opportunism. Turner talks about the challenges of reconciling Dollar General's unique retail business model with the expectations of Wall Street when the company went public.

Turner says he was able to relate to employees at Dollar General as a new leader by acknowledging he gained his position by family relationship and admitting he needed help to understand his new role. He says he was well supported by his father, and he developed good listening skills. Turner says Dollar General operated two distinct lines of retail businesses, one specializing in merchandise liquidation and the other conventional consumer goods. He says the first line was based on opportunistic purchasing, and the second line on consistency. Turner compares business management to parenting skills. He talks about his responsibilities as CEO.

Turner says dealing with the human talent of the company was the most rewarding aspect of his role as CEO. He discusses the various foundations sponsored by Dollar General and the Turner family, and says the general objective is to support literacy and serve the community. Turner says the difference between management and leadership is that religious ministry goes into leadership. He talks about the need for diversity among employees and management to establish a family-like culture in the company.

Turner describes his interests and work in philanthropic projects. He says philanthropy is grounded on love for fellow man, and he sees the Bible as a philanthropic guide. He says his initial motivation for philanthropy was to avoid estate taxes because he wanted his money to go to the community, neighbors, employees, and customers. He describes a major donation of stock he made to Lindsey Wilson College because he wanted to help at an institutional level by giving to education and the Methodist church. Turner talks about the mixed culture on the Lindsey Wilson College board of directors. He talks about his gift of $1 million worth of Dollar General stock to the college and about philanthropy in general. Turner discusses his family's love of music which was instilled by his mother. He talks about making a gift to the Nashville Symphony Orchestra in her name. Turner discusses the respective roles of society, the wealthy, government, and the church in philanthropy. He discusses how he became involved in philanthropy when Dollar General's headquarters moved to Nashville because that was part of the local culture.

Interview Keyword

Families. Retail trade. Inventories, Retail Religion Philanthropy

Interview LC Subject

Dollar General Store (Firm) Family-owned business enterprises Management Charities

Interview Rights

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.