C. Arnholdt Smith

Conrad Arnholdt Smith (aka Conrad Arnholt Smith) (March 13, 1899 in Walla Walla, Washington – June 8, 1996 in Del Mar, California) was a leading businessman and civic activist in San Diego, California.

Smith was born in Walla Walla, Washington. His family fled to San Diego in 1907 when his father faced prison for perjury in a political case. Smith grew up poor and never finished high school. He became a bank teller, and impressed A.P. Giannini, who moved him rapidly up the ranks of the Bank of Italy (now the Bank of America). In the 1970s, he married Maria Helen Alvarez, and the couple had one child named Joseph Thomas Alvarez III.

With financial help from his brother in the oil business, Smith bought the United States National Bank in 1933. Smith was an entrepreneur with diversified investments, and became the most prominent civic leader in San Diego.

He owned the largest bank in the city, had major interests in the tuna industry and real estate, and owned the San Diego Padres of the National League from their inception through 1974. Originally, he purchased the minor league Padres of the Pacific Coast League in 1955. He was awarded one of two National League expansion franchises slated to start in the 1969 season (along with the Montreal Expos). After failing in an attempt to move the Padres to Washington, D.C., he sold the team to McDonald's founder Ray Kroc.

Smith was a close friend of President Richard M. Nixon, and was with him on election night when Nixon won the presidency in 1968. Smith raised a reported $1 million for Nixon's 1968 presidential campaign, including $250,000 from him personally. Smith donated $200,000 to his re-election campaign in 1972, but the money was returned because Smith was under investigation by the SEC and IRS.

...
Wikipedia