Awards & Scholarships

J.R. Simplot is the founder and president of the  J.R. Simplot Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates.

Mr. Simplot and his exploration staff have been involved in an active program of searching for and developing mineral deposits in the United States, Canada and Central America. His mining activities over the past 20 years have included the production of numerous minerals in Idaho; iron in Wyoming and Nevada; silica sand in Nevada and uranium in Colorado.

In addition to operating a major chemical processing plant, Mr. Simplot also owns several large phosphate producing mines in southeastern Idaho. Through Mr. Simplot's company, its subsidiaries and affiliates, he also operates a potato processing facility and owns several thousand acres of agricultural land in Idaho, including one of the largest beef and sheep operations in the West.

Mr. Simplot was born in Dubuque, Iowa, but has lived most of his life in Idaho. He presently serves on the board of directors of Idaho Power Company, First Security Corporation, Independent Coal and Coke, Continental Life and Accident Company and McDonald's Corporation. He has served on the board of trustees of the College of Idaho since 1944 and is currently a member of the Advisory Council to the Idaho Department of Commerce and Development.