Richard Ransom

Richard K. Ransom (September 13, 1919 – April 11, 2016) was an American businessman and founder of Hickory Farms.

Life
Ransom graduated from DeVilbiss High School (Toledo, Ohio) in 1938. He served in World War II, at Okinawa. Starting in 1951, he built a specialty foods business, using the technique of "free samples". He sold Hickory Farms to General Host Corporation in 1980.

Philanthropy
He was on the board of the Toledo Zoo and Riverside Hospital. He was board chairman of St. John's Jesuit High School and Academy.