Raymond Albert "Ray" Kroc (October 5, 1902 – January 14, 1984) was an American businessman, autodidact and philanthropist. He joined McDonald's in 1954 and built it into the most successful fast food operation in the world. Kroc was included in Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century, and amassed a fortune during his lifetime. He owned the San Diego Padres baseball team from 1974 until his death in 1984.