David H Murdock

Chairman Dole Food Company, Inc; Chairman, Castle & Cooke Inc

David H. Murdock, who rose from hardscrabble beginnings to become a billionaire investor, real estate mogul, corporate raider and philanthropist, and whose late-in-life devotion to healthy nutrition led him to announce that he planned to live to 125, died on Monday June 9 2025 at his ranch in the Southern California city of Thousand Oaks. He was 104. Murdock, who dropped out of school at 14 and was briefly a homeless veteran of World War II, made his first fortune in real estate and then acquired controlling stakes in a variety of public companies, including the Dole Food Company and the textile manufacturer Cannon Mills. High school dropout drafted into Army 1943; settled in Detroit after WWII. Bought diner with $1,800 loan; flipped quickly for small profit. Built homes in Arizona, California; survived real estate market crash. Bought slice of Dole produce outfit, Castle & Cooke real estate firm. Dole sales up 10% in past 12 months despite rising food costs. Actively pursuing health and nutrition research since his third wife passed away from cancer in 1985. Expanded his $1.5 billion North Carolina Research Campus; studying biotech, disease, biorepository. Over time, he turned Castle & Cooke into a successful real estate developer, separating it from its Dole subsidiary. In 2012, he took in hundreds of millions of dollars by selling Lanai to the Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison. He ran Dole for more than 30 years, piling up enormous profits year after year through its global reach, with world headquarters in Dublin and U.S. headquarters in Charlotte, N.C. Married five times, Mr. Murdock was especially devoted to his German-born third wife, Gabriele Murdock, whom he married in 1967. She died of ovarian cancer in 1985 at age 43. The couple had two sons, and Mr. Murdock adopted a son from his wife’s previous marriage. Less than a year after the death of his wife Gabriele to cancer in 1985, his oldest son, Eugene, 23, drowned in the pool at the family’s estate in Beverly Hills, Calif. Mr. Murdock’s second son, David II, was killed at age 36 in a car crash on the Santa Monica Freeway in 2004. Murdock is survived by his youngest son, Justin, and a granddaughter.

Relationships Interlocks Giving Data

Donors to Common Recipients

Recipients of donations from David H Murdock also received donations from these orgs and people

Donor	Common Recipients
Richard R Rogers	Lamar Alexander, Richard Burr, Eric Cantor, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, Orrin Hatch, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, John Thune, Jim Talent, Phil Gramm, Bob Dole, Donald Trump, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, California Republican Party/V8, Dick Zimmer, ORRINPAC, Campaign America Inc, John F Seymour, Bill Thomas, Rudy Boschwitz, Richard Hudson, Thom Tillis, National Republican Congressional Cmte, Trump Victory
Robert McNair	Spencer Abraham, Sam Brownback, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Don Nickles, Phil Gramm, Bob Dole, Michael Huffington, Donald Trump, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Matthew K Fong, California Republican Party/V8, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, Dick Zimmer, NRSC - Nonfederal, North Carolina Republican Executive Committee, Frank Murkowski, Wayne Parker Jr, George H W Bush, Bill Weld, Thom Tillis, National Republican Congressional Cmte, Trump Victory
Edward C Levy Jr	Spencer Abraham, Sam Brownback, Richard Burr, Eric Cantor, Norm Coleman, Chuck Grassley, Orrin Hatch, Daniel Inouye, Trent Lott, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Ben Nelson, Pat Roberts, Arlen Specter, John Thune, Don Young, Jim Talent, Don Nickles, Phil Gramm, Bob Dole, Guy Adrian Vander Jagt, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, Senate Victory Fund PAC, the, Frank Murkowski, John W. Warner III, Rudy Boschwitz
Jim Click	Lamar Alexander, Richard Burr, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, John McCain, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, Arlen Specter, John Thune, Don Young, Jim Talent, Phil Gramm, Donald Trump, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, Matthew K Fong, California Republican Party/V8, Beth Rogers, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, NRSC - Nonfederal, Campaign America Inc, George H W Bush, John F Seymour, Richard L Thornburgh, Rudy Boschwitz, Thom Tillis, McCarthy Victory Fund 2014, Trump Victory
Charles B Johnson	Richard Burr, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, Orrin Hatch, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, John Thune, Jim Talent, Phil Gramm, Bob Dole, Bob Packwood, Pete Wilson, Patricia Fukuda Saiki, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Matthew K Fong, California Republican Party/V8, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, Dick Zimmer, Tom Campbell, George H W Bush, Bill Weld, John F Seymour, Richard L Thornburgh, National Republican Congressional Cmte, 1989 Republican Senate/House Dinner Cmte
George P Shultz	Lamar Alexander, Elizabeth Dole, David Timothy Dreier, John McCain, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, Arlen Specter, Phil Gramm, Bob Dole, Michael Huffington, Pete Wilson, Lynn Morley Martin, Patricia Fukuda Saiki, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Matthew K Fong, California Republican Party/V8, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, Tom Campbell, Frank Murkowski, George H W Bush, Bill Weld, William Emerson Brock III, John F Seymour, Tom McClintock, Rudy Boschwitz
Jane L Bainum	Spencer Abraham, Lamar Alexander, Sam Brownback, Richard Burr, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, Chuck Grassley, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Pat Roberts, Arlen Specter, John Thune, Jim Talent, Don Nickles, Bob Dole, Lynn Morley Martin, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Matthew K Fong, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, Dick Zimmer, Richard J Monteith, Wayne Parker Jr, William Emerson Brock III, Rudy Boschwitz, Thom Tillis
Lawrence N Field	Spencer Abraham, Sam Brownback, Ken Calvert, Eric Cantor, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, Elton W Gallegly, Dan Lungren, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Arlen Specter, John Thune, Jim Talent, Pete Wilson, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Matthew K Fong, California Republican Party/V8, Dick Zimmer, Campaign America Inc, Richard J Monteith, Bill Weld, Rosario Marin, Tom McClintock, John W. Warner III, Rudy Boschwitz
Thomas E McInerney	Lamar Alexander, Richard Burr, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, Chuck Grassley, Orrin Hatch, Trent Lott, John McCain, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, John Thune, Jim Talent, Bob Dole, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, Dick Zimmer, NRSC - Nonfederal, ORRINPAC, Campaign America Inc, North Carolina Republican Executive Committee, Bill Weld, Rudy Boschwitz, Thom Tillis, National Republican Congressional Cmte, McCarthy Victory Fund 2014
Sheldon Adelson	Spencer Abraham, Richard Burr, Ken Calvert, Eric Cantor, Norm Coleman, Chuck Grassley, John McCain, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, Arlen Specter, John Thune, Don Young, Jim Talent, Bob Packwood, Donald Trump, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, California Republican Party/V8, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, Dick Zimmer, NRSC - Nonfederal, Richard L Thornburgh, Rudy Boschwitz, Thom Tillis, Trump Victory
Clive Runnells	Richard Burr, Norm Coleman, Chuck Grassley, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Arlen Specter, John Thune, Jim Talent, Don Nickles, Phil Gramm, Bob Dole, Michael Huffington, Pete Wilson, Patricia Fukuda Saiki, Donald Trump, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, California Republican Party/V8, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, Dick Zimmer, North Carolina Republican Executive Committee, George H W Bush, Rudy Boschwitz, National Republican Congressional Cmte, Trump Victory
Julie Finley	Spencer Abraham, Lamar Alexander, Richard Burr, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, John McCain, Arlen Specter, John Thune, Jim Talent, Bob Dole, Henry John Heinz III, Pete Wilson, Lynn Morley Martin, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, California Republican Party/V8, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, Dick Zimmer, NRSC - Nonfederal, Campaign America Inc, Tom Campbell, North Carolina Republican Executive Committee, George H W Bush, William Emerson Brock III, John F Seymour, National Republican Congressional Cmte
Giuseppe Cecchi	Sam Brownback, Richard Burr, Eric Cantor, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, Pete Domenici, John McCain, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, Sue Myrick, Arlen Specter, John Thune, Jim Talent, Donald Trump, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, California Republican Party/V8, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, NRSC - Nonfederal, Campaign America Inc, North Carolina Republican Executive Committee, Richard Hudson, Thom Tillis, National Republican Congressional Cmte, Trump Victory
Marc I Stern	Richard Burr, Ken Calvert, Eric Cantor, Norm Coleman, David Timothy Dreier, Chuck Grassley, John McCain, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, John Thune, Jim Talent, Michael Huffington, Pete Wilson, Donald Trump, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Matthew K Fong, California Republican Party/V8, Tom Campbell, George H W Bush, Bill Weld, Tom McClintock, National Republican Congressional Cmte, McCarthy Victory Fund 2014, Trump Victory
Gerald Parsky	Lamar Alexander, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, David Timothy Dreier, John McCain, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, Arlen Specter, John Thune, Jim Talent, Phil Gramm, Bob Dole, Bob Packwood, Michael Huffington, Pete Wilson, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, California Republican Party/V8, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, Campaign America Inc, Tom Campbell, George H W Bush, Bill Weld, William Emerson Brock III, John F Seymour, Rudy Boschwitz, McCarthy Victory Fund 2014
Dana K Anderson	Sam Brownback, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, Orrin Hatch, Dan Lungren, John McCain, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, Pat Roberts, John Thune, Phil Gramm, Bob Dole, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Matthew K Fong, California Republican Party/V8, ORRINPAC, Campaign America Inc, Tom Campbell, George H W Bush, John F Seymour, Rosario Marin, Bill Thomas, Tom McClintock, Thom Tillis
Jose Fanjul	Spencer Abraham, Eric Cantor, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, Chuck Grassley, Orrin Hatch, Trent Lott, Mitch McConnell, Pat Roberts, John Thune, Don Nickles, Bob Dole, Patricia Fukuda Saiki, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, California Republican Party/V8, RNC Republican National State Elections Committee, Campaign America Inc, Senate Victory Fund PAC, the, North Carolina Republican Executive Committee, Frank Murkowski, George H W Bush, Bill Weld, John W. Warner III, Thom Tillis, Trump Victory
Donald C Alexander	Chuck Grassley, Orrin Hatch, Dan Lungren, Ben Nelson, Arlen Specter, Don Young, Don Nickles, Phil Gramm, Bob Dole, Bob Packwood, Henry John Heinz III, Guy Adrian Vander Jagt, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Matthew K Fong, Dick Zimmer, NRSC - Nonfederal, Tom Campbell, Frank Murkowski, Bill Weld, John F Seymour, Bill Thomas, Richard L Thornburgh, Rudy Boschwitz
William E. Timmons Jr.	Spencer Abraham, Lamar Alexander, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, David Timothy Dreier, Chuck Grassley, Orrin Hatch, Trent Lott, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Pat Roberts, Arlen Specter, John Thune, Jim Talent, Don Nickles, Bob Dole, Bob Packwood, Guy Adrian Vander Jagt, Pete Wilson, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, Tom Campbell, Senate Victory Fund PAC, the, Frank Murkowski, Wayne Parker Jr, George H W Bush, William Emerson Brock III
Ed Rogers	Spencer Abraham, Lamar Alexander, Sam Brownback, Richard Burr, Eric Cantor, Norm Coleman, Elizabeth Dole, Chuck Grassley, Orrin Hatch, Trent Lott, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Pat Roberts, Arlen Specter, John Thune, Jim Talent, Phil Gramm, Bob Dole, Rick Lazio, George W Bush, Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rudy Giuliani, National Republican Congressional Committee, Campaign America Inc, Senate Victory Fund PAC, the, Wayne Parker Jr, George H W Bush, Bill Thomas

Types	Person, Business Person
Aliases	David Howard Murdock, Sr., David Murdock

David H Murdock

Chairman Dole Food Company, Inc; Chairman, Castle & Cooke Inc

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