Charles D. Tandy

Charles David Tandy (15 May 1918 – 4 November 1978) was the Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Tandy Corporation.

Charles Tandy was born in Brownsville, Texas to Dave L. Tandy, who ran the Hinckley-Tandy Leather Company with his friend Norton Hinckley. He was educated at the R. L. Paschal High School. In 1940 he graduated from Texas Christian University. He then spent some time at the Harvard Business School before joining the US Navy for the remainder of World War II. While in the Navy he set a record for selling war bonds.

Charles developed his small family leather business into an international corporation. He first turned it into a leathercraft company when shoe rationing in World War II almost killed the business, and later expanded into selling leather and tools to make such products as wallets. After a struggle over the company, which saw the Hinckley name dropped, the company was renamed to Tandy Corporation. In 1963, Tandy acquired the ailing RadioShack, a chain of nine retail stores in the Boston area.

Tandy died of a heart attack in his sleep, on 4 November 1978.

• 1976: Business Executive of the Year by Texas Wesleyan University
• 1976: Dateline Award by Fort Worth Advertising Club
• 1976: Spirit of Enterprise Award of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce
• 1976: Outstanding Chief Executive Officer of the Year in Merchandising and Services Category by Financial World
• 1991: Academy of Achievement Sales & Marketing Hall of Fame Induction by SMEI

• "Dateline Award Recipients" (PDF). American Advertising Federation of Fort Worth. Retrieved 2010-06-09. 
• ^ Bennison, Gail. ’A Lot of Man’ Charles Tandy left a legacy of colorful stories, grateful devotees. Fort Worth Business Press: Thanks for the Mentorees (doc). Fort Worth, TX. pp. 7–10.