# Herman W. Lay

> Herman Warden Lay (1909-1982) founded H. W. Lay & Company, helped form Frito-Lay in 1961, and partnered with Donald M. Kendall in the 1965 merger that created PepsiCo. He served as PepsiCo’s first chairman and supported university programs and private enterprise education.

- **Role:** Businessman and philanthropist
- **Organizations:** H. W. Lay & Company, Frito-Lay, PepsiCo, Association of Private Enterprise Education, Furman University
- **From:** Charlotte, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Attended on an athletic scholarship; did not graduate, Furman University, Honorary Doctor of Laws, Furman University
- **Known for:** Founded H. W. Lay & Company., Helped form Frito-Lay in 1961., Co-founded PepsiCo through the 1965 merger and became its first chairman.

## Career timeline

- **1932** — Started a Nashville snack distribution business selling Barrett products.
- **1939** — By this year, acquired Barrett plants in Atlanta and Memphis and established H. W. Lay & Company.
- **1961** — H. W. Lay & Company merged with the Frito Company to form Frito-Lay; Lay became chief executive.
- **1965** — Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola merged to create PepsiCo; Lay became its first chairman.
- **1969** — Received the Horatio Alger Award.
- **1971** — Succeeded as PepsiCo chairman by Donald M. Kendall; became chairman of the executive committee.
- **1975** — Received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.
- **1980** — Retired from PepsiCo.
- **1982** — Died in Dallas on December 6.

## Achievements

- Founded H. W. Lay & Company.
- Helped form Frito-Lay in 1961.
- Co-founded PepsiCo through the 1965 merger and became its first chairman.
- Received the Horatio Alger Award in 1969.
- Received the Golden Plate Award in 1975.
- Helped fund the establishment of the Association of Private Enterprise Education.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — PepsiCo published a retrospective on the growth of Lay’s from Herman Lay’s early car deliveries to a global brand.

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Last updated: 2026-10-14