13 Facts About Jim Cantalupo

James Richard Cantalupo was an American businessman.

Jim Cantalupo served as chairman and chief executive officer of McDonald's Corporation from 2003 until his sudden death by heart attack at the age of 60.

Jim Cantalupo was born in Oak Park, Illinois, the eldest child in a family of Irish and Italian descent.

Jim Cantalupo's father was an optometrist and mother a homemaker.

Jim Cantalupo earned a degree in accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he was admitted to the Zeta Psi fraternity.

Jim Cantalupo became a certified public accountant and worked for Arthur Young for eight years, where McDonald's was a client.

Jim Cantalupo was offered the job of controller with a substantial salary increase with the then fast growing McDonald's before taking a month to decide, finally joining in 1974.

Jim Cantalupo became president of McDonald's International in 1987 and its CEO in 1991.

Jim Cantalupo lost the top job to Jack Greenberg in 1999.

McDonald's announced his retirement plans in April 2001, but on December 1 Greenberg resigned and Jim Cantalupo agreed to stay on for another year to help with the management transition.

Jim Cantalupo succeeded as CEO and chairman on January 1,2003.

Jim Cantalupo previously served on the board of directors of Sears, Roebuck and Company.

Jim Cantalupo was attending a McDonald's convention in Orlando, Florida when he was stricken with a heart attack and later died.