Overview
L.S. “Sam” Skaggs grew up working in his father’s drug stores and took over the PayLess chain in 1950. At the time of his retirement in 1995, Skaggs had built one of the world’s largest food companies and was one of the pioneers of bringing hard goods and pharmacies into the food store world.
After serving in Europe during World War II, Skaggs fulfilled his sense of social responsibility by building churches, schools, and research centers that would bring lasting benefits to others. He helped fund pharmaceutical research and education for years, eventually contributing to the University of Utah’s 150,000-square-foot pharmacy research center, the L.S. Skaggs Pharmacy Research Institute.
Skaggs was a visionary Utah businessman whose influence has profoundly affected the pharmaceutical industry, pharmacy education, and research. His passion for excellence in research for new medicines and his thoughtful and generous philanthropic spirit will continue through his legacy at the University of Utah.