During his long career in the grocery business, James E. “Jim” Ukrop often got business pitches from various entrepreneurs in the Richmond region.
“I used to have people come in all the time with ideas,” said Ukrop, the former chairman and CEO of Ukrop’s Super Markets Inc. and chairman of First Market Bank. “They had their own little businesses,” and they would go to the prominent businessman and civic leader looking for an investment and advice.
“I was a sucker for that, so I’d write them a check,” Ukrop said. “So I’d have a little piece of their business, but I never really got involved in the businesses.”
