A Boost for Buster

In St. Louis, the employee newspaper of the Famous-Barr department store broke the news under a notable headline: BUSTER BECOMES OUR PRESIDENT. No further identification was necessary for the employees. Everyone in the store, chief link in the May department-store chain, knows that "Buster" is Morton David May, 36, son of the chain's longtime President Morton J. May and grandson of one of the founders.

A Dartmouth graduate, May was a cameraman before he was a retailer. On vacations from college, he trekked through Japan, Manchuria and Russia, taking motion pictures which were later used by the MARCH OF TIME. After receiving his degree in liberal arts with the class of 1936, he went to work as an $18-a-week stock boy at Famous-Barr, spent his spare time playing in tennis tournaments in Missouri, where he was a top-ranked player, started a modern art collection now considered one of St. Louis' best. Gradually, Buster May rose to assistant buyer and assistant merchandise manager in Famous-Barr's basement.

After a wartime stint in the Navy (he came out a lieutenant commander), May was made vice president and secretary of the May Company. Three years ago he became manager of Famous-Barr's $3,000,000 new store in suburban Clayton, and last year the $100,000-a-year general manager of the company's two St. Louis stores. As president of the 24-store, nine-city May chain, Buster will boss an operation that last year had record sales of $417 million. Said father Morton J. May, 67, who is stepping up to chairman: "He likes it, he's interested in it, he wants to carry on. What could make me happier?"

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