William Dillard, the founder and Chairman of Dillard’s, Inc., developed a keen interest in retailing at an early age. He started his success story in 1938 when, with $8,000 borrowed from his father, he opened a small store in his wife's hometown of Nashville, Arkansas. By that time, he had better than 12 years of part-time and summer experience working in his father's Mineral Springs, Arkansas store. After completing college (University of Arkansas-1935) and graduate school (Columbia University School of Business-1937), Mr. Dillard began working as a management trainee for Sears Roebuck & Company. Shortly after completing the training course, a period of only seven months, Mr. Dillard left Sears and opened his first store.