Entrepreneur gives $1 million to Baylor Scott & White – Grapevine
When Wholly Guacamole founder
Don Bowden sold his business to
Hormel a few years ago, he and his
Don Bowden with his late wife, Linda
wife, Linda, knew what they wanted
to do with the money.
“My wife and I decided to give
some to our children and the rest to
charity,” said Don in his distinctly
Fort Worth drawl.
One of the charities they chose was
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center
– Grapevine, where Linda was treated
several times over the years.
After her death in May 2017, Don
began following through with their
plans.
When Steven Newton, president
of Baylor Scott & White – Grapevine,
met with Don, the guacamole pioneer
explained that he’d like to donate $1
million to the hospital.
“I was astonished,” Steven said.
“We always appreciate being
affirmed by family members of those
we care for, and that would have
been a meaningful gift in and of
itself. To have him say that he’d like
to make a donation of that size was
The Trouble with Avocados
Using fresh avocados to make
Don founded the company that guacamole and other dishes was
1989. But his experience with fruit’s short shelf life. When he
general, goes back to 1966, when he uses high press==ure to kill bacteria
Buffets in North Texas. Later, he went with avocados. The process worked,
Mercado Juarez restaurants. packaging, allowed him to make
amazing.” produced Wholly Guacamole in always troublesome because of the
appreciation to employees. To this avocados, and Mexican food in learned of a new technology that
opened several Panchos Mexican and preserve food, he gave it a try
on to launch the Dos Gringos and and coupled with vacuum-sealed
Don made the gift to show his
end, hospital leaders established a
fund that can be used in areas of
greatest need and to help fund
scholarships or continuing education
for employees.
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