Margaret Loreta Rudkin (September 14, 1897 – June 1, 1967[1]) was an American businesswoman who founded Pepperidge Farm and was the first female member of the board at the Campbell Soup Company.
Early life
On September 14, 1897, Rudkin was born as Margaret Loreta Fogarty in Manhattan, New York City, New York. Rudkin's parents were Joseph J. Fogarty, an Irish clerk, and Margaret Healy. She was the eldest of her four siblings. Rudkin had reddish hair and green eyes. Rudkin learned cooking from her grandmother, who started her off with cakes and biscuits. The family moved to Flushing, Queens, after her grandmother's death. She studied finance and graduated valedictorian from her high school.[2][3]