Wilford R Cardon

Mesa businessman and politician Wil Cardon has died. He was 46. Cardon, who committed suicide, had struggled for years with depression, according to a statement from his wife, Nicole. Cardon attended Mesa Mountain View High School, later graduating from Stanford University after transferring from Brigham Young University. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School before taking over his family’s Mesa-based real estate investment business, the Cardon Group. Cardon ran unsuccessfully as a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in 2012 against Sen. Jeff Flake and for secretary of state in 2014. Campaign consultant Constantin Querard helped Cardon with his Senate race, and said they've been friends ever since. He said he'd just spoken to him last week and was shocked at the news. Cardon hails from a pioneer Arizona family. The Cardon Oil Co. was founded by Wilford Pratt "Pat" Cardon, Cardon's grandfather, who died in 1969. Wilford A. Cardon, Cardon's father, is credited with growing the petroleum and gas-station business, expanding into convenience stores, and real-estate investment and development. The Cardon Group's portfolio includes Subway and Dunkin' Donuts stores, among numerous other investments.