Salina businessman and philanthropist, Charlie Walker died Friday night at the age of 79.

According to reports, Walker died of an apparent heart attack.

Walker was the founder of Blue Beacon, Green Lantern Car Wash and Convenience Stores, and other businesses in Kansas and across the country.

Walker opened the Rolling Hills Zoo in 1999 and in 2005 added a 64,000-square-foot Wildlife Museum.

Walker’s companies and charitable organizations employed over 300 people in the Salina area and more than 4,000 people nationally.