Cardon received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Univ. of Arizona and Ph.D. from Univ. of California. He served as an Army Officer in World War II, and after the war he helped establish a university for GI’ who were in Europe before they returned home. Cardon was a member of the faculty at the Univ. of Arizona from 1946-1954, and left when he became research director for Arizona Feeds. He became CEO of Arizona Feeds in 1962 and Chairman and CEO in 1973. At Arizona Feeds, he took a keen interest in Arizona 4-H and made it his business to help 4-H youth. Cardon often extended loans for youth to complete their 4-H projects and even establish club feed stores to learn good business skills.
In 1970 he gathered a group of influential agri-business leaders and founded the Arizona 4-H Youth Foundation. He served as Foundation Board President from 1973-1976 and 1977-1980. After he retired from business, he became Dean of the College of Agriculture from 1980-1987. While Dean, Bart was a champion of the 4-H program. He was largely responsible for the development of the UA Maricopa Ag. Center, which has become an internationally acclaimed agriculture research and demonstration facility and the home of Ag-ventures Village and state 4-H Museum.
