MINNEAPOLIS — Bruce Dayton, the father of Minnesota’s governor and a key figure in building his family’s company into the retailing business that became Target Corp., has died. Dayton was 97.

Matt Swenson, press secretary for the governor, says Dayton died on Friday.

Dayton was born in Minneapolis and began working at Dayton’s, his family’s department store, in his early 20s. He worked his way up to president as the company and its discount offshoot, Target, grew into nationally known chains.

His departure in 1983 ended 80 years of direct family involvement in the company.

The Yale graduate and Army veteran also donated art work worth millions of dollars to the Minneapolis Institute of Art.