Rex David Thomas (July 2, 1932 – January 8, 2002) was an American businessman, philanthropist, and fast-food tycoon who was the founder and chief executive officer of Wendy's, a fast-food restaurant chain specializing in hamburgers.[1][2] In this role, Thomas appeared in more than 800 commercial advertisements for the chain from 1989 to 2002,[3] more than any other company founder in television history.[4]
Early life
Rex David Thomas was born July 2, 1932, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.[2][5] His biological father's name was Sam and his biological mother's name was Molly.[6] Thomas was adopted between six weeks and six months later by Rex and Auleva Thomas,[6][7] and as an adult became a well-known advocate for adoption, founding the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. After his adoptive mother's death when he was five, his father moved around the country seeking work. Thomas spent some of his early childhood near Kalamazoo, Michigan, with his grandmother, Minnie Sinclair, whom he credited with teaching him the importance of service and treating others well and with respect, lessons that helped him in his future business life.[8]
At age 12, Thomas had his first job at Regas Restaurant, a fine dining restaurant in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, then lost it in a dispute with his boss. He vowed to never lose another job. Decades later, Regas Restaurant installed a large autographed poster of Thomas just inside their entrance, which remained until the business closed in 2010. By 15, he was moving with his father and working at the Hobby House Restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, owned by Phil Clauss, who became his mentor.[9] When his father prepared to move again, Thomas decided to stay in Fort Wayne, dropping out of high school to work full-time at the restaurant. Thomas, who considered ending his schooling the greatest mistake of his life, did not graduate from high school until 1993, when he obtained a GED.[10]
He subsequently became an education advocate and founded the Dave Thomas Education Center in Coconut Creek, Florida, which offers GED classes to young adults.[11][12]
Career
U.S. Army
At the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, rather than waiting for the draft, he volunteered for the U.S. Army at age 18 to have some choice in assignments. Having food production and service experience, Thomas requested the Cook's and Baker's School at Fort Lee, Virginia. He was sent to West Germany as a mess sergeant and was responsible for the daily meals of 2,000 soldiers, rising to the rank of staff sergeant. After his discharge in 1953, Thomas returned to Fort Wayne and the Hobby House.[13]
Fast food career
Kentucky Fried Chicken
In the mid-1950s, Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Col. Harland Sanders came to Fort Wayne, hoping to find restaurateurs with established businesses to whom he could try to sell KFC franchises.
Personal life
Thomas was a Christian.[25] He was married for 47 years to Lorraine Thomas and started his family with her in Upper Arlington, Ohio.[26] In addition to Melinda, they had three more daughters – Pam, Lori, and Molly – and a son, Kenny. After Kenny died in 2013, his sisters still continued to own and run multiple Wendy's locations. Thomas founded the chain Sisters Chicken and Biscuits in 1978, named in reference to his other three daughters.[27]
Death
He had been afflicted with a carcinoid neuroendocrine tumor for a decade, before it metastasized to his liver.[28] Thomas died at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on January 8, 2002, at the age of 69. He was buried in Union Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio.
Honors and memberships
In 1979, Thomas received the Horatio Alger Award for his success with his restaurant chain Wendy's, which had reached annual sales of US$1 billion with franchises then.[30]
In 1980, Thomas received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.[31]
Thomas, realizing that his success as a high school dropout might convince other teenagers to quit school (something he later claimed was a mistake), became a student at Coconut Creek High School. He earned a GED in 1993.[32] Thomas was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 1999.[33]
Thomas was an honorary Kentucky colonel, as was former boss Harland Sanders.[34]
External links
- Wendy's tribute to Dave Thomas
- The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
- "Dave Thomas Biography". Retrieved June 1, 2005
References
- Carrie Moore. Wendy's founder relies on old-fashioned quality Deseret News, May 31, 1983^
- Ameet Sachdev. Wendy's founder Thomas dies at 69 Spokesman-Review, January 9, 2002^
- Dave Thomas dies at 69; founded Wendy's chain