| (1932
- 2002) |
| Inducted: |
1999 |
| Region: |
MidWest |
| Industry: |
Manufacturing
Food |
|
Dave Thomas dropped out of high school to pursue his dream of becoming a restaurant owner. Despite his early struggles, Thomas was successful and went on to own several KFC Restaurants. In 1969 Thomas decided to open a hamburger business. He opened his first Wendy’s, named after his daughter, in Columbus, Ohio. Through shrewd marketing and franchising, Thomas grew Wendy’s into a chain of 5,300 restaurants in the United States and 30 countries. In 1993, Thomas, went back to high school and received his GED. His classmates voted him “Most Likely to Succeed.” |
