A Better Tribute to Dave
Posted on 01/11/2002 5:35:39 AM PST by chimera
Wendy's modest founder had a biggie heart
Thursday, January 10, 2002
If this generation needs a symbol of what it means to be American, of the promise that the nation holds for those willing to seize its opportunities, to embrace the bedrock principles of working hard and sharing success, few could fill that role better than Wendy's founder R. David Thomas. His life exemplified and validated all the best that Americans believe about themselves and their country. Thomas, who died Tuesday at 69 after a long bout with liver cancer, was an uncomplicated man of humble beginnings who believed in those values. He lived by them, and they won him not only fabulous success and fame but also respect and love.
Though he ascended to the heights of the business world, to millions of Americans he remained simply Dave, the grandfatherly, self-mocking television pitchman who assured them that his restaurants would give them exactly what he promised: fresh food made to order quickly and served up in a clean and comfortable environment.
Half a century ago, he decided that was the recipe for success, and he was right. By the time he symbolically hung up his apron, this self-described "hamburger cook'' had provided jobs for more than 40,000 people and his two restaurant chains enjoyed annual sales of $8 billion. Thomas was living proof that in America, vision, determination and a strong work ethic will be rewarded.
A big part of that success was the result of the TV ads, because they communicated something essential about Thomas: He was not simply playing a part as company spokesman; he was genuine. He said he'd treat you right, and he did. He brought that same approach to the way he ran his business. His employees were part of his family, and he enjoyed spending time with them. He knew that success depended upon finding people who shared his vision and treating them right.
No matter how much personal success came to him, he never got above himself. He remembered who he was and where he came from. And it was in this humility that the greatness of his spirit manifested itself. From the heights of success, he reached out to those who, like him, are forced to begin life with little.
Thomas was adopted as an infant and his adoptive mother died when he was 5, but he always considered himself blessed because a family chose to take him in. He lived humbly as a boy, moving from state to state as his handyman father sought work. It was during this time that his childhood dream of one day owning a restaurant and selling hamburgers was born.
Once his business was established and flourishing, Thomas spent his time and millions of dollars to ensure that loving homes could be found for the tens of thousands of parentless children.
"If I can get just one child a home,'' he once said, "it would be better than selling a million hamburgers.'' In the end, he accomplished both many times over.
Thomas brought the same determination to his philanthropy that he brought to his business. When he decided that something needed to be done, he set about to do it. Believing that an adoption postage stamp would help focus attention on the issue, he set out to get the U.S. Postal Service to issue one. He was warned that it might take years. That was too long for Thomas. He took the matter to the White House, and the stamp became a reality in 18 months, debuting in May 2000.
Thomas also worked hard to inspire children to make the most of their opportunities, including education. Having dropped out of school when he was 15, Thomas believed he could set a powerful example for young people by earning a high-school equivalency degree, which he did -- at age 60. Very likely that certificate meant more to him than the numerous honorary college degrees he had collected.
His philanthropic contributions were prodigious. In addition to the vast amounts of personal time he devoted to his favorite causes, he also donated millions of dollars. Thomas provided seed money for the Dave Thomas Center for Adoption Law at Capital University. His three-year grant helped launch the enterprise in 1992. Since then, the center has become a national adoption resource and advocate for improvements in adoption law and practice, including tax credits for families who adopt.
That same year he also formed the nonprofit Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption to help find homes for more than 100,000 American children in the public child-welfare system.
The foundation's mission statement is, "Every child will have a permanent home and loving family.'' He and his wife established the Dave and Lorraine Thomas Clinical Laboratories at Children's Hospital in 1990 and followed that in 1997 with a $1 million donation to the hospital.
In 1983, he provided $1.8 million to help build the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital, where a part of the facility is named after him.
Other beneficiaries of his largess included Recreation Unlimited, the Ohio State Fair grand champions program, the Future Farmers of America and 4-H.
This generosity was just as much a part of his character as the determination and persistence that made him successful. Thomas believed in the American Dream, he lived it and he demonstrated that it is real. America is richer for this. His philanthropic contributions were prodigious. In addition to the vast amounts of time he devoted to his favorite causes, he also donated millions of dollars.
The Thomas family has been very gracious in allowing public visitation for Dave's wake these past two days. I am a few thousand others paid our respects. Mrs. Thomas and the family are bearing up well, since Dave's passing was not unexpected. Wendy is still a natural redhead and looks pretty good for a woman now in her forties. I learned that her younger sister pronounced her name (Melinda) as "Mewinda", which became "Winda", and, wrested slightly, becomes "Wendy".
Dave's funeral and interment is today. My thoughts and prayers will be ones of thanks for the life of a good man, and for the comfort of his grieving family and friends.
Uh, oh. Maybe Wendy's had better start wrapping their burgers in tinfoil...:D
Dan
Dan
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