Freedom and Capitalism, Ingenuity, Hardwork and Discipline

Dave Thomas

July 2, 1932 - January 8, 2002

Founder of Wendy's International restaurant chain. Thomas never knew his birth mother, and was adopted by a couple from Michigan, at the age of six months. Thomas's adoptive mother died when he was only five, and by the age of 10 Thomas had lost two stepmothers. When Thomas was a young teen, his family moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he worked at such jobs as a paperboy, golf caddy, and drugstore. At 15, Thomas got his first job at a restaurant, and when his family decided to leave Fort Wayne to move again, he refused to leave, dropping out of school in the 10th grade and going to work full time. Thomas served in the Army during the Korean War as the manager of an enlisted-men's club. Upon returning to home, Thomas found his former boss at the Hobby House restaurant, Phil Clauss, owned some of the first franchises of the Kentucky Fried Chicken chain. Clauss offered Thomas the opportunity to turn around the restaurants, which were failing. A few short years later, a 35-year-old Thomas sold the franchises back to the headquarters for $1.5 million. After complaining that he couldn't find a good hamburger in Columbus, Thomas decided to open his own restaurant. On November 15, 1969, he opened the first Wendy's restaurant, named for his eight-year-old daughter, Melinda Lou, known as Wendy. She was the youngest of his five children with his wife Lorraine, whom he married in 1956. Known for its square hamburgers and choice of toppings, Wendy's quickly caught on and within less than a decade grew into a franchise of 1,000 stores.

Thomas was a generous donor to charities, particularly those dedicated to helping children in need. He supported St. Jude Children’s Cancer Research Center, the Children’s Hospital in Columbus, the Children’s Home Society of Florida, and numerous others.

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.