The Wendy's chief got rich, had fun doing it and made millions of friends in the process.
Americans love to barb and harpoon celebrities and they delight in discovering frailties in such high-profilers as computer genius Bill Gates, media magnate Ted Turner and publishing-political performer Steve Forbes.
But now and then along comes a super successful individual who not only makes money but turns out good products and seems like a truly decent fellow citizen. Such was R. David Thomas, the plain and simple fellow who started the Wendy's Old-Fashioned Hamburger empire and never seemed to take himself too seriously.
There are nearly 5,000 of the restaurants because of Thomas, who died this week at age 69. He not only worked at running the company well but was its prime spokesman and hustler with a lot to be proud about.
There have been many other company heads who have gone before the public to push their products Lee Iacocca for autos, Victor Kiam for shavers, and all those promoters for such items as the Pocket Fisherman. But none of them ever seemed more folksy and friendly than Old Dave. He was the kind of guy you might like to have home for lunch or dinner and a few chats. He made you want to be happy even if you weren't at the time.
Thomas was an adopted child and he never stopped working on behalf of family values. He was taken early on by Col. Harland Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame and with Sanders' aid became a millionaire by the age of 37. Then came Wendy's. Thomas worked long and hard, and generously, on behalf of adoptive programs so that others might get the kind of start he did. He never sought his birth parents. He liked what had happened to him, or at least accepted it.
Thomas and Wendy's, which bore a daughter's nickname, had and have their critics. No empire this vast can escape some problems.
But behind it all was Dave Thomas, a lively, vibrant, intelligent person intent on doing right by the public and enjoying himself immensely.
Thomas was a down-to-earth rich man who found time to try to do well by many. He was one of those "originals" our country is so famous for producing and his record as a good citizen certainly merits praise and respect.
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