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Mind The Gap Podcast | Success Has No Expiration Date | Ed Potts | S2 Ep. 11 — Transcript

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0:00being passionate, having grit and hard
0:03work, showing up and and doing your job.
0:06Um, in many cases, that's going to give
0:09you an advantage over a lot of the
0:11people that are competing with you.
0:15>> You're watching Mind [music] the Gap
0:16podcast with Bill Minadir. Let's get it.
0:20[music]
0:22>> So, uh, welcome to Mind the Gap podcast.
0:24Today's guest, uh, has worn many hats
0:26throughout his life. You know, he built
0:27a successful career as a financial
0:29advisor, served as a a city
0:32commissioner, and today leads one of the
0:34most impactful charities in our region
0:35as board president of the Ronald
0:36McDonald's
0:38House Charities of North Central
0:39Florida. That's a mouthful. Mouthful.
0:41>> Uh he also carries a unique unique uh
0:43family connection to one of the most
0:44recognized brands in the world at the
0:46McDonald's family.
0:47>> Um you know, we're going to talk about
0:49leadership, service, business,
0:50philanthropy, and what it means to leave
0:52something behind that matters. Uh so
0:54with that, I'd like to welcome Ed
0:56Pototts. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks
0:58for the invitation.
0:59>> Yeah. No, really excited to just kind of
1:02rewind and go back through some of some
1:04of your life experiences. Um, you know,
1:06how it got started. Maybe maybe take us
1:09to the McDonald's thing real quick. How
1:10how are you related to that and and
1:12maybe what has that done for you moving
1:13forward just being a part of that? Uh,
1:15growing up
1:17>> that um it it's it's funny. It's a
1:21McDonald's has been a part of my life
1:24since I was born. I I'm uh 66 years old.
1:28So I was born in 1960.
1:30My family, my grandparents and my
1:34parents became involved with McDonald's
1:36in 1958.
1:38And um they became involved early on. My
1:41grandmother is the sister of Ray Croc.
1:45And so Ray Croc, you know, uh became
1:49involved with McDonald's in 1956. Mhm.
1:51>> Um purchased it from the McDonald's
1:54brothers and began growing it. He had
1:57his first store in Displayplains,
1:59Illinois um in 1956. And most of the
2:02early franchises were people he knew um
2:05people he knew from his sales career.
2:08And um um my grandfather worked for
2:12Craft Foods in Chicago and was uh the
2:17head of state taxes uh for craft and
2:21state and local taxes. And Craft wanted
2:23to move him to New York.
2:26>> Oh,
2:26>> to run that for craft across the
2:29country. And my grandpa didn't want to
2:30go to New York. Love Chicago. And my
2:33grandma uh grew up in Chicago. They
2:36lived in Oak Park.
2:38Ray had lived in Oak Park, too. Grew up
2:40in Oak Park, uh, Illinois. And, uh, my
2:45grandpa thought, you know what? Um, this
2:48might be a good opportunity to do that.
2:50He had no food service experience.
2:52>> Sure.
2:53>> Um, uh, he had not owned his own
2:55business. He worked for a very large
2:57corporation and u,
2:59>> had had done a good job. So they uh
3:03McDonald's talks about stories about how
3:06they would find locations and that that
3:08Ry would pick the locations sometimes
3:10from an airplane and drive over
3:12community and said but the the location
3:14that my grandparents chose was because
3:16my mom was going to Purdue. Purdue is
3:19just Purdue University is just a couple
3:21hours south of of Chicago and
3:24>> and uh they thought college campus would
3:27be um you know a good place. That's
3:30that's not a bad place to be.
3:31>> And it it turned out to be a a really
3:34great location. The number one store in
3:36the company back then, but there were
3:38only my my grandparents store was store
3:40number 52. McDonald's store number 52.
3:44>> And McDonald's will hit by the end of
3:472027. Their corporate plans are to to
3:51have their 50,000th
3:54location [laughter] in 2027.
3:56>> That's unfathomable to me. Like
3:58>> Yeah. So to have um your grandparents
4:01involved with story number 52,
4:03>> right?
4:03>> Um and uh the success of that story and
4:06the the involvement of our family in
4:09that business of course emanated um with
4:12with Ry, but uh you know my my
4:15grandparents made their own path,
4:18>> right? And so for years I didn't really
4:20talk about the the Ray Croc connection
4:24partly because I I thought it took away
4:27from the success my grandparents had and
4:30my my mom and dad had.
4:32>> Um the uh when you talked about that
4:35story and then when you're uh you own
4:38your own business, of course we we talk
4:41about the uh the things we do and the
4:44events that we're involved with. um
4:46we're not going to get involved in
4:48things that we don't enjoy and that we
4:50aren't passionate about. But sometimes
4:52we're going to an event or we're going
4:54to a a
4:57[snorts]
4:59meeting or a a gathering of some kind,
5:02we have purposeful intent, right? There
5:05are people there we need to meet
5:06>> that are going to help us achieve some
5:08things business-wise, uh centers of
5:11influence, folks who can connect us to
5:13other people. And I remember in
5:15Indianapolis
5:17um
5:19somehow
5:20I had told that story to somebody. We
5:23had gotten into a deeper discussion
5:24about McDonald's and I and I talked
5:26about the Ray Croc stuff and I go to a
5:30meeting and this was a guy in the
5:32community that could connect me with
5:34this is in Indianapolis. He could
5:36connect me connect me with
5:38>> so many people that would help me
5:40business-wise.
5:42And um so we get to this event and there
5:47are people there I have on my list that
5:49I I want to at least make sure I meet
5:51them, chat with them, right?
5:52>> I develop a relationship. And uh my
5:55friend grabs me by the arm to take me
5:58over to meet one of the people I really
6:00wanted to meet, really needed to meet,
6:02and introduces me as, you won't believe
6:05who this guy is, Ray Croc's nephew.
6:07>> Oh my.
6:08>> Right. And uh and then you spend that
6:11whole night telling that story
6:14>> to other because that's all anybody
6:16wants to know about. And
6:19>> I for all I know I left that meeting
6:22with no one even knowing what my name
6:24was. I was I was Ray Croc's nephew.
6:27>> Nephew.
6:28>> Um and so I quit telling that story.
6:31Now, I had really not told it up to that
6:33point because half the people in my
6:36hometown didn't know about Ray Croc.
6:39>> When you live in a town like Brookton
6:41with,400 people Yeah. just 10 miles
6:45north of of Purdue,
6:46>> the fact that your dad owns a McDonald's
6:49or your grandpa uh owns a McDonald's is
6:51pretty cool. Yeah.
6:52>> It's a pretty cool thing.
6:53>> Yeah.
6:54>> Uh and they can go to that. They go and
6:56eat at that store, right? at at it's uh
7:01you know so um I just didn't talk about
7:04it
7:04>> didn't talk about it much
7:05>> and then when um uh when I retired and
7:08and a friend had asked me knew that
7:11story and asked me to to tell that story
7:14um then it was like therapy
7:16>> it was like therapy to tell um stories
7:19that my grandfather had told me
7:22>> many many times matter of fact as he got
7:26older he would tell me the story over
7:28and over. And I'll tell you what, if he
7:30would have changed a single word, I
7:32would have been disappointed,
7:34>> right?
7:34>> Um because it it helped me to be able to
7:37tell those stories to my siblings and my
7:39my kids. The um the passion that he had
7:43um for the business. So that's where the
7:46McDonald's connection came from. Um I
7:49loved McDonald's. I grew up with
7:51McDonald's. I I still eat at McDonald's.
7:53Is that is that where the the Big Mac
7:55the love for the Big Mac and the French
7:57fries come from? All the way back to to
7:59when you were a kid.
8:00>> Yeah. All All the way back to when I was
8:02a kid. I don't I don't get tired of
8:04eating McDonald's. I have to I have to
8:06stay active to offset my poor dietary
8:10choices, but um but I I love McDonald's.
8:14and uh um you know um the the Ray Croc
8:20thing. People have watched The Founder
8:22and The Founder is a movie. It's not all
8:25uh accurate,
8:26>> but it's it's a a cool story, right?
8:29>> But it's a it's a movie. So there are
8:31things that are added and more
8:33importantly things that are are simply
8:34not in there, right? Um and so so it can
8:38come down to whether Ray Croc is a
8:40genius or whether Ray Croc is a a thief.
8:44>> Sure. Sure.
8:45>> Uh and they use the term founder um in
8:49intentionally because that that that's
8:51really where you're going to divide
8:52folks who observe that this has gone on
8:54long before the the founder. McDonald's
8:57chose to embrace the founder. Mhm.
9:00>> Um and uh now they phrase that a little
9:04differently, but as far as what he
9:08accomplished
9:10>> from a business standpoint and uh as a
9:14as someone without a college education,
9:16without a high school diploma, Ray Croc
9:19did not finish high school.
9:21>> Um started McDonald's at age 52,
9:26>> ironically, right? And McDonald's.
9:28McDonald's of course now is a Fortune
9:30500 company.
9:32>> Absolutely.
9:33>> Right.
9:33>> International. They international. Yeah.
9:36>> Uh they serve 17 million people a day.
9:42>> Yeah.
9:42>> 17 million people a day. That is the
9:45that is the population of England.
9:48[laughter]
9:50>> Yeah. So, you're you're talking about um
9:53buying a a business from the McDonald's
9:56brothers that at that time had the
9:59Sandbury General location, which was
10:01really the only location he wanted, the
10:03original location, but they had
10:05franchised about six or seven other
10:09locations that weren't as successful as
10:12the San Bernardino location. But he took
10:14that and built it to I mean what to what
10:19exists today. Um you don't do that
10:22through luck, right? You do that through
10:25drive, ambition, grit.
10:28>> Um and and his autobiography is grinding
10:32it out is the name of his book. And
10:34that's that was his his
10:36>> path. That kind of sums it up cuz you
10:38know going back to you use the word
10:40passion when you were talking about your
10:41grandparents and and the passion they
10:43had for their store and how they were
10:44able to to be successful with their
10:46store. You know I don't know how much of
10:48that was passed to them through Ray Croc
10:50or through the model or through the
10:52culture that he would you know instill
10:54into the franchises as they as they were
10:57expanded. Speak to that a little bit.
11:00that that is um again I now that that
11:05I've done interviews like this and and I
11:09see the social media the comments on um
11:14podcasts
11:15in interviews that I've done that uh
11:18immediately go into the the whole the
11:22what side good or evil kind of thing.
11:25And um I'll tell you my thought on the
11:28on on that is that Croc
11:32bought what they had because he believed
11:35in what they did
11:37>> the model
11:37>> primarily the the first store when they
11:40franchised they weren't present in those
11:42those locations they they remained loyal
11:47and present in their San Bernardino
11:49location and I think it's why the their
11:51franchises did not prosper.
11:53>> Sure. Right. Croc was was so dedicated
11:58to keeping things the way they did it in
12:01that San Bernardino location. I think he
12:04was more loyal to their system than they
12:07were
12:08>> than they were. Right.
12:08>> Right. Uh because they really didn't
12:10want to do the work in those um uh
12:14separate locations that they were doing
12:16in their own. So those owner operators
12:19weren't as diligent
12:21>> uh in those stores as he as as the
12:24brothers were in their original store.
12:27Croc made it. He made it the Bible of
12:30this is how you will run your store.
12:33>> And now you talk about McDonald's
12:35scaling back in those days. The
12:37percentage growth back then beats what
12:40they're doing today percentage growth
12:43wise, right? So he is growing through
12:48friends at the country club and people
12:50that he knew from sales. And some of
12:54them were doing fine like my
12:55grandparents did did great. But some of
12:58these other folks were trying to run it
13:01as a side business and and um
13:04>> he realized that was not what he wanted.
13:06He wanted somebody that believed in the
13:09importance of running it that way.
13:13everything being the same. You follow
13:15these methods and you do it one way. So
13:18we started recruiting married couples um
13:23and where it was going to be their only
13:25business.
13:26>> Okay.
13:26>> And and that is really um to me the
13:30secret of what Croc did. He scaled it
13:33and he kept it. He he was he just
13:37demanded that you did the French fries a
13:40certain way, that you bought products
13:41from the same vendors, that you cooked
13:44it the same way, that you wrapped it and
13:46packaged it the same way. That that was
13:49what he he he demanded and it and it's
13:52what McDonald's became known for,
13:55>> right? As it's a he branded it, right?
13:57And you can't have a McDonald's store
13:59here that sells a different kind of
14:00French fry than the one down the street,
14:02right?
14:02>> You know, so
14:03>> Right. And I think and we travel a lot
14:05and my friends know when whenever we
14:08travel. Doesn't matter what country we
14:10go to. If there's a McDonald's, we'll
14:12we'll find it. You're going to find it.
14:13>> My my wife
14:14>> Rean may not that may not be her
14:16favorite part of the trip, [laughter]
14:18but we're we're going to find the the
14:20local McDonald's. Get a picture and uh
14:23and look what what unique menu items
14:26they they might have. But they might
14:28have a unique item. But you know what?
14:31They will have the Big Mac, right? They
14:34will have the cheeseburger, the the
14:35there are they will have French fries.
14:38Those things are the same wherever you
14:41go. Uh but but certainly stores in India
14:44or stores in different parts of the
14:46world are going to have very unique menu
14:48items. But Big Mac is a Big Mac.
14:51>> Big Mac. And you you mentioned uh you
14:54know small town community, right? And
14:55and you 1400, you know, population of
14:591400. You have a McDonald's there.
15:01You're related to the McDonald's. Did
15:03was there a sense of community and is
15:06that how your passion for community and
15:07giving back and service like where did
15:09that all start? Did that start there or
15:11was that something that that kind of
15:13grew and developed as you progressed?
15:16>> It was um I mean my dad lived in in
15:19Brookton his whole life. He uh he went
15:21to high school there and uh and his only
15:25full-time job
15:26>> ever was was at McDonald's because he
15:29met my mom when he was working at store
15:33number 52 as a high school kid and and
15:36then as a Purdue student
15:38>> and u he married the boss's daughter and
15:41then eventually my my mom and dad had
15:43their own um they they purchased the
15:46franchises from my grandparents and then
15:47they they had a franchise of their own
15:50as as well. My dad was never involved in
15:53outside of like being in the Optimus
15:55Club was was the probably the the only
15:57service club in in my little town at
16:01that time, but he wasn't involved in
16:03city leadership or or anything like
16:05that. My dad's
16:07>> life uh was family. I'm the oldest of
16:10five kids. Was family,
16:13>> McDonald's, and sports. [laughter] I
16:16mean, I can get down with those three
16:18>> that my dad is a was a diehard Cub fan,
16:22a diehard Purdue fan. Um the uh uh you
16:28know, the rivalries, I mean, he embraced
16:31the rivalries um are uh you know, he
16:34teach us, you know, we don't just watch
16:36sports to see Purdue, we watch sports to
16:38cheer against the teams [laughter] we
16:40don't like. the So, you know, I come to
16:43Florida and I I I I was quick to embrace
16:45the whole Florida, Florida State, you
16:47know, Florida, Georgia,
16:49>> Florida, you know, Tennessee,
16:51>> Tennessee, Miami,
16:53>> Florida has a lot of bitter rivals, but
16:55but my dad brought me up um in that way.
16:58And uh being the oldest of the the kids
17:02and the oldest of the grandkids, I got
17:04to spend a lot more time um as I grew up
17:07with my grandpa and my my dad and and
17:10heard those stories.
17:12>> Sure.
17:12>> And I loved going to to work with my
17:15dad, I'd go anytime he would let me. I
17:18could couldn't go in the kitchen, but I
17:20could
17:20>> take trash out and clean the lobby and
17:23and I would talk to people. I'd talk to
17:24the customers and say, "You know, this
17:25is my dad's place."
17:26>> Yeah. Yeah. You were proud.
17:27>> Yeah. Yeah.
17:28>> And um so the when when the second store
17:33when when my grandparents built the
17:34second store, it was actually owned by
17:38the entire family. Um my grandparents
17:41wisely, very wisely had purchased a
17:45whole lot of McDonald's stock when it
17:47went public. My grandpa believed in the
17:49model. Uh even though he and my uncle
17:52Ray didn't always get along, he believed
17:55>> in the business model. Sure. Probably
17:57more than he believed in
17:58>> my my great uncle.
18:01>> The u So my grandparents bought um
18:04McDonald stock when it was when it went
18:06public with every liquidity dollar they
18:10had.
18:10>> Oh my goodness.
18:11>> And
18:12>> that's almost like going all in, right?
18:13>> Yeah. Go Yeah. Go back. Yeah. Go back
18:15and Google that. if I owned
18:18>> a thousand shares of McDonald's in 1965
18:21or whenever public
18:23>> but um so my grandpa being a tax guy
18:27understood the tax consequences.
18:29>> Okay. So he began uh they began gifting
18:32stock to the kids and the grandkids and
18:35when they formed the corporation and
18:37they bought the store, built the store
18:40closer to campus, right on campus at
18:42Purdue, which still is there uh a stones
18:46throw from the football and and
18:48basketball stadiums.
18:50>> Um it was purchased in the in the name
18:53of all the families, so kids and the
18:56grandkids, spouses. Okay. My so my
18:59uncles who were my mom's sister's
19:02husbands all had ownership.
19:05>> So you know I thought that was pretty
19:08cool. So I was 10 years old and I had
19:11ownership interest in a as a franchisee
19:13right
19:14>> were part of that group as did my my uh
19:17younger siblings.
19:19>> So when that store opened
19:22um and football Saturdays it was nuts. I
19:27mean nuts. the we had to block the doors
19:29open. People would sit on the curbs in
19:32the parking lot and and eat because you
19:34couldn't get a table that the the lines
19:37are jammed out the door.
19:39>> Uh I would, you know, clean the tables
19:41and and take out boxes and do whatever.
19:43I' sometimes I'd wrap sandwiches. They
19:45they I couldn't go in the kitchen, but
19:47they would pass the hamburgers to me.
19:49I'd wrap the sandwiches and then pass
19:50them back up front.
19:52>> The uh uh We never missed kickoff.
19:55>> That's my dad.
19:56>> That's your dad. That's the difference
19:57between my dad and my grandpa. One of
20:00the many. My grandpa was probably
20:03horrified by by that, but you know, it'd
20:06be busy. You're not going to leave the
20:07store with all those people on my but
20:10they we had a great staff. But yeah, we
20:13didn't miss kickoff. No way.
20:15>> Um and uh the lessons of of leadership
20:19for me and involvement
20:21>> Yeah.
20:21>> for my dad were all McDonald's related.
20:24So it wasn't about city government. Um,
20:27he he was all-encompassed at McDonald's,
20:30but I knew his staff. I knew those I
20:33knew their kids, right?
20:35>> It was a it was a family. So, I got to
20:38see um people advance
20:42>> in the in the business in in our our
20:45business and I wanted to understand why,
20:49you know, and and and tell me about why
20:51is this person not moving up. So, I I
20:55loved McDonald's. I loved the the
20:57business of it. Uh, as a stockholder
20:59from a very young age, I read the
21:01quarterly report. When McDonald's went
21:04public, like I would read the pre-season
21:07Cubs program, you know, and and knowing
21:10all the players and and the future stars
21:14and the people who were in the minor
21:15leagues. I knew the board of directors
21:17at McDonald's. Now, some of them I I
21:20knew because my grandparents knew them.
21:22Knew them. Right.
21:22>> Right. Um but um but I I knew who was on
21:26the board and I wanted to know why they
21:29were making decisions.
21:32It's all I wanted to do. Um I I you know
21:36it wasn't that I didn't think college
21:38was important, but I knew my uncle did
21:40just fine without going to college. My
21:43grandpa did go to college,
21:45>> but he he had shared with me again a
21:49story that I know he told me to tell um
21:52to my kids and and to my siblings that
21:56my grandpa had a chance, my grandpa was
21:58a really good um baseball player and was
22:02playing semi-pro baseball and had a
22:05chance to sign a professional contract.
22:07and his father, a real uh tough German
22:13>> Oh, gotcha.
22:13>> Uh father, um uh after right after the
22:18Black Sox scandal in the 20s,
22:20>> Yeah.
22:21>> tells my grandfather that baseball
22:23players are bums. Okay.
22:25>> You sign that contract,
22:27>> we're we're done. You're you're you're
22:30done. You're a bum and I don't didn't
22:32raise you to be a bum. So he didn't sign
22:34the contract and he went to University
22:36of Illinois and got his degree
22:39>> right as the depression hit. So you know
22:42he gets out there's no jobs.
22:43>> So he he worked as an intern at Price
22:46Waterhouse
22:47>> and then eventually got his job at at
22:49Craft and that was the only place he
22:51worked until until McDonald's.
22:53>> Until the McDonald's.
22:54>> Um so that um again the lesson of of of
22:58sports and leadership and responsibility
23:00and that kind of thing. I think my
23:02grandpa always kind of had a
23:06like it bothered him that he never got a
23:08chance to right
23:09>> show that he could have been a really
23:11good athlete, but he was never as
23:15passionate about sports as as my dad
23:17was.
23:17>> Right.
23:18>> And uh I think he he would make my dad
23:20kind of feel guilty about that. You
23:23can't put Purdue ahead of work.
23:26>> What are you thinking? Right. [laughter]
23:28>> Exactly. It's interesting how the how
23:30the whole McDonald's uh brand, you know,
23:33kind of shaped what you saw as
23:35leadership and how, you know, you're a
23:36very people like person. You know, talk
23:38to anybody, you know, that's what I
23:40noticed. But I think it stems from from
23:42growing up around it and and and that
23:44the the people connection you were able
23:46to make in the lobbies while you're
23:47wiping tables and and helping at such a
23:48young age and but even taking that
23:51responsibility and that and and that
23:53passion and and saying, you know, this
23:55is almost like this is mine. this is
23:57part of me and you you had that as a
23:59young kid. I don't know how old you were
24:01when you're wiping tables, but you know,
24:02you don't see that a lot these days. But
24:04it's it's just to me it's it's
24:06interesting that McDonald's helped shape
24:09so many people in your circle at that
24:12time, you know, and how you've become,
24:15you know, you were city commissioner,
24:16you're you now you serve on the Ronald
24:17McDonald charities uh as president. Uh
24:21but that also goes back to serving at
24:23the store number 52. I 100% and I uh I
24:28was eight nine right
24:30>> years old and and you know I'd go in
24:32mostly on my on weekends I would have
24:35gone whenever my dad wanted to go. I I
24:38loved
24:39>> going to the store. I I loved feeling
24:41like I was part of the team and uh we
24:46always had to pay for um lunch at the
24:49counter. um like ev like like I never
24:51understood that but that he just said no
24:53we always pay even if my was my dad
24:55buying something we we'd pay at the
24:57counter but we could take the food and
24:59eat it down in the basement of the store
25:02right uh you had basements in Indiana
25:07and that's where they stored their stock
25:09and um a lot of the HVAC equipment and
25:12stuff was down there and we would dig a
25:14little place in the tunnel into the
25:16boxes and eat our lunch back there.
25:18>> Yeah. Um, I I would talk about
25:21McDonald's at school. Every kid in the
25:23school knew what my parents did. And I
25:26would debate um anybody that thought
25:29Burger Chef, which was a a Midwest
25:31franchise Burger Chef or Dairy Queen or
25:34Wendy's was better than McDonald's. I
25:36mean, come on.
25:37>> I mean, yeah, exactly. I'd like to been
25:38around for some of those debates.
25:39[laughter]
25:41Yes. But I I worked at McDonald's. By
25:44the time I I got um my my parents had
25:48had chosen to sell uh the their stores
25:50when my dad got sick. My grandparents
25:53had sold their interest to my parents.
25:56Then my dad got sick. My grandparents
25:59didn't really want to to get back in.
26:01>> They didn't want to get back in. Yeah.
26:02>> And my dad just never got healthy enough
26:05to to be able to to go back to work
26:08full-time. My mom's got five kids under
26:11the age of
26:13>> 15. I I was the oldest when when my dad
26:16had his heart attack.
26:17>> So, um so the decision was made to sell
26:20the sores and and at that time
26:23>> um
26:25you you inferred that I I looked at
26:28myself as a part of the team. My family
26:32owns these stores. I I'm included. I'm
26:34the oldest of the kids. This is our
26:37store,
26:38>> right?
26:39That's all I ever wanted to do. So, um,
26:43if if if your kid wanted to be an
26:45astronaut, right?
26:46>> And, you know, not sure he's smart
26:49enough to be an astronaut.
26:50>> Yeah.
26:51>> But you're not just going to tell them,
26:52"Hey, listen, you don't have the brains
26:54to be an astronaut, right? You're going
26:56to crush crush their spirit." Well,
26:58that's kind of how I felt when my
27:00parents told us, you know, boys were
27:03gonna sell the stores. I'm at that time
27:08uh 14.
27:09>> Mhm.
27:10>> I'm wasn't planning on going to college.
27:12I love Purdue, but I I wasn't planning
27:14on going to college because I I read the
27:17owner's manual. I knew what I was going
27:19to do, right?
27:20>> I read the I read the stockholders
27:23report, the annual report, the owner's
27:25manual. I knew what I wanted to do and I
27:28was going to be prepared and and ready
27:30to go to to help my dad until my dad
27:33didn't want to do it anymore. And then
27:35that's what I wanted to do.
27:37>> Sure.
27:37>> So
27:39that was a huge life-changing moment for
27:43me because here you are at 14 trying to
27:46now figure out what I'm going to do now.
27:49I've got to go to college. And um
27:53so when when I became 16 now and when
27:57you're a kid outside of going to work
27:59with my dad, you know, we were in a
28:01rural community, so we'd bail hay and
28:03and
28:04>> uh pick up rocks and do whatever we we
28:07needed to do for the farmers and that
28:08and that's how we got uh paid.
28:10>> But um so when I went to work at
28:13McDonald's a couple years later, I was
28:16just a kid going to work at McDonald's,
28:18>> right? And um and but I did I went to
28:22work worked all through high school,
28:23worked all all through college. Um made
28:27uh friendships that I have to to this
28:29day.
28:30>> Is that right? Yeah. um [snorts] people
28:32who will watch this interview and uh and
28:36know who I'm talking about when I I say
28:39those seven or eight people I've known
28:43my whole life.
28:45>> But the relationships came from working
28:47at McDonald's, right?
28:48>> And um the camaraderie that we had
28:52>> hanging around um after work um we had
28:56um
28:57I I formed the sports teams. we would
29:00compete with the other stores. So, by
29:02that time, we had five stores. I think
29:04five or six stores in Lafayette. There
29:07are more now, but my parents just had
29:09the three stores,
29:10>> but by the time I got there, we had more
29:12stores. So, we would have softball
29:14competition between the stores and you
29:17name it, whatever the season was, we we
29:19would play sports between uh the stores.
29:22>> And so, I got to know all a lot of the
29:24people at all of the the stores.
29:26>> Yeah. and uh the the managers knew the
29:29story. Those those managers that um the
29:33the company had kept on um but some of
29:37those those folks um didn't choose to to
29:40stay with McDonald's. They were very
29:42disappointed that my family had chosen
29:45to sell and I don't think any any of
29:48them were in a position to have been
29:50able to um to finance the the purchase
29:53and and um my grandpa was was smart. He
29:57knew, you know, my mom's going to be a
29:59young widow in all likelihood and uh
30:03negotiated um selling that market, the
30:06McDonald's market in Lafayette, West
30:09Lafayette, Indiana to the company back
30:12to McDonald's.
30:14>> And um and Ray Croc was still alive at
30:16that time. So he was pretty confident he
30:19could get a fair price.
30:21>> Uhhuh. despite their uh
30:25>> disagreement,
30:26>> challenging challenging uh relationship.
30:28Yeah.
30:29>> And uh that story my dad had told me
30:32many times. My grandpa had told me his
30:34version of the story many times and they
30:36were different. Okay.
30:38>> My grandpa who um you know was
30:42intimidating, let's just say my dad you
30:45know went to Purdue just his freshman
30:47year and then he he kind of became the
30:49general manager of the store. So he he
30:51didn't finish at Purdue and and my
30:53grandpa was a very very bright guy. So
30:55he negotiates this deal and they they
30:58get to a number and I know that they had
31:01gotten to the number that he and my dad
31:03had said if we get to this number that's
31:05where we're going to right
31:06>> settle
31:07>> and that we get to that number and my
31:10dad is telling grandpa to
31:13>> take it take it let's go. My grandpa's
31:15like
31:17>> I got this. they get it to a a better
31:20number.
31:21>> Okay.
31:21>> And um
31:22>> and then they are ready to sign the
31:24paperwork, right, with the attorneys.
31:26And he's like, "No, you send in the old
31:28man.
31:29>> You send in the old man.
31:31>> Okay.
31:31>> We'll finish this."
31:32>> And so he gets Croc then to come in and
31:36is saying, "Listen, this is your niece.
31:40Her husband is not healthy. They've got
31:43five kids. You need to do the right
31:45thing." And uh so they got a a better
31:50>> a better number.
31:50>> A better number. And then it kept my mom
31:53from from working uh which was
31:55important.
31:56>> Yeah.
31:57>> Um but um you know that was that was it
32:00then and we're out and out at that point
32:04then outside of Ry and Rey is my dad
32:07died in 81. Ray died a couple years
32:10later. So Rey was in his you know the
32:13last part of his life. that's the only
32:16family then left
32:18>> right
32:18>> in in the business. So, um I I just I
32:22didn't show choose to pursue McDonald's
32:25as a career um after college, but it
32:30doesn't change my passion for the brand
32:34and and my pride and the family
32:37involvement in the earliest stages of a
32:39company that has become
32:42iconic, right? And uh and has um I mean
32:46what category what industry category has
32:50one company dominated for more than 50
32:55years, right? Oh,
32:56>> absolutely.
32:57>> Competition comes and goes.
32:59>> The golden arches,
33:00>> the golden you you look at McDonald's,
33:02you you how many
33:04>> other brands, fast food brands will talk
33:08about McDonald's in their ads, right?
33:10McDonald's never talks about other
33:14brands and and and I remember my grandpa
33:16telling me we don't do that when you you
33:20are the lead dog. You don't talk about
33:22the other dogs and
33:23>> I like that.
33:24>> So again that I inherited that that
33:27pride in McDonald's from you know my my
33:31family.
33:31>> It was instilled in you. Yeah.
33:32>> Oh yeah.
33:33>> Yeah. this culture. Some of that story,
33:35a lot of that story resonates with me
33:36though because a similar connection. We
33:38were talking earlier before we came on
33:39here about some of the connections that
33:40we had. But I worked at McDonald's at 15
33:43years old from 15 to 16 years old. Yeah.
33:46In uh in Silver Spring Shores. I don't
33:48know what store number it was. I have to
33:49go research it. But
33:50>> you can you can you can find out uh
33:53every receipt at McDonald's will have
33:55store number store number on it. Right
33:57>> now, if they change the physical
33:59location,
34:00>> it'll change the store number. they'll
34:02go they'll get reranked, but uh um if
34:04they're still on the same piece of
34:06ground, that receipt will tell you what
34:08their store number is.
34:10>> Yeah, they actually did relocate because
34:12of Publix came and they want to be
34:13closer to that. But uh you know, you
34:14talked about as a kid showing up and and
34:16we rode our bikes there when McDonald's
34:18opened up in the short and I grew up in
34:19the shores. There wasn't there wasn't
34:21any fast food. We had we had a uh a Wind
34:23Dixie. Well, was first it was the the
34:25grocery store was called Alico, which
34:26was Ocala spelled backwards.
34:28>> Okay. And then when Dixie opened, Alico
34:30closed, then Publix opened and when
34:31Dixie closed, you know, that kind of
34:33chain of events. But I say all that to
34:35say when McDonald's came to the shores
34:37was a highlight. It, you know, we were
34:40trying to find loose change so we could
34:41ride our bikes up there to buy whatever
34:43we could afford at the time. So, it's
34:45kind of interesting that connection with
34:47McDonald's, but it it really it really
34:50it's interesting to me that growing up
34:53in that, you know, shaped really shaped
34:55who you are and you know, your the
34:57leadership and and the people and the
35:00passion and the drive, right? you had to
35:01learn that drive and that grit and you
35:03you got to watch it firsthand through
35:04your dad and your uncles and and your
35:06grandparents, you know, and and I think,
35:09you know, we don't realize how valuable
35:12or invaluable, however you say it, it is
35:15as a child to see that and witness it
35:17and then try to emulate it, you know,
35:19and I think that's that's a strong
35:20>> I think I think those those everything
35:22you said about those lessons is is true
35:26and and I'd say that for a lot a lot of
35:28those friends I'm that I said had had
35:30their time at McDonald's,
35:32>> right?
35:32>> Um, one of one of my friends um in that
35:35group did stay and and he and I were at
35:37Purdue together
35:39>> and so we worked our way through Purdue
35:41at McDonald's at different locations but
35:44but in Lafayette and then he stayed as a
35:46manager for a number of years before he
35:49left. But the rest of us all did did
35:53other other things. the uh my decision
35:55not to stay with McDonald's really um uh
36:00my grandma would and both my
36:02grandparents outlived my my dad. So when
36:04I I sought advice from them, it was
36:07really more my grandma asking me if I
36:09was going to work for the company
36:11>> and um I told her I didn't know and and
36:15uh um and then I I did interview u but I
36:19interviewed outside of our market so
36:21they didn't know who I was, right? that
36:23they didn't know anything about Ray
36:25Croc. I didn't care if they knew my
36:27parents or um my grandparents. But but
36:31locally, if they knew my parents,
36:33>> then they knew my grandparents, then
36:35they knew who who who that was. And I
36:38didn't want to um
36:39>> I didn't want a job for that reason. I I
36:42wanted a job based on well you know how
36:44my I I think I've shared how much I love
36:47the brand and my my knowledge of that
36:49company from
36:51>> the early
36:52>> stages. So I I wanted it for what I did
36:56as a employee want out
36:58>> in my five five years what I did as as
37:00an employee. They don't know and will
37:02never know all of what I did when I was
37:04younger.
37:05>> But um the uh uh I interviewed with, you
37:10know, like you would if you're
37:11graduating from college with a business
37:13degree, I interviewed with a lot of
37:14different companies and
37:16>> and a couple of other fast food um
37:18places. Um PepsiCo at that time had Taco
37:22Bell, Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken
37:25was under that umbrella. And they
37:26actually gave me a better offer than
37:28McDonald's did. Okay. Right.
37:30>> Yeah. Now, what McDonald's gave me an
37:32offer for was a reasonable offer. I I
37:34knew what those people got paid. I
37:36trained them. I trained those managers
37:38when they came in.
37:39>> Yeah.
37:40>> Um but um
37:43>> uh it bothered me that
37:46>> they don't know anything about me.
37:48McDonald's has five years of me
37:51>> being an employee with with with
37:54excellent reviews working my way through
37:57through school.
37:58So, it bothered me as a stockholder. It
38:01bothered me
38:02>> that um there are people like me across
38:05the country and McDonald's doesn't
38:07really care, didn't care, maybe
38:10different now about a college degree.
38:13Um but don't punish me for for getting a
38:16college degree. Um and why am I getting
38:19paid less than than PepsiCo is is
38:22offering me.
38:23>> Yeah.
38:24>> And and so anyway, I think it was
38:26Thanksgiving time. were at my uncle's
38:28who who was a McDonald's franchisee. He
38:30got a store in Peru, Indiana as part of
38:33the buyout deal.
38:36>> And um he wanted me to work for him and
38:39um I did want to do that. Um I I didn't
38:43think we had the same
38:45>> okay
38:45>> philosophy. And uh
38:49but I met my grandma mentioned to me um
38:53about working at the store and I said,
38:55you know, I got a better offer from
38:57another company from PepsiCo. She was
39:01>> Oh, she was hot. Yeah.
39:02>> Oh, she was horrified. And and so I took
39:05a job with J C Penney in Lafayette
39:08because we're we just had our first baby
39:10and all of our parents and our
39:12grandparents lived locally and it was we
39:15were the old the first grandchild on
39:16both sides. So Oh yeah, we were smart to
39:19to stay there. So, I took a job as a
39:21buyer with J C Penney right there in
39:23Lafayette. And uh shortly after I had
39:26started, I got a phone call from
39:28McDonald's um called me at the at the
39:31store. And I get a page from the PBX
39:34operator to to take this call.
39:36>> Important call. Um says you you probably
39:40you need to come up and take it
39:41upstairs. And and so I did. Okay.
39:43>> Guy
39:44>> says um it wasn't actually it was a guy
39:46who was a secretary says Mr. pots,
39:49please hold for Rand Long. And I I knew
39:53who Rand Long was. He ran the central
39:55part of the United States for McDonald's
39:58back then.
39:59>> And I'd met him when my dad opened his
40:02own store.
40:03>> Um
40:05in the middle of a blizzard in December
40:07of 74,
40:10>> uh December of 73, December of 73,
40:14blizzard. And I met this guy and my dad
40:16had kind of said company guy,
40:19>> right?
40:19>> Right. Kind of I I knew how he felt. Um
40:22but I'd met some of the other company
40:25guys and and they seem to like them, but
40:27he didn't like this guy.
40:29>> And um so that's my first impression is
40:34I didn't think my dad and my grandpa
40:35didn't like him. So I I don't like you
40:39don't like him, right? So he says, "Um,
40:41Ed Rin Long, I um I want to give you a
40:44call. There's been a oversight somehow
40:47or another. There's there's been an
40:48oversight and um with your application
40:51and we'd like to um fly you out to St.
40:54Louis to talk about opportunities with
40:55the company and u it bothered me he was
41:00calling me at my job,
41:02>> right? It bothered me um that um I knew
41:07he wasn't calling me unless somebody had
41:10pulled strings, which is why I didn't
41:13interview
41:14>> right
41:14>> locally
41:16and u I said uh I appreciate the phone
41:19call, but uh I've taken a job. Um,
41:24>> you called my my workplace
41:26>> and thank thank you and and um
41:29>> I knew that was probably you know that
41:33was probably my the end McDonald's but
41:36but you know I'm a 20 years old uh maybe
41:40I just turned 21
41:42>> and uh
41:46>> uh
41:47my dad's gone. My uh grandpa's out of
41:50the business. Ray's
41:52in his later stages wasn't healthy.
41:56>> What what what kind of job are they
41:58talking about? And what happens when
42:00Ray's gone
42:01>> and I've been put in some role that I
42:04didn't earn.
42:05>> Um I just want to be a second assistant
42:08manager. You [laughter] know, the job
42:10they offered me was the job I wanted.
42:14>> Yeah. I just couldn't I couldn't I
42:17couldn't accept why another company
42:21remember how rapidly competitive I am.
42:24>> Oh yes.
42:25>> That another company is offering a good
42:28employee more money than we are.
42:31>> Right.
42:31>> And I owned a lot of stock at that time.
42:33I'm a kid but but when we sold the
42:36stores um I'm looking at as a
42:39stockholder and a business major.
42:41>> Yeah. Right.
42:42>> Right. Yeah.
42:42>> That uh
42:44>> so my grandma ends up telling me she
42:46called Fred Turner who was was the CEO
42:48of McDonald's. At that point Ray had
42:51become founder. His title was actually
42:54founder in the
42:55>> you know
42:57>> the McDonald's quarterly report. It
42:59called him just founder
43:00>> and she had called Ray C or called Fred
43:03Turner who was the CEO and said how
43:05disappointed she was that this had
43:07happened. So the only reason I got a
43:09call from him was because Fred Turner
43:12had said, "You got to go make this
43:14right." Right. Right.
43:16>> Um so that um I I look at it and I said
43:20I think that the drive, the ambition and
43:24um my um
43:28business ethics
43:30>> and my business morals are are really
43:33come from from that. I I don't didn't
43:35want it handed to me. I I I want to I'm
43:38perfectly willing to work my way up to
43:41to that to to earn it. Um not have it
43:45handed to me. Um and and I I really have
43:48kept that.
43:50>> My kids would say I probably demanded
43:52that, you know, from them, right?
43:54>> Whether it's on the sports field or in
43:57school or in the work that they do, just
44:00do your best, you know, uh and uh uh
44:03good things will happen, but give your
44:05best effort. Yeah. And I I mean I think
44:07that speaks to your character and the
44:09strong, you know, character that we see
44:11here in Elatchwood through you is is
44:13that because most people given that
44:15opportunity will take the job that the
44:18strings are being pulled behind the
44:19scenes to to have, you know, and we've
44:21seen it many many times. But, you know,
44:23for you to to just say no, if if that if
44:29that was my job, I want to work to it. I
44:31want to I want to do what it takes to
44:32get there. I don't want to just be
44:34placed there, you know, because
44:36oftentimes if you are just placed in a
44:38position that you haven't really worked
44:40towards or earned, you're you're set
44:42they're inadvertently setting somebody
44:44up for failure by doing that, right? And
44:46I'm not saying that you wouldn't have
44:47been prepared to to jump in that role
44:49because again your competitiveness
44:51you're you know you're not going to lose
44:53you know so you're going to figure it
44:54out and and work hard and
44:56>> um but you know I just think today a lot
44:59of people even back then a lot of people
45:02would have accepted that you know and um
45:04>> well heck I mean financially would have
45:07been we you know we didn't want to use
45:10the McDonald's stock right that was for
45:13your future.
45:14>> Yeah. Um, so we we were I was making
45:17$13,000 a year at J C Penney in 1982.
45:21Um, not wanting to borrow money from my
45:24parents. Um, we bought our house in
45:271982. Take a shot at what the interest
45:30rates were then.
45:31>> Oh, I agree.
45:32>> This is, you know, uh, Ronald Reagan
45:35time, but coming out of the Carter
45:37administration, it was 15 and a quarter
45:40was my interest rate. So, as a financial
45:43adviser, when we'd talk about interest
45:45rate movements and how it's going to
45:46affect the market and people would talk
45:48about whether or not we are or aren't
45:49going to take a quarter of a point
45:51change, I'm like, you know what, 15 and
45:53a quarter, that quarter point didn't
45:55really bother me. [laughter]
45:56>> Right. I know.
45:58>> But the the house is also
46:00>> $35,000 or something like that. You
46:02know, you can't buy a car for $35,000.
46:05>> Not a decent one. No, absolutely not. So
46:08that that financial stuff, do you think
46:09that stem, you know, you you're a
46:11financial adviser for many years. Did
46:12[snorts] do you think that stemmed from
46:14your early days of reading the financial
46:16reports of McDonald's and and and and
46:18their the stock reports? And
46:19>> you know, there was never a question of
46:21what I I was going to major in if I was
46:23going to school. I I was majoring in in
46:26business. I I I I love business, but I
46:30uh I mentor an entrepreneur. So I I just
46:33had a conversation. We traded messages
46:35this morning, but we had a Zoom call
46:37yesterday. I I mentor an entrepreneur
46:41and I friends that that at UF that
46:44encouraged me to do that. And I said,
46:46listen, I I'm not a science guy.
46:48>> Sure.
46:48>> I I I'm not sure I even understand what
46:51it is they're doing. And he says, they
46:53understand that. What they don't know
46:55how to do is build a business.
46:56>> Business, right? But but I built
46:58businesses, successful businesses
47:00through
47:02um a pathway, you know, as a franchisee.
47:06>> And again, I go back to to Croc. I
47:10believe McDonald's was successful and
47:13franchises became millionaires because
47:16they followed the path. They weren't
47:18being creative,
47:19>> right?
47:19>> Um today it's different. You have owners
47:21that own 20, 30, 40 uh franchises. Mhm.
47:26>> The um those relationships I talk about
47:28that I remember fondly um my my wife
47:32says romantically like I think that that
47:34I could have kept it that way that that
47:36the the pressure to own more stores
47:38would have been applied to me the same
47:40as it would have been to to the owners
47:42now. But those knowing the the managers
47:46knowing the manager's kids
47:49>> it bothered me when my dad told me
47:51somebody wasn't with the company
47:52anymore, right? because those are I know
47:55those people. How how could you have let
47:57them go,
47:58>> right?
47:58>> Um that I I I think it's harder when you
48:02have
48:03um a model where you're the owner or
48:07owners and you have 40 franchises. You
48:11can't be present in all of those um
48:14stores to that degree
48:17>> um as as we were back,
48:19>> you know, back then. Mh.
48:21>> Um but
48:23u so I followed a path and and did well
48:28following that path. But here these guys
48:29are creating their own path,
48:31>> right? Blazing.
48:32>> And that is that is to me uh in in
48:35intimidating um but but uh the
48:38relationships
48:40um building relationships over the years
48:43um has has been the cornerstone to to
48:47whatever success I've had. and uh and
48:50and I I preach that you and I have done
48:52a lot of the we've crossed some of the
48:54same paths and I think a lot of it comes
48:56down to the relationships you build and
48:59the credibility you have in uh in your
49:02city or your community.
49:03>> Yeah. I mean it we kind of have an
49:05unwritten motto at mener engineering is
49:07that relationships matter because they
49:09truly do and that's that's not just in
49:10business that's that's personally and
49:13professionally
49:14>> and and the people are what drives a
49:17company right you know McDonald's Ray
49:19Croc is not the one operating these
49:21stores you know your people are who who
49:24run the place and and so you have to
49:26care about your people and it it it kind
49:28of bleeds over into the passion for
49:30community that you live in too because
49:31you know your relationships outside of
49:33business and work and serve in the
49:35community. I feel like I feel like when
49:37you build those relationships,
49:40it almost inspires you to serve or to
49:42want to serve and and to, you know,
49:44care, I guess. You know, have have a
49:46passion for people and and you know, it
49:49speaks to success through companies, but
49:51it also speaks to success with the
49:52relationships we're able to build within
49:54the communities. Well, that's I was
49:56excited to do this with you because I
49:58know um I know your background as an
50:03athlete, right? As a as a father
50:07>> and u um that
50:09>> uh and growing up in a what was a small
50:12town at that time, right? the um is uh I
50:16think it drives you in a similar fashion
50:19and and and then we're passing those um
50:23things on to our kids, the good and bad.
50:25The good and bad. The good and bad.
50:26That's right. Uh
50:28>> but we were joking before we started
50:31with our kids that um your kids are
50:34younger uh than my kids, but trust me,
50:37when they have kids, all of a sudden
50:39you're a lot smarter,
50:40>> right? They realize that some of the
50:43things that you the reasons that we did
50:46certain things
50:47>> make a lot more sense to them when they
50:49have kids.
50:50>> Absolutely.
50:50>> Right.
50:51>> And the challenges that that go along um
50:54with with being a a father. But I think
50:57I think it uh you know that that passion
51:00that grit you mentioned grit and drive
51:01and and you you're talking about the
51:03kids and they they'll understand later
51:06why we were here on Saturday afternoon
51:08or why we had to come here Sunday after
51:09church before we went to lunch because
51:12you know you you got to get things done
51:15especially as a small business owner and
51:17and what really is truly still a
51:19startup. We're in our fifth year now but
51:21uh yeah it takes that grit and that
51:23passion but but those things are being
51:24passed along inadvertently. We don't
51:26even sometimes don't even realize it,
51:28but you know, witnessing it.
51:30>> Well, with you and Rotary, right now,
51:33you just became Rotary president. You're
51:36>> I'm transitioning in. Yeah.
51:38>> So, so when when you first got involved,
51:41because I'm curious if if we have uh
51:44similar um thoughts on on this. So,
51:47community service, what whatever way in
51:49which we've gotten involved in the
51:51community. For me way back in the
51:54beginning, it was more because I thought
51:57that's what I needed to do to be
51:59successful to to establish a a
52:02reputation in my town.
52:04>> And uh I realized early on that I can't
52:08do something
52:10>> um that I'm not passionate about.
52:14Absolutely right. I I can't join an
52:16organization to have my name on a
52:19membership roster. um that that that's
52:22just not doesn't work for me,
52:25>> right?
52:25>> And over uh over time um whatever I got
52:30involved with, I I I would end up
52:33advancing into a leadership position and
52:35sometimes, you know, you're the one that
52:37said yes.
52:38>> Correct. But um I never regretted in any
52:41of those things and and the
52:43relationships I I built. And as I see
52:46you in in that uh path in a very strong
52:50uh Rotary organization and a strong
52:53club, they are surrounded by
52:56>> good people in our community.
52:58>> Absolutely.
52:58>> Um I think you realize that
53:01>> you're doing it
53:03>> partly because you know it makes good
53:05sense uh for your for your business.
53:07>> Absolutely. But you find that you're
53:11passionate about it for the right
53:13reasons, right? And and I as I trained
53:16salespeople, whether it was at
53:18Nationwide or at Edward Jones about
53:21community involvement and and I said fi
53:25find a club that you actually believe in
53:27their mission, right? And and that the
53:29time of the meetings fits your schedule
53:31so that you can actually attend, right,
53:33>> the meetings. If you're not passionate
53:36about it, don't don't do it.
53:38>> Right.
53:38>> Um but if you're passionate about it,
53:41then it's not an obligation. It's not a
53:44job. You're doing it because you look
53:46forward to it.
53:47>> You believe in the the mission
53:49>> and and and for me postretirement that
53:53my dream job I I say job because you're
53:57a volunteer was to serve on the board of
54:00the Ronald McDonald House. It is uh
54:02everything that I hoped for and and
54:05more. Yeah. Surrounded by incredibly
54:08gifted um uh staff and talented
54:13>> board members
54:15>> uh that were people I knew whether I
54:17knew them personally or I recognized
54:20their community involvement. They were
54:23people I respected and admired. Mhm.
54:25>> Um, so I I had I knew who was on that
54:28board before I ever um applied.
54:32>> Sure.
54:32>> Oh, yeah.
54:33>> And uh and so what a perfect situation
54:37for me to uh to extend my family's
54:41legacy with the McDonald's brand.
54:44>> Yeah. and uh and be able to do something
54:47u post retirement that um warms my heart
54:51and um and does not just great things in
54:55our community but all over the world.
54:58>> All over the world. Yeah.
54:59>> Ronald McDonald House Charities is is
55:01just celebrated their 50th anniversary
55:04in 2025.
55:06>> So they're not quite as old as
55:07McDonald's, but the beginnings of that
55:10were formed while my family was still
55:12involved. Right. So great. Yeah. If my
55:16um my mom is still living, she's 87 and
55:20independently
55:21uh still has her own house, still trims
55:24her own shrubs. I tell her not to do
55:26that, but she's um incredible.
55:29>> Um the McDonald story to her has never
55:32been something that she's really shared.
55:35She she's like, "Why do you why do you
55:37even talk about it when people don't
55:39people don't care?" And I'm like, "Mom,
55:41there's like the the number of people
55:43that saw the movie and I don't tell her
55:46about the thousands of comments on when
55:49I've done these interviews from people
55:52that love the McDonald's story."
55:54>> Absolutely.
55:54>> Um it just was um postretirement,
55:58>> there was the right time to share it.
56:00>> Yeah. No, I I think so. You like you
56:02said, it it takes it full circle for
56:04you. U but ironically, I wanted to
56:06circle back to the to the Rotary Club.
56:08Ironically, many of the members that are
56:10in the club that I'm in, you know,
56:11Gainesville has four different clubs,
56:12but the Sunrise Club, many of those
56:15board members that you speaking of are
56:16in my Rotary Club. So, I know the talent
56:19you have on that board and and
56:21>> [snorts]
56:21>> uh you know, the the passion that they
56:22have for community because
56:24>> you you mentioned doing it for the right
56:26reasons, you know, and and for me,
56:28>> serving the community started shortly
56:30after I graduated from UF. Um, you know,
56:33I had some professors that were actually
56:35engineers before they were professors
56:37and I I got the information way better
56:41when they taught or when they were
56:42teaching, right? And so when I got out,
56:44I said, you know, that that was I was
56:47reflecting back on on my time at UF.
56:49>> And those teachers were able to connect
56:52with me in in a way that the, you know,
56:54the ones who just became professors to
56:57to be professors.
56:58>> And so that was my first attempt at
57:00giving back. I I taught college algebra
57:02at the down in Ocala for seven years. Uh
57:05and I loved it before they took my
57:07whiteboard away. And I'm pointing over
57:08here like there's a whiteboard, but
57:09there's not, you know, because then
57:10we're we're teaching math on a computer.
57:12So So then I was like, h it's not as fun
57:14anymore enjoyable, right? And then uh
57:16you know, the the second opportunity was
57:19was then, you know, getting involved in
57:21community when I when I was moved to
57:23Elatcha in 2018. And uh yeah, you you do
57:27it for all the right reasons. uh is the
57:29passion, but but it's also the the
57:31impact. Um again, circling back to
57:33Rotary. I think this Rotary year, the
57:37slogan or motto or whatever is creating
57:39a lasting impact. I think you've done it
57:42throughout your career and are still
57:44doing it, you know, and that I I feel
57:46like that's that's important because how
57:48you define success to me and to a lot of
57:52other leaders that I've talked to is
57:53through the impact that you've had on
57:55others. not your bank account, not how
57:58many cars you own, how big your house
57:59is, or how many houses you have. It's
58:01it's the impact that you have on the
58:04people around you. And I think that's
58:06important.
58:07>> Yep. I agree. And I I think u um the
58:10older I've gotten, I tend to surround
58:14myself with people who
58:17I I think are in that category. Right.
58:19Right. I uh uh I think you know from a a
58:23mental health standpoint we have so many
58:26challenges that go on whether it's with
58:28families or illnesses or work or job or
58:32um just whatever stressors
58:34>> when when you're around um folks who um
58:39lift you up.
58:40>> Right. Absolutely. Yeah, not not uh
58:42carbon copies because it's always good
58:45to have uh people who have different
58:48views and points of views and uh
58:50>> my wife and I would say one of our our
58:53favorite things is is debating
58:55>> right
58:55>> now. She always thinks she's right.
58:57[laughter]
58:57>> Of course,
58:58>> sometimes she is, but uh the uh I I I
59:03love the debate. So, I love people that
59:06challenge me and in in in Elatchua and
59:09you're in that group. So, you know, we
59:11have a just a great group of of of
59:13people here. Yeah.
59:14>> That uh I think have a common
59:17>> uh purpose in regards to making our our
59:19city better
59:20>> and for not just for us, for we're
59:22raising our families here, right? So,
59:25>> you you and I both served on on planning
59:27and zoning and that can be a real hot
59:29button. That can be a real hot button.
59:31Um because we're in this we're in a
59:35moderate size city.
59:37>> Mhm.
59:38>> But located at the intersection of a
59:40main high major highway and an
59:42interstate, right? So development is is
59:45going to happen. It's happening.
59:47>> Um but um none of us that are parents
59:51want a community that's not going to be
59:53great for our kids uh to if they want to
59:56stay and and live here,
59:58>> they've got to have houses. They've got
59:59to have job opportunities.
1:00:02>> Um all of the the things that we know
1:00:04about this community that make it unique
1:00:06and great, whether it's the springs or
1:00:08the u university uh
1:00:12>> Sanasco.
1:00:13>> Yeah, exactly. All of the things that we
1:00:14have going for us. So, but you have to
1:00:17be willing to take the grief that goes
1:00:19along with how we vote uh in planning
1:00:21and zoning. both of us. Um, you're still
1:00:24on the board when um, uh, when I, uh,
1:00:29uh, was running, you and I met, right?
1:00:32And you, you knew I was on the planning
1:00:33and zoning board and you were, uh,
1:00:35supporting me, hoping that I won so that
1:00:37you could then take my seat on planning
1:00:39and zoning, and it worked out. It did.
1:00:41>> That that exactly is exactly what
1:00:43happened.
1:00:43>> Uh, because when you become a
1:00:45commissioner, you have to resign your
1:00:47seat on those those boards. Um and uh so
1:00:52you understand better than most the
1:00:54challenges that come with serving Oh,
1:00:56absolutely. in that role. Yeah. Uh at
1:00:59not being paid and sometimes in meetings
1:01:02that could last for hours. Oh yeah.
1:01:04Right. With
1:01:04>> uh and then you have to set a date to
1:01:06continue the meeting because we didn't
1:01:07finish. Then it got to be midnight.
1:01:09>> Yeah. So post post retirement
1:01:13I I I just realized that um
1:01:17that the warm fuzzy feeling I get on the
1:01:20nonprofit side um outweighs the the the
1:01:26the work that I did which I really
1:01:28enjoyed especially because I'd never
1:01:30been involved in in municipal government
1:01:32before. course it was a really great
1:01:33learning experience uh for me but it's a
1:01:37different feeling. Um the nonprofit um
1:01:41side of things for me is uh I I it's
1:01:45just um it it warms my heart. The work
1:01:48that we do not just at our house but but
1:01:51globally with Ronald McDonald House is
1:01:55um
1:01:56uh you know is is good for me. Good good
1:02:00for my soul. Good for my wife. It keeps
1:02:02me busy and occupied and not driving her
1:02:04crazy.
1:02:05>> Well, you know, it circles back to the
1:02:06word impact. It not that we weren't have
1:02:09we we were have we do have an impact in
1:02:11the municipal side of it, but it's a
1:02:13different type of impact. You know, that
1:02:14the Ronald McDonald House charities, the
1:02:16type of impact that you that you talk
1:02:18about that warms your heart and you're
1:02:19it gives you that fuzzy feeling is
1:02:21because of the work that they're doing
1:02:23to save lives. Yeah. or to help families
1:02:25who are transitioning through those
1:02:27troubling times when they have a a loved
1:02:29one who's uh needs long-term care,
1:02:31right? Uh it's it's the type of impact,
1:02:34but going back to to wanting to serve
1:02:37the community, that was what drove me to
1:02:40want to be on the planning and zoning
1:02:41board. My background as a as an
1:02:43engineer, civil engineer, there's a lot
1:02:45of planning involved. Um you know, and I
1:02:47thought that would be when I was looking
1:02:50at ways to get involved. you know, I
1:02:51joined Rotary and how could I serve the
1:02:53community.
1:02:54>> Planning and zoning stood out to me
1:02:55because of my background, but also
1:02:57because of the passion I have for
1:02:58engineering and planning and design. Um,
1:03:01and so, you know, you you said it
1:03:03before, you need to enjoy what you're
1:03:07doing and what you're getting involved
1:03:08in. The clubs that you're in or the
1:03:10boards that you're serving on, you have
1:03:12to enjoy it. You have to want to do
1:03:13that. And I, you know, I think like you
1:03:15mentioned the planning and zoning. It's
1:03:16a hot button sometimes,
1:03:18>> but I I ultimately enjoy serving on the
1:03:21board, the planning board, [snorts]
1:03:23uh, much like you do at the Ronald
1:03:24McDonald, but much like you did as a
1:03:26commissioner and a planning and zoning
1:03:27board member. So, but it's that impact,
1:03:29you know, I just want to the, uh,
1:03:30especially through the Ronald McDonald
1:03:32House,
1:03:32>> right? That the um, yeah, we do have a
1:03:36lot of Rotary members. you do [laughter]
1:03:37>> on our board and and they are they they
1:03:40are
1:03:41>> a lot of people who take leadership
1:03:43roles there's so much similarity in
1:03:47>> um again we go back to a path right has
1:03:49a long history and and a pathway of the
1:03:52way you run a meeting the way uh your
1:03:55club is set up right the work that you
1:03:57do with your district or your your
1:03:59regional partners and that kind of thing
1:04:02well that's the same with RMHC with
1:04:04Ronald McDonald House Charities is um we
1:04:08have our own house but we are part of a
1:04:10global organization and so we have
1:04:11guidelines and and and things that uh a
1:04:15pathway we need to to follow and that
1:04:17has been my career. I like that. I
1:04:19prefer that
1:04:20>> you can follow the path right
1:04:21>> and maybe you know I spent a lot of time
1:04:23in the insurance u risk management side
1:04:26of things. So the pathway provides uh
1:04:30liability less liability exposure. So I
1:04:33I uh my wife and I uh joke about that
1:04:36that uh I I worked for Edward Jones
1:04:41because Edward Jones is a is a
1:04:43conservative financial company, you
1:04:46know, for years known as buy and hold
1:04:49>> type company. Now they've evolved.
1:04:51>> Sure. And as the industry has has
1:04:54evolved and again I felt like when I
1:04:56finished my my working time it was good
1:05:00because I'm more of an old school
1:05:03>> and and uh business was changing and
1:05:05it's um
1:05:07>> uh I'm I left at the perfect time and I
1:05:10handed things over to your neighbor
1:05:12right down the street Matt Cerny. He
1:05:15does a a terrific job and and again uh
1:05:19for for me um leaving the two businesses
1:05:22that I built in good hands
1:05:25>> um made my life a lot easier. you you
1:05:29become friends with your I'm sure it's
1:05:31the same with you and your your business
1:05:34clients become
1:05:35>> uh comrades become friends and oh yeah
1:05:38>> and um so when you're when it's your
1:05:40time to leave you want them to be
1:05:43>> handled
1:05:46fashion and both my transition to the
1:05:48new owner in Indianapolis when I sold my
1:05:51agency
1:05:52>> and when I transitioned from uh an
1:05:56active advisor to a mentor or uh with
1:05:59with Matt Cerny. I I mean it it was
1:06:02seamless. Matt's such a a terrific guy.
1:06:06Uh like us, very involved in the
1:06:10community and grew up in a
1:06:12>> I grew up in a McDonald's family. He
1:06:14grew up in a municipal government
1:06:15family. His grandmother was an elected
1:06:18official. And so his family history,
1:06:22Matt, is a great continuation of that
1:06:25family history. And I will be shocked if
1:06:27one of the sury kids is not involved in
1:06:30municipal government at some point in in
1:06:32their lives.
1:06:33>> Yeah. No, it's you know starting
1:06:36businesses uh goes back to
1:06:38relationships. We talked about the
1:06:39servant on in the community and on these
1:06:41different boards and charities is it's
1:06:43it goes to impact the impact that we
1:06:45have on those around us. But the the the
1:06:48impact that we're able to provide or or
1:06:51instill, if if that's the word, it it
1:06:53comes because of the impact that we
1:06:55received. Sure. You know what I mean?
1:06:56And so these ripple effects
1:06:58>> are stronger than we realize until we
1:07:01sit back and reflect on on on how it
1:07:03came to be. You talked about timing,
1:07:05your your exit from Edward Jones and the
1:07:07timing because the business model was
1:07:09changing. we don't want to ever
1:07:10understand the timing at that time at at
1:07:13that time using the word but um you know
1:07:16when you reflect back you're saying you
1:07:17know things happen for a reason
1:07:20>> you know uh in in life in general if
1:07:23you're doing the right thing I feel like
1:07:25>> so as we kind of wrap this up like would
1:07:28there be any um any words of wisdom not
1:07:32that you haven't just provided us with a
1:07:34a boatload of them but that you would
1:07:37tell an entrepreneur a business owner
1:07:39uh maybe somebody who who has a passion
1:07:42for serving at the Ronald McDonald
1:07:44House.
1:07:45>> Uh any final words that you would want
1:07:46to share with with the the audience or
1:07:49whoever we
1:07:50>> When I when I talk um and I I've gotten
1:07:54to to to do it um a number of times when
1:07:58I was with Nationwide Insurance, I I
1:08:01taught at their training center in
1:08:04Columbus for for years. Um new newer
1:08:08agents Mhm.
1:08:09>> And um and then later it became
1:08:12um what we would call um
1:08:16uh subproducers that were working like
1:08:19McDonald's. You had gone from an agency
1:08:22being really big to an agency now owning
1:08:25multiple locations and and so you're
1:08:28bringing up kind of subdroucers to run
1:08:30those. So the the model had changed, but
1:08:33their their job is still the same,
1:08:35building relationships and and being
1:08:37successful on the on the sales side. And
1:08:40then at Edward Jones, we call that uh
1:08:43serving as a visiting vet. So you go
1:08:45back to St. Louis and you're again
1:08:47teaching uh those new uh new people. And
1:08:51I got to do that towards the end of my
1:08:53my Jones career. But the message was the
1:08:55same. Um be passionate about what you
1:08:58do. Mhm.
1:08:59>> If you don't love what you're doing, I I
1:09:02probably should leave now,
1:09:03>> right?
1:09:03>> Right. Because if if you if you're doing
1:09:05it for any other reason, uh then it's
1:09:08it's probably not going to work out
1:09:10because you're not going to be
1:09:11authentic.
1:09:12>> Sure.
1:09:13>> Um but, um be diligent,
1:09:16>> show up on time, uh do what you said you
1:09:20would do.
1:09:21>> Um good good things happen. Um become
1:09:24involved in your community because you
1:09:26want to.
1:09:27Choose the organizations before you've
1:09:29made a decision to join Rotary or join
1:09:32Lions or join Optimus Club or whatever
1:09:34it is. Figure out what their mission is,
1:09:37>> right?
1:09:37>> You're not joining, you shouldn't be
1:09:39joining because of the roster.
1:09:41>> You're joining because of the mission,
1:09:43right?
1:09:44>> And u and everything else will follow
1:09:47suit. Now, I'm a I'm Ray Croc's great
1:09:50nephew, and I I uh because I can proudly
1:09:54talk about it where I didn't for 50
1:09:57years. Um that he may not have graduated
1:10:01from high school or college,
1:10:04>> but he had grit and he
1:10:07>> he did grind it out.
1:10:09>> Yeah.
1:10:10>> And that um
1:10:13>> you know, to me that is the testament.
1:10:15And nothing against what my dad and my
1:10:17grandfather did. I'm very very proud of
1:10:19them. But they had
1:10:22things that were they they worked on a
1:10:25path that had been laid out.
1:10:26>> Sure.
1:10:27>> And they succeeded. Uh Croc laid that
1:10:31path out with no education other than
1:10:35what he learned as a salesman,
1:10:37>> right?
1:10:37>> A very successful salesman. The the the
1:10:39movie gets that wrong. They make it look
1:10:41like he's
1:10:42>> barely surviving. They he was making a
1:10:45great deal what would be a great deal of
1:10:47money back then
1:10:49>> selling paper cups. Yeah.
1:10:50>> And multi-mixers.
1:10:52>> But it wasn't enough.
1:10:53>> It wasn't enough for him. At age 52,
1:10:56he's still trying to find something that
1:10:59he truly believes in,
1:11:01>> right?
1:11:02>> Wanted to own his own uh business and
1:11:05and he did it. And to me that I wasn't
1:11:10ever comfortable telling that story to
1:11:12those people that I was training. Um but
1:11:15I believe what I told them came from
1:11:18what I experienced.
1:11:20>> Experience. Absolutely. That's an
1:11:22impact.
1:11:22>> Yeah. Education is is important.
1:11:24Absolutely. If you apply it
1:11:27>> right. Sure.
1:11:28>> How how many folks that major in
1:11:30something different than what their
1:11:32career is?
1:11:32>> I know a few of them. I have friends.
1:11:34>> Yeah. and and and have done very very
1:11:36well. I've met many of those successful
1:11:38people at Edward Jones that do not have
1:11:40any kind of a background in finance and
1:11:42they've done very well for themselves
1:11:44and I think it gives them a different
1:11:46perspective and that can be beneficial
1:11:49but they're passionate and they're
1:11:51working hard.
1:11:52>> Yeah.
1:11:52>> And and so for me that that is what it
1:11:56comes down to. um uh being passionate,
1:12:00having grit and hard work, showing up
1:12:03and and doing your job. Um uh in many
1:12:06cases, that's going to give you an
1:12:08advantage over a lot of the people that
1:12:10are competing with you, whether it's
1:12:13competing businesses or or people
1:12:15competing with you for the same position
1:12:17at a in a company.
1:12:18>> Absolutely. No, no, those are powerful
1:12:20words. It's a you know, a strong message
1:12:22to to anybody watching. But I I feel
1:12:25like I see that through you. You know,
1:12:28you you you know, be diligent, show up,
1:12:31do what you say you're going to do, and
1:12:33and serve where you feel comfortable. I
1:12:36I feel like I' I've we've only known
1:12:38each other for, I guess, eight years
1:12:40now, or well, four or five years,
1:12:42whatever it is. But I've witnessed it
1:12:44throughout our friendships and and how
1:12:48we serve in the community and how we
1:12:49interact with with those around us. and
1:12:51you've been a big impact for me, a
1:12:53mentor in in the municipal side of
1:12:55things, you know, when when we were
1:12:56talking planning and zoning way before I
1:12:58even was on planning and zoning.
1:13:00>> Uh, you know, it's just uh I we keep
1:13:03circling back to the word impact, you
1:13:05know, and I I even wrote it down here
1:13:06for my closing line says measured by the
1:13:10lives that we've impacted along the way.
1:13:12And I think you've certainly impacted a
1:13:13lot of people's lives. And I really
1:13:14appreciate you coming on, sharing your
1:13:16story, sharing your journey. Uh, it's
1:13:18been interesting. I'm sure we'll talk
1:13:20more uh afterwards, but um I really
1:13:23appreciate you joining us, you know, and
1:13:24and sharing that.
1:13:25>> It's a absolutely my pleasure. Um love
1:13:29what you're doing and I want to see
1:13:31menadier engineering just uh keep
1:13:34grinding it out.
1:13:35>> Keep listening and we are and that's
1:13:37that's what it's taken. Uh but one last
1:13:39thing before we go, who is one person
1:13:42that you think I should have on here and
1:13:45will you help me get them on here to
1:13:47share a story? Well, um, uh, Freddy
1:13:51Weebi, uh, I mean, uh, Sean Spence.
1:13:55>> Yeah.
1:13:55>> Um, those two people for for me here in
1:13:59in Gainesville and in this community
1:14:02were
1:14:04Jerry Smith, who we just lost. Um I I'
1:14:08I'd be I'd fail if I didn't add him to
1:14:11that list. But those three people I met
1:14:13uh a lot of them interactions at Brown's
1:14:16Country Buffet Restaurant where
1:14:18everything happens in Elatchua. um uh
1:14:21through mentorship, friendship, stories,
1:14:24experiences
1:14:25um in in some cases mutual admiration
1:14:29for what the other uh does
1:14:32>> and um
1:14:34those those people Mitch and John great
1:14:39stories to tell
1:14:40>> and and impact that they've had
1:14:44>> far beyond the our city or our state.
1:14:48>> Absolutely. um is it makes for what what
1:14:52I know would be a very interesting uh
1:14:54conversation.
1:14:55>> Yeah, that would be cool. Thanks again.
1:14:57I you know really appreciate our time
1:14:59together. Like I said, we'll we'll we'll
1:15:01do this again. It just won't be on
1:15:02camera because uh our conversations
1:15:05never seem to to fall short of any topic
1:15:08in uh sports community, you know, and
1:15:11serving kids. Definitely kids and
1:15:13business and and serving our community.
1:15:14So definitely thanks again. Appreciate
1:15:16you coming on. Thank you, Ed.
1:15:20>> Thanks for watching [music] Mind the Gap
1:15:21podcast. Please like and subscribe.

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