Rita's Water Ice CEO: "Do something you love."
Rita's Water Ice CEO: "Do something you love."
December 1, 2009
Rita's Water Ice CEO Jim Rudoph offered some simple career advice to a group of Rowan business students November 30: do what you love and love what you do.
For Rudolph, a Pittsburgh native who at one time owned or co-owned nearly 50 Wendy's restaurants in the greater Pittsburgh area, four bowling centers, five Chuck E. Cheese outlets, six Church's Fried Chicken franchises and two Baskin Robbins ice cream stores, it's a strategy that's always worked.
Of course, he said, what he's always loved was work.
"Since I was a little kid I've loved to work and I've worked really, really hard," he said.
His nearly hour-long address in Bunce Hall, part of the Rohrer College of Business Entrepreneurial Lecture Series, addressed the scope of Rudolph's 40-year career and his literal ascent from the bottom to the top.
The son of a bowling center operator, Rudolph washed dishes in college (he eventually left school to work full time) and pursued a career in hospitality.
He, his brother Bill and other family members founded Wendy's of Greater Pittsburgh in 1976, developed 48 stores in that region and expanded it to New York, New Jersey and Florida.
Eventually, he said, the family moved from operating restaurants to construction and to the founding and running of a private equity firm, McKnight Capital Partners. Through McKnight they purchased Rita's in 2005 when it was a 300-plus unit chain largely focused in the Philadelphia market. Today there are 570 Rita's Water Ice outlets in 18 states.
"Along the way I've learned a few things," Rudolph said. "Life is not a dress rehearsal. Find something you love and do it because the money is truly secondary. Have a passion, work hard, and learn something every day."
For Rudolph, a Pittsburgh native who at one time owned or co-owned nearly 50 Wendy's restaurants in the greater Pittsburgh area, four bowling centers, five Chuck E. Cheese outlets, six Church's Fried Chicken franchises and two Baskin Robbins ice cream stores, it's a strategy that's always worked.
Of course, he said, what he's always loved was work.
"Since I was a little kid I've loved to work and I've worked really, really hard," he said.
His nearly hour-long address in Bunce Hall, part of the Rohrer College of Business Entrepreneurial Lecture Series, addressed the scope of Rudolph's 40-year career and his literal ascent from the bottom to the top.
The son of a bowling center operator, Rudolph washed dishes in college (he eventually left school to work full time) and pursued a career in hospitality.
He, his brother Bill and other family members founded Wendy's of Greater Pittsburgh in 1976, developed 48 stores in that region and expanded it to New York, New Jersey and Florida.
Eventually, he said, the family moved from operating restaurants to construction and to the founding and running of a private equity firm, McKnight Capital Partners. Through McKnight they purchased Rita's in 2005 when it was a 300-plus unit chain largely focused in the Philadelphia market. Today there are 570 Rita's Water Ice outlets in 18 states.
"Along the way I've learned a few things," Rudolph said. "Life is not a dress rehearsal. Find something you love and do it because the money is truly secondary. Have a passion, work hard, and learn something every day."