While her husband, Harmon Dobson, was the one who launched the first Whataburger, it was Lady Grace who clung tightly to her husbands legacy through terrible trials and tragedies. In June Dallas-based Brinker International, which owns Chilis and Maggianos Little Italy, unveiled a plan to buy franchises to boost earnings. With his massive profits, he dabbled in oil speculation and mining diamonds in South America. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. The company also said it didnt intend for the 1993 settlement to give WOA exclusive rights or lower royalties. I like to write, listen to music, and read about fashion. The agreement stipulated that if Andrewss company identified a location in the three counties that it wanted to develop, Whataburger was obligated to approve the franchise. On June 23, 1950, the Texas Secretary of State office granted Dobson the trademark for Whataburger. Dobson then invested more time and more effort into developing the first Whatabuger.4, Eventually, on August 8, 1950, Dobson opened and sold his first Whataburger through the window of a little portable building. Geographical origins They have also hosted Wow fund-raising events where they combine fun community activities with charitable giving. Dan Solomon writes about politics, music, food, sports, criminal justice, health care, film, and business. This tiny burger stand offered something people had never seen: a burger that was so big, they had to hold its five-inch bun with two hands. Its so interesting that he aimed to create a burger that would require hands to hold it. Whats the beef between Texass most iconic burger chain and its most loyal franchisee? Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Whataburger is so common to me, as a Texan, that I forget not every state has one. Early life [ edit] This browser does not support getting your location. We still use 100% pure, never-frozen beef and serve it on a big, toasted five-inch bun. Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. Whataburgers affairs were more and more being turned over to the professionals, all of whom wanted to participate in what by now had ceased to be a family business and had become simply a large corporate entity, WOA claims in its lawsuit. The Dobson family and their extended Whataburger family rallied around and supported Grace as she took over the business. [2] Dobson spent most of his early life working on his parents' cattle farm. Harmon Dobson was the founder of WHATABURGER Inc. Joe Andrews Sr. died in 1999, and his son, Joe Jr., took overand then died suddenly three years later while attending a Whataburger conference in New Orleans. 200 RESTAURANTS AND GROWING. We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. I share with Whataburger employees how my brothers and I would have 35 cent Whataburgers from the original Ayers street store before going to the picture show. Proving everyone wrong, Grace lived her entire life in the same house that her husband bought her. Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: White Occupation: Business Nationality: United States Executive summary: CEO of Whataburger Father: Harmon A. Dobson (Whataburger founder, d. 1967, plane crash) Mother: Grace (d. 1-Sep-2005) Brother: Hugh Sister: Lynne Whataburger President (1993-2007) Whataburger CEO (1993-) George W. Bush for President The burgers sold back then are the same as the original Whataburger that many Texans still love to today. On July 19, 1989, one of the most dramatic events in aviation unfolded in the skies over Iowa as heroic pilots battled to land a crippled DC-10. A Montana family is mourning the loss of their husband, father and grandfather this week after the 50-year-old man crashed in an airplane in Summit County while flying solo along a route he knew well. He realized that he needed some creative marketing strategies to obtain new customers. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. I'm going to miss her, too." Having lived in Texas for the 18 years of my life, I found it really interesting to finally know the full history of Whataburger. Whataburger was a burgeoning business, but profits were minimal. Earlier this year, Andrewss company, now run by his daughter, Kathy Andrews Reese, sued the restaurant chain, claiming that Whataburger had reneged on a 22-year-old agreement between the two companies. Police found two dead people inside the. She was very excited about that." The case went to trial in 1993, but the two sides settled before the jury reached a verdict. Really great article. The beloved Nickel Mugnow a classic piece of Americanadebuted as a promotion which was supposed to last 1-year but ended up running for 14. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. There were nine crew members on board. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Whataburger founder Harmon Dobson stands in front of his first . New specialty items included the Whataburger Patty Melt and the Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich. Im beginning to like it & the dollars too.11, By the spring of 1967, Whataburger had expanded to more than forty stores in sixteen Texas cities and four states since it had first opened in 1950. At 4:28 p.m, the plane took off, but, unfortunately, something went wrong. Dobson revealed that in Fast Food magazine in 1957 that flying over a Whataburger in Bryan, Texas led to more customers buying burgers. And a new building design, which retained the spirit of the original A-frame, was unveiled. Piloting a B-25 bomber, Harmon was flying with five other men through a thunderstorm when the plane's right wing tore away. Oct 21, 2020, 9:31am PST. A student organization of St. Marys University of San Antonio, Texas, featuring scholarly research, writing, and media from students of all disciplines. By the company's seventh decade, Whataburger had grown from a single burger stand in Corpus Christi to an 800-restaurant chain that spanned every state from Arizona to Florida. The '70s was a decade of Whataburger milestones. The meat and vegetables were always fresh, never frozen. I enjoyed reading the little journal entries included in this article because it makes it more unique and gives it a more personal feeling to what Dobson had been feeling and thinking as he was starting up Whataburger. Non-family executives, without direct ownership interest in a privately held company, sometimes try to profit from a companys success by heading up a public offering. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. I had over 5000 dollars invested in a drilling deal in Loving County, Texas, and on May 18 almost lost the whole thing through his drinking by fouling up a deal only two days before the money would have been forfeited Am now interested in financing Paul Burton, a hamburger expert, in some small specialized hamburger joints somewhere in Texas. Following that, the adventurous Dobson traveled to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf to help build a refinery. However, after only four months, Dobson grew restless and returned to the U.S. By August of that year, he returned home. He had $2500 to invest in the right deal involving oil, and eventually, he became partners with Henry Mode on an oil lease in Loving County, Texas.2 Yet, this investment did not lead to success. After hearing from a friend in Houston that Texas was teeming with both cars and oil, Dobson, whose business ventures now had him traveling halfway across the U.S., purchased a private plane and learned to fly it. He felt like the burgers at Dairy King were too small and wanted to build a really big burger, calling it the Whataburger. However, everything changed when Dobson was put in charge of the refinerys mess hall, and it was here that his education in large-scale food service began. Five of the crew died while waiting, and the remaining seven . This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. . Also on the board were Sam W. Main who was vice president, Laneil Andert who was secretary, Ray F. Miller who was treasurer, and Roscoe Smith and Tom E. Dobson as board members.13 During this time, Grace usually avoided the spotlight, but she attended almost every company event. This, I believe, will turn out to be a very profitable investment, which is something up until May 1, I was very unaccustomed.3, Dobson aimed to make a better burger a burger so good that it would require two hands to hold it. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. Im beginning to like it & the dollars too.11, By the spring of 1967, Whataburger had expanded to more than forty stores in sixteen Texas cities and four states since it had first opened in 1950. Normally, they look at me skeptically as if to say,Yeah, Right!! At first, Harmon was content to help his parents on the farm, but his wanderlust eventually returned, calling him elsewhere. By 1965, it was estimated that Whataburger was selling 15,000 hamburgers a day. To offer your sympathy during this difficult time, you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one. The Andrews family refused and in March filed its suit, asking a judge to order Whataburger to abide by the 1993 agreement. Dobson even cut a deal with a local bakery to make special-sized buns; the Rainbo bakery had to search the country for a company that could make pans big enough to bake them. Dobson wrote about his success during the first couple of days Whataburger opened in his journal. The plane was bound for Love Field in Dallas when it went down at 5:16 P.M. according to Mitch Barket, a Federal Aviation Admistration spokesman. In 1952 Andrews, who lived in Alice, brought his family to eat at the Kingsville branch and was so impressed that he contacted Dobson about buying a franchise. "It was a friendship that grew and grew," Sheka said. Most people thought Grace Dobson would sell her rapidly growing hamburger business after her husband died in a private plane crash in 1967. . However, news broke out in June 2019 that Whataburger sold a controlling interest in the company to Chicago- based investment banking firm BDT Capital. Today Whataburger has over 800 stores in ten states serving up Harmon Dobsons original Whataburger. I have heard that Whataburger is from Texas but I was never completely sure. Franchisees also sued over a mandatory rebate plan, which WOA claims amounted to forcing vendors to pay illegal rebates, kickbacks, and bribes to Whataburger and its executives. In the summer of 1854, a destitute stowaway on a Texas-bound schooner was discovered and forced to work for his passage. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. After the settlement, the leadership of both companies changed. He had $2500 to invest in the right deal involving oil, and eventually, he became partners with Henry Mode on an oil lease in Loving County, Texas.2 Yet, this investment did not lead to success. After World War II ended in 1945, Dobson returned home to his home state of Arkansas, where he worked buying and selling used cars. By 1990 Whataburger had 475 locations across the southern United States; WOA was running more than 30 of them, in Bexar, Bee, Jim Wells, and Webb counties. Treating our customers right. By 1960, Whataburger had 17 restaurants. AKA Thomas E. Dobson. He realized that he needed some creative marketing strategies to obtain new customers. He wanted this burgers to be so delicious that it would make a person yell, What a burger! This inspired the naming of his company. Tagged With: Historical Figures, Legacies. Despite all these changes, we're still sticking to what got us here. However, if one thinks about it, if it were not for this incident, Dobson would not have gone down the road that he did to finance Whataburger. Its a brand built on pride, care, and love. By 1951, Dobson was an official Texan. The men were killed instantly.12, About two years after Harmon Dobsons death, on July 10, 1969, Grace Dobson, the wife of Harmon Dobson, was officially elected chairwoman of the board with George W. Garrison named as the president. Harmon Archibald Dobson (October 8, 1913 - April 11, 1967) was an American entrepreneur best known as one of the founders of the fast food chain Whataburger. A brief period of military camels in Texas became lost to even most history books. It hurts the brand ultimately.. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. The war was over, and his adventure had ended. A Douglas C-124C Globemaster II plane, serial 52-1062, was damaged beyond repair in an accident 10 km from Stephenville-Harmon AFB, NL (YJT), Canada. When I think of Whataburger, I immediately think of Texas and burgers. The burger chain has large hamburgers, skinny long fries, creamy milkshakes, and more. Written by: Rebecca Canfield | Photos Courtesy of: Whataburger. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. In 1969, Grace became chairman of the board. In exchange, his company got renewed assurances of its exclusive rights to develop stores in Bee, Jim Wells, and Webb counties and locked in a royalty rate lower than that assigned to other franchisees. Im glad to read that Tom Dobson, his son, was able to continue the legacy that was left by his father. The burger chain has large hamburgers, skinny long fries, creamy milkshakes, and more. By the mid-60s, there were over 40 stores in fifteen Texas cities and four states. Even the grandchildren work at Whataburger and attend company meetings. In February 1955, Coy passed away, and Dobson and Grace turned to each other for comfort. Sorry! The location of the first Whataburger was 2609 Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. 1 Colonization and Settlement (1500-1763), 2 Revolution and Early Republic (1754-1801), 4 Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877), 5 Emergence of Modern America (1877-1929), 4 Late Middle Ages-Renaissance-Reformation Europe (1300-1648), 3 Post-Classical History (600 CE-1492 CE), HS 1302 United States History since 1877, SP 3392 Language Variation and Dialectology of Spanish, Dom DiFurio and Oria McCaffrey, Whataburgers founding family sells controlling stake in iconic Texas chain,, College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences. The best poems for funerals, memorial services., and cards. He charged a pricy 25 cents since the burgers were better quality than the competitors burgers. This is the era in which country music legend Mel Tillis started appearing in television commercials for the company, a role that would continue through the 80s. The golden age of drive-ins and American automobiles was just getting started back on August 8, 1950, when Harmon Dobson opened Whataburger #1. BDT Capital Partners acquired a majority interest in Whataburger and Ed Nelson was promoted to President in 2019. Were not making much profit but at least they are going fast for our product.7, August 12, 1950- Big Day 141.80 What a workhouse 551 hamburgers.8, Dobson realized the presentation of his burgers mattered. Sadly, in 2005, Whataburger Family Members mourned the loss of Lady Grace as she was called by many. Born: October 8, 1913, Wayne, OK. Died: 1967, La Porte, TX. His parents had reason to worry. [7], In his will, Dobson left the company to his wife, Grace Dobson, who at the time was encouraged to sell the company. Es Cuaresma y Whataburger lo sabe: El Whatacatch, est de regreso! On April 11, 1967, Dobson and an associate died in an airplane crash, and Dobson's widow, Grace, took control of the business. The main reason for the move was for oil. The 70s was a decade of Whataburger milestones. After all, kindness, compassion, and quality were principles Harmon and Grace worked to instill in their employees. Learn more about merges. However, news broke out in June 2019 that Whataburger sold a controlling interest in the company to Chicago- based investment banking firm BDT Capital. They were finally recovered earlier this month after five months of rescue attempts. The company also passed the 500-store threshold, making it the nation's eighth-largest hamburger chain. In November 1942, a B-17 bomber with a 12-man crew crashed into a Greenland ice cap. The larger burgers that could be found back in the 1950s were served on 4-inch buns. Known for: Co-founding Whataburger with . In 2001, the Whataburger Family Foundation officially began, though the charitable efforts had been ongoing since day one. September 23, 1952- I never expected anything like this. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. In 1942, Dobson went to North Africa to do work on pipefitting scrapyard work, and cable rigging for Bell Telephone Company. She also gave copious amounts of her time and money back to Corpus Christi and the state. He wanted this burgers to be so delicious that it would make a person yell, What a burger! This inspired the naming of his company. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? Dobson filled that need by buying used autos from urban areas like Detroit, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., and selling them back in Batesville for huge profits. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Also, Whataburger expanded to places such as Las Vegas and Memphis, where the company was unknown, leading to a lack of customers purchasing food. Wow! To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. So, he brought along Johnny Sneed, who was working with a Whataburger franchise in Victoria, Texas. Harmon's is not the only plane crash to go against the drop in accidents that the War Department are reporting. The plane went up 100 feet off the runway and came straight back down. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Everyone expected Grace, now twice widowed, to crumble, and they encouraged her to sell Whataburger. The lawsuit, filed in San Antonio in March, traces the roots of the dispute to the earliest days of the Whataburger chain, which Dobson founded in 1950 after stints in shipbuilding, oil drilling, and diamond trading. Along the way she made lifelong friends, including Bill Sheka Sr., 83, who knew her for 50 years. Eventually, Jim Peterson became the new CEO, but he left a negative impact on the company. Whataburger has been highly successful in a very competitive market, says Stephen Barth, a professor of law and leadership at the University of Houstons Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management. By the end of 1950, Dobson had quit both the oil and auto industries and made Whataburger his sole venture. Please reset your password. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. In August, they opened their first location on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, across the street from Del Mar College. I never knew that Dobsons initial intent was to try and strike oil here in Texas. It was interesting to me reading about the founder of this fast food chain Whtaburger, and all the dedication he put towards his work, I think is very tragic and unfortunate the way Dobson died, he would have accomplished much more succeses during his life time. We also elevated General Managers in our more than 850 restaurants to Operating partners, serving as the face of Whataburger in their communities, connecting and creating relationships with local schools, businesses, and nonprofits. Tom officially took over Whataburger in 1993 and is still company chairman today. When he opened the first stand, on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, he envisioned selling a burger big enough that it would take two hands to hold it. She lived simply and seldom spent the Whataburger money, aside from the many charities to which she contributed. ). Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. Weve updated the security on the site. Instead, during the next 38 years, the Whataburger matriarch, who died of complications from cancer Thursday in a local hospital at age 80, played an integral part in growing the hamburger chain into the eighth largest in the nation.
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