TROY FREUND PHOTOGRAPHY
special report
family business
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Generation NEXT
cover story
MATT HORTON, ERIC OLESEN AND PETER OLESEN OF O&H DANISH BAKERY.
Outside experience benefits family business leaders
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BY ANDREW WEILAND, staff writer
ringle is the signature treat of Racine, where several bakeries specialize in the Danish pastry, which was also named Wisconsin’s official pastry in 2013. One of the best-known Racine kringle-makers is O&H Danish Bakery, which is well-known not only for its kringle, but also for its other baked goods. The company has five stores, one bakery and 180 employees. The largest portion of its business is mail order. The key to making the best baked goods, including kringle, is “a commitment to do all of the things it takes to make a good baked product,” including great ingredients, the process, time and dedication, said Eric Olesen, president of O&H. Olesen and his wife, Lisa, own O&H Danish Bakery, which has a proud family history. Eric will be a panelist at the Family & Closely Held Business Summit, hosted by BizTimes Media, on ThursdJune 2 from 7 to 11:30 a.m. at the Italian Conference Center in Milwaukee. w w w.biztimes.com
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O&H Danish Bakery was founded in 1949 by Eric’s grandfather, Christian Olesen, and Harvey Holtz. Christian, who immigrated to the U.S. as a boy from Denmark, was an experienced baker and Holtz was an accountant by trade. Holtz died in 1959, and Ray and Myrna Olesen, Eric’s parents, purchased the Holtz share of the business in 1963. Ten years later, Ray and Myrna bought Christian’s share of the business. Eric and his brothers, Dale and Michael, all worked in the business beginning as teenagers. In 1994, the three of them purchased the business from their parents and each held an equal share. In 2009, Dale died unexpectedly. “It was difficult,” Eric said. “But I believe we were prepared for that with agreements that we executed.” In 2011, Michael decided to exit the business and move to Florida. That left Eric and Lisa as the sole owners.
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B i zT i m e s M i l w a u k e e
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