IN MEMORIAM
Tom Renfro K
2020 Issue 2 |
THE
SCORE
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nown for being a hard-working, trustworthy businessman who treated employees like family, Buffalo Wild Wings® franchisee Tom Renfro died May 8 while preparing his restaurants to reopen after the coronavirus shutdown. Renfro owned three Buffalo Wild Wings sports bars with his wife, Debbie, and brother-in-law, Ted Church, in Bloomington, Columbus and Seymour, Indiana. The venture also includes the Renfros’ daughter, Sarah Noakes. While theirs is a family company, even team members who are not part of the family often feel treated as though they are. It’s a characteristic of the way Tom Renfro and his partners operated each location. “Tom’s management style was very hands-on,” said Debbie Renfro. “He worked in the restaurants along with the rest of the crew and never asked anybody to do anything that he would not
do himself. He spent many, many hours in any capacity needed. He had a big heart for his team.” After Renfro’s sudden death, his wife received a note from a former employee whose first job was at one of the Renfros’ BWW® sports bars. “I have so many positive things to say about Tom and the impact both of you have had on my life,” wrote the man, named Gary Smith. “Tom was the first person that greeted a young 16-year-old who had wandered into the temporary trailer that was set up outside the BWW building looking for a job. I connected with his outgoing personality immediately and knew it would be a great fit. Tom would always help me out with meals when I was struggling financially in college. These things I will never forget.” Smith added more. “I learned that business owners should
