2011
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e m a F f o l l a H -------------------------------------------------------------Celebrating Eau Claire’s Business Leaders --------------------------------------------------------------
2011 Inductees: C. David Bugher Raymond Gillette Richard “Dick” Lars on Arthur, Ches ter an d Kenneth Wagner Herman Wh ite
Community Success. Proven Impact. A shared vision for the Chippewa Valley. Congratulations to the 2011 Business Hall of Fame inductees!
Business & Industry Services 1-800-547-CVTC (2882), ext. 4676
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Congratulations Business Hall of Fame Inductees! Frequently we remark that Eau Claire is a great place to live, work, go to school and do business. But Eau Claire didn’t get this way by itself. Quite often a community’s success or failure can be tied back to several key events and key people – leaders who provided a vision and acted on that vision. It is important to look back, to recognize the leaders of our business community and to celebrate their successes and contributions. Celebrating our past leaders provides motivation for our current leaders. It helps us remember where we were and how we got here. These stories also provide inspiration to future leaders. Seeing how our community got to where it is helps them dream for a better future.
Seeing the value in celebrating our business leaders, the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to induct the third class into its Business Hall of Fame. The annual award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to their business and the community. This year, we have some great stories to tell. The following are the guidelines for nominating and selecting an individual: 1. Nominees can be either living or deceased individuals who have added to the prestige and growth of business in the Eau Claire area. 2. Business people from large and small businesses and corporations or anyone who has made a significant contribution throughout their career to the free enterprise system, and who is or was associated with a business in the Eau Claire area, will be eligible. 3. The honorees may or may not be currently holding the position in which they achieved major success for which they are be honored.
Business Hall of Fame- Class of 2011 C. David Bugher Raymond Gillette Richard “Dick” Larson Arthur, Chester and Kenneth Wagner Herman White
4. Nominees must have acted as a role model for others in the business community while exhibiting high ethical standards. The Chamber wishes to congratulate and thank the 2011 Business Hall of Fame Inductees!
Business Hall of Fame- Class of 2010
Respectfully,
William “Bill” Cigan Bryan J. Farmer Walter Gold Hobbs Family Hospital Sisters of St. Francis Dr. Hans Christian Midelfart
Tim Olson, Board Chair Eau Claire Chamber Board of Directors
Business Hall of Fame- Class of 2009 Owen Ayres William Carson Dave Donnellan Frank McDonough John Menard, Jr. L.E. Phillips Daniel Shaw
THANK YOU! Thank you to the many individuals and businesses for their assistance in putting this publication together. A special thanks to Susan McLeod and Eldbjorg Tobin of the Chippewa Valley Museum for their contributions. We also appreciate People’s Bank of Wisconsin’s sponsorship of the Business Hall of Fame.
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RCU congratulates all Hall of Fame Inductees. Your business vision and leadership has contributed to a strong and vibrant Eau Claire – a community RCU has been proud to serve and call home since 1964. 715-833-8111 • 1-800-341-9911 • www.rcu.org
4 2011 Business Hall of Fame
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C. David Bugher
Eau Claire native C. David Bugher, 89, credits his father for much of his success. When he was young, Bugher and his sister asked his father, a successful banker, for a dime to go to the movies. “He said, ‘Well kids, I will give you a dime, but I recommend you keep it instead,’” Bugher recalled. They skipped the movie and saved the dime, and their father continued to give them everything from financial tips to advice on life and relationships. Bugher graduated from Eau Claire High School in 1939 and attended the School of Business at UW-Madison before enlisting in the Air Force in 1942. While serving in World War II, Bugher was partnered with Arkansas native B.J. Farmer. The two flew 40 combat missions together on a B-24 bomber, Farmer as the pilot and Bugher the navigator. After the war, Bugher returned to Eau Claire and managed the Super Service Station on Farwell Street. He quickly formed a group and started the Wisconsin Gillette Tire Sales, a wholesale tire business, capitalizing on the proximity of the Gillette Tire Company in Eau Claire. He then ventured into the automobile business, first owning a Nash dealership downtown before
Photo c ontribu ted by D ave Bug he
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Real Estate Developer
expanding into Lincoln Mercury. He eventually sold those dealerships in order to start a Ford dealership in Eau Claire. At the time, Ford would not allow dealers to own competing brands. In 1956, Bugher sold the dealership and reunited with Farmer, who had relocated to Eau Claire. The pair started Loan Service Inc., which led to the development of FarmerBugher Real Estate Inc. It quickly became a leading Eau Claire real estate agency specializing in mortgage lending, general real estate sales, leasing, real estate development, construction, condominium formation and commercial and apartment management. The friends had an understanding early on that they both had to agree on things or it wouldn’t work. They stuck to the plan and both their friendship and business flourished. The pair’s largest development in Eau Claire was the Stein Farm, which is the area across from Sacred Heart Hospital. They developed the Tamarack condos on State Street, which were the first residential condos in Eau Claire. They also developed other areas of Eau Claire,
Bugher and Farmer developed these mulitfamily apartments on what was once Stein Farm.
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“They have been together more than most marriages,” Bugher’s wife Carolyn noted. “They are still partners in many things.”
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other communities in Wisconsin and Minnesota as well as condominiums in Colorado.
uted b y Dave
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Dave Bugher served in the Air Force in World War II with B.J. Farmer. The two flew 40 combat missions together on a B-24 bomber, Farmer as the pilot and Bugher the navigator.
While the corporation was liquidated in 1981, Bugher and Farmer formed other partnerships. Bugher continued doing what came naturally – developing. In recent years, he focused on residential development, creating such neighborhoods as the Timber Creek, Parkside and Whitetail subdivisions, as well as the condos on Memory Lane by Oakwood Mall, his most recent development. Bugher served as the president of the Wisconsin State Realtors Association and was named Realtor of the Year by the Association. He also served as a director for both the state and national Realtors Associations. He learned early on from his father that the key to business success was working hard, making key contacts and becoming involved in the community. Bugher served his local community¸ volunteering as president of the Eau Claire/Chippewa Realtors Association for two years and director for almost 20 years. He was heavily involved in the YMCA, serving as president for three years, and was instrumental in the development of the Highway 53 Bypass, spending numerous hours on the Transportation Projects Commission.
Timber Creek Subdivision was one of Bugher’s many developments.
His father’s advice is something we can all learn from – one dime at a time.
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Raymond B. Gillette 1865-1934
Tire Giant
Today, it is hard to imagine what local business man would warrant the closing of all banks, stores and even City Hall upon his death. But that’s exactly what happened when Raymond Gillette, owner of Gillette Safety Tire Company, passed away in 1934. As a tribute to Gillette by city officials and business professionals, the city shut down for 30 minutes as a small means to express the esteem in which Gillette was held by the business community. “Gillette was a man of magnetic personality, a hard fighter and a staunch friend. The fact that he was without a single enemy after years in business attests more strongly than anything else his fine points of character. He regarded his fellow man kindly at all times, was never a critic and was always a builder,” the Eau Claire Leader reported at the time of his death. Born in Little York, New York, Gillette attended Valparaiso University in Indiana before working at the R.G. Peters Salt and Lumber Company in East Lake, Michigan. He became manager of the Peters Company planing mill in Benton Harbor and served as the city’s mayor for three terms. In 1905, Gillette returned to Little York and purchased a farm and raised purebred cattle. But just two years later he returned to Michigan and supervised extensive lumber operations for Bogardus Land and Lumber Company.
It was with his brother, H.B., that Gillette first became involved in the tire industry. The two Photo contributed by the Chippewa Valley Museum developed a safety interliner for preventing blowouts and punctures in auto tires. Although it was a great idea, it failed to attract interest because it was difficult to apply it to the wide variety of sizes of tires made at that time. Consequently, Gillette decided to manufacture casings and inner tubes himself using the anti-blowout device. Nicholas Whelan of the Wisconsin-Minnesota Light and Power Company reportedly convinced Gillette to build a tire plant in Eau Claire. On May 23, 1917, the first tire was built by Gillette Safety Tire Company in Eau Claire. The plant produced 100 tires a day. By 1931, the Gillette plant, with its contracts with the General Motors Corporation, became one of the world’s largest suppliers of original equipment tires. It produced Gillette brand tires along with Ward, Atlas and U.S. Rubber’s brand, U.S. Royal. At the time of Gillette’s death in 1934, the plant produced a staggering 8,000 tires, 7,000 tubes and 4,500 bike tires a day. It employed 2,000 people and was Eau Claire’s largest industry.
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In 1934, U.S. Rubber Company purchased a substantial amount of interest in the company and fully purchased and took over Gillette Tire Company in 1940. Later in the 1960s, the company was renamed Uniroyal, and remained the largest employer in Eau Claire until the plant was closed in 1991.
A group of men and boys at the Gillette Tire Company. The crowd is probably present to witness the production of the first experimental tire on May 23, 1917.
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Because of his vision, business fortitude and dedication to the community, Gillette created a business that was the largest employer in Eau Claire for more than 70 years. It is easy to see why the community paused to pay him the respect he deserved. *Information for this article was taken from the Eau Claire Leader, May 22, 1934.
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Dick Larson
2011
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Richard “Dick” Lar son Philanthropist While Eau Claire native Richard “Dick” Larson was blessed with a strong, supportive family and positive experiences with the Boy Scouts and others, one of the biggest influences to his success may have come from around a Montana campfire. As a teenager, Dick spent his summers working as a wrangler on a dude ranch out west. The ranch hosted many important guests, including top executives from such high profile companies as RJ Reynolds, Northern Pacific Railroad and others. Late in the evening, the men sat around the fire and talked business. “It was like going to Harvard listening to those guys,” Dick said. “It was one of the greatest learning experiences of my life.” With his new business knowledge and a degree in economics and psychology from St. Olaf College, Dick was well-prepared and motivated to achieve his dream of being a millionaire by the age of 30. He initially sold real estate with Tri-Way Real Estate, Inc. in Minneapolis and within a year was named sales manager. He went on to start his own real estate firm, and then went into commercial real estate at Towle Real Estate Company in Minneapolis. While
there, he leased shopping center space to Minnesota Fabrics. After seeing how wildly successfully the store was in the Twin Cities area, Dick founded Northwest Fabric Center in Eau Claire in 1963. The store took off like crazy, and Dick quickly opened a second store in Madison. With a shortened name of Northwest Fabrics, he expanded to 20 stores. In 1971, he took the company public through the Minneapolis Over the Counter Market. “People make businesses work and I have been fortunate over the years to have surrounded myself with the best,” Dick said. “Being in business has taught me that you had better treat people the way you want to be treated.” After expanding to 35 stores, with the headquarters and a warehouse in Eau Claire, Northwest Fabrics, Inc. merged with Peavey Company of Minneapolis. “After serious negotiation, they made me an offer that I couldn’t refuse,” Dick said. In 1976, Dick was elected corporate vice-president of Peavey Co. and was co-manager of Peavey’s retail group. He grew Northwest Fabrics to 120 stores, but the constant travel took its toll. He resigned from active management in 1978 but continued in the capacity of a consultant for four more years. In 1982, Peavey merged with Con-Agra Foods. “I was fortunate getting in when I did and out when I did – not because I was smart, just good luck,” he said. Since then, Dick has been involved in managing the real estate that he bought and developed over the years. As an example, in 1978, he bought 900 acres of the Bullis Farm on the southeast side of Eau Claire from Arrein Corporation. He later partnered with Ayres Associates to create Keystone Corporation, which developed this area that now includes the Oakwood Mall and Oakwood Hills. In 1991, he and his son, Tom, became involved in the hospitality industry owning a number of branded properties including: Holiday Inn Hotels, Microtels, Green
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Dick’s 10 Secrets to Success Dick Larson shared some business advice with his grandchildren. Here are his top 10 secrets to success.
mmers working su s hi t en sp n so ar L ck Di As a teenager, a dude ranch in Montana. as a wrangler on Mills and T.G.I Friday restaurants. While Tom now solely owns the T.G.I. Friday restaurants, Dick still owns hotels and spends most of his time investing and managing real estate. He is heavily involved in the stock market and does Venture Capital investing. “It is a great experience having Tom involved in the business,” said Dick, who also noted how supportive his entire family has been. Between Dick and his wife Marcia, they have five children and 10 grandchildren. Even though Dick left Eau Claire for a short time early in his career, he couldn’t wait to return. “In Wisconsin and especially Eau Claire, the banks have been fair. Employees have an outstanding work ethic. People care about people … It is just a good healthy place to raise a family and do business,” he said. Dick has done his share to make sure the community stays strong. He has served on numerous Boards including Luther Hospital, YMCA, Boy Scouts of America and the Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corporation. Long since realizing his dream of being a millionaire by the age of 30, Dick has given that money back to the community. For example, in 1998, he helped found the Eau Claire Community Foundation with a one million dollar gift. “I couldn’t ask for more. I have been very fortunate in so many ways,” he said.
1. How You Think Is Everything: Always be positive. Think success, not failure. Beware of negative environment. 2. Decide Upon Your True Dreams and Goals: Write down your specific goals and develop a plan to reach them. 3. Take Action: Goals are nothing without action. Don’t be afraid to get started. Just do it. 4. Never Stop Learning: Go back to school or read books. Get training and acquire skills. 5. Be Persistent and Work Hard: Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up. 6. Learn to Analyze Details: Get all the facts, all the input. Learn from your mistakes. 7. Focus Your Time and Money: Don’t let other people or things distract you. 8. Don’t Be Afraid to Innovate; Be Different: Following the herd is a sure way to mediocrity. 9. Deal and Communicate with People Effectively: No person is an island. Learn to understand and motivate others. . 10 Be Honest and Dependable; Take Responsibility: Otherwise, Numbers 1-9 won’t matter.
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Congratulations!
2011 Business Hall of Fame Inductees!
Congratulations
Honorees With special recognition to UW-Eau Claire Honorary Alumnus
On behalf of
VISIT EAU CLAIRE and the entire Hospitality & Tourism Industry! visiteauclaire.com
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Dick Larson
www.eccommunityfoundation.org
GIVE back for impact
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“
CONGRATULATIONS TO CHET, ARTHUR (STIR) & KEN (BUDGE) WAGNER ON BEING INDUCTED INTO THE EAU CLAIRE BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
Philanthropy should be a joy, not a burden. We make giving simple and satisfying
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD TIMES AND GOOD MEMORIES From the new owners of Wagner’s Lanes and the management and staff
306 S. Barstow Suite 104 Eau Claire, WI 54701 715.552.3801
Congratulations to the
Class of 2011 Business Hall of Fame Inductees
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“It was the place to go in the area by far,” said Bob Wagner, son of Arthur Wagner. “This was the outlet for families to take their kids and do something.” Wagner’s Lanes is the story of Wagner brothers Chester “Chet”, Arthur “Stir” (a nickname given to him because he never stayed in one spot) and Kenneth “Budge” (because unlike Stir, he always stood in one spot and didn’t budge.)
building the original 20 lanes. The alley opened in 1949, and it was common for groups to wait up to three hours just to bowl three lines. Bowling was only 30 cents per line, and the pin-boys made a whopping seven cents per line with a bonus of one cent if they showed up to set pins as they were scheduled. Stir managed the office and bar, Budge ran the pro shop and tended bar and Chet promoted and managed the lanes.
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After serving in World War II, the brothers and their families moved to Eau Claire and joined forces with Glen and Hollis Hopkins, a father-son team from Sparta, in
Photo contributed by Wa
Wagner’s 66 ½ Lanes was more than just a bowling alley. Boasting three bars, live entertainment, pro shop, children’s nursery (for the bowlers), apartments, offices, a restaurant and even a practice half lane in the basement, Wagner’s was the center of entertainment for Eau Claire. At one time, it contributed more to the local economy through bowling tournaments than all other conventions combined.
gner Family
Arthur, Chester & Kenneth Wagner Entertainers
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The three brothers were true entertainers. Budge often played trumpet in the band and Chet and Stir sang. But, it was the family relationship that may have been the secret to their success. The brothers never fought, and it was a true family business. Their parents and sister, Betty, were even involved. Betty managed the restaurant, and their mother checked coats. In 1977 with the upcoming Women’s State Bowling Tournament with more than 3,000 teams scheduled to compete, the Wagner’s expanded the operation from 40 to 64 lanes. All three brothers had been working long days getting ready for the grand opening. Just days before it was set to open, the entire complex burned to the ground. Fortunately, there was no loss of life as 10 people, including Budge, were living in the apartments above, but it was devastating for the Wagner family. The loss was tremendous as the insurance proved not enough to cover the losses. With the help of insurance proceeds, private loans and a Small Business Administration loan, the brothers rebuilt and reopened Wagner’s 66 ½ Lanes a year later.
“We could have quit and taken it easy at our age, but we owed it to the city and bowlers to try it over again,” Chet told the Leader-Telegram at the time. When the men’s and women’s tournament reached their full capacity with the 66 ½ Lanes, the brothers opened a bowling center on the west side, appropriately named Wagner’s West. They also owned additional businesses throughout the years, including Midway Bowl, Ojibwa Bowl, Wagner’s Golf Range, a roller rink, the Windmill Drive-In Restaurant, State Bowling Lanes and a mini golf course. The brothers were truly dedicated to the business. They worked nearly every day, and Budge worked until his death in 1990. In 2000, Wagner’s 66 ½ Lanes was reduced to 26 lanes making way for an office complex and gas station and later what was left of the complex was sold to investors from McFarland, Wisconsin. Although Chet and Stir no longer have ownership in the alley, it doesn’t keep them away. Chet, 97, recently returned to the area, and Stir, 92 has already played a few games this year and was a regular league player last year. “It was their life and their community,” Bob
Photo contributed by the Wagner Fami ly
The Hopkins eventually sold their interest to the Wagner family and 16 more lanes were added. League bowling became very popular. Many companies had teams, including Presto with 28 teams and Uniroyal had eight.
Chester, Kenneth and Arthur Wagner (l-r) dedicated their lives to running Wagner’s Lanes.
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Herman White94-1976
It is hard to tell whether Herman White did more for baseball or his community. In early references to Herman, he was called Mr. Baseball and Mr. Eau Claire. Both were accurate depictions as Herman dedicated his life to the game he loved in the city that became home. Born into a large farm family in Necedah, Herman was forced to give up his early dream of being a baseball player after he severely injured his pitching arm. In 1921, he and his wife moved to Eau Claire, and Herman joined White Machine Works, which was owned by an uncle and a brother. White Machine Works became a nationwide leader in producing cylinder liners and sleeves. Most of the sleeves and liners were for trucks, tanks and diesel engines, and the company supplied piston sleeves to the U.S. government during World War II. Herman served as secretary-treasurer of the company and eventually took ownership of it after his uncle’s death. It employed about 200 people.
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Howard White, grandson of Herman, admired his grandfather’s business skills. “He had a nose for business and turned it into a bundle of money. It allowed him to get involved civically – both locally, as well as statewide and nationally,” Howard explained.
Photo contributed by How ard White
Mr. Eau Claire & Mr. Baseball
When the Eau Claire Bears struggled in 1933, Herman personally contributed financial support, which helped the minor league team survive. He served as team president of the Eau Claire Bears until he resigned to become league president. He then served for several years as president of both the Northern League and the Wisconsin State League. He also was a member of the Executive Committee for the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, which oversaw the entire minor league baseball organization.
d White uted by Howar Photo contrib
The Milwaukee Sentinel paid tribute to Herman in an article profiling Eau Claire in 1952.
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“Mr. White is unchallenged as the outstanding figure in minor league baseball. Time, effort and even personal expense don’t deter him from trying to preserve America’s national pastime in the small towns where it grew,” reported Max T. Nelson, also stating that Herman was probably the one man in town who would be a unanimous choice for “Mr. Eau Claire.” Herman White (first on left) visited the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
Herman was heavily involved civically, serving as Eau Claire City Council president. He was president of the Board of Directors for Luther Hospital, where he received its first ever Good Samaritan award. Herman was well-known for his philanthropy to other organizations as well, including the Boy Scouts and YMCA. He served as president of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, the Eau Claire Rotary Club and the Elks Club. After growing the business to include 21 branch outlet warehouses in the United States and Canada, Herman sold White Machine Works to Gould Batteries in 1958. He went on to form other ventures, including the Northern Wisconsin State Fair and the Eau Claire Civic Center. Herman passed away on his 82nd birthday, but he is fondly remembered for the impact he made on both baseball
“If I could accomplish half as much as he did, I would consider myself an incredible success,” Howard said.
uted by How ard White
“If I could accomplish half as much as he did, I would consider myself an incredible success.”
and the community. In 2008, he was inducted posthumously to the Eau Claire Baseball Hall of Fame, one of the first two individuals inducted who was not a player.
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“He believes Eau Claire is a great place to live and he wants to keep it that way,” reported Nelson.
Herman White served on the Executive Committee for the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues.
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A great event inspires more than just the attendees. It inspires the entire community. At U.S. Bank, we are committed to making the communities in which we work and live a better place. Our commitment means supporting the programs and organizations that enrich the quality of life for our neighbors. Because when our community succeeds, everyone wins.
We would like to congratulate all the Business Hall of Fame inductees for this well-deserved honor. U.S. Bank
131 S. Barstow Street Eau Claire, WI 54701 715-839-6318
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