Dave Thoma

Dave Thomas is renowned as an entrepreneur, business leader, author and advocate for diversity and inclusion issues.

He utilizes NASA Earth science data to explore how park natural resources respond to weather and climate fluctuations across Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and other parks located on the Colorado Plateau.

Early Life and Education

Dave Thomas was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey on July 2, 1932 and spent much of his early childhood living with his grandmother who taught him the value of helping others and working hard. He later went on to establish Wendy’s Old-Fashioned Hamburgers fast food chain and has appeared in over eight hundred television ads for it. Additionally, he has written two motivational books. His first book, Dave’s Way: A New Approach to Old-Fashioned Success (1991), became one of the best-selling nonfiction titles at that time. Dave Thomas has long championed adoption and established the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption as part of his dream that all children deserve families; additionally, he sponsored various adoption awareness programs and initiatives as well. Instead of graduating high school he hired a tutor instead and took and passed his GED examination in 1993.

Professional Career

Dave Thoma is an industry veteran with deep business and technical knowledge in software. He has held senior executive positions at Kx Systems and First Derivatives Plc before founding Object Technology International Inc (OTI) and Object Mentor, pioneers in commercializing object oriented software development methodologies like Agile, JAOO and Object-Oriented Design.

Thomas dedicated much of his later years to advocating for foster children, lecturing high school students about drug dangers, and teaching about his personal struggle with alcoholism and drug dependency that started after his 5-year-old son was involved in a fatal choking incident. After this tragedy occurred he went back to school, hired a tutor, earned his GED, and has also spoken at numerous IT conferences such as YOW!, ECOOP, JAOO and AOSD as a keynote speaker.

Achievement and Honors

Dave Thomas spread his message of abstaining from drugs to millions, helping foster children find homes. Though never finishing high school himself, he hired a tutor and took and passed his GED test in order to assist others. Furthermore, he championed adoption efforts by creating an employee benefits program specifically dedicated to adoptive parents.

He made appearances in several television shows, such as Grace Under Fire and Picture Perfect. Additionally, he wrote and produced Family Challenge for ABC that unfortunately was not picked up.

His commitment as a servant leader and visionary were unmatched; he strived tirelessly to realize his goals while enjoying many adventures with his wife in faraway places. He left an immeasurable positive mark in people’s lives that will live on through his legacy.

Personal Life

Dave Thomas was an influential business tycoon known for establishing Wendy’s restaurant chain. Additionally, he was widely-renowned as an active philanthropist who created foundations dedicated to various charitable causes and was also known for loving his wife and raising two daughters.

Born July 2, 1932 in Atlantic City, New Jersey to his biological mother who gave him up for adoption at six weeks of age by Rex and Auleva Thomas who named him David before she passed away from rheumatic fever at five years.

At fifteen, he dropped out of high school to work at Hobby House restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Though initially regretful for leaving school early, later earning a GED certificate.

Net Worth

GT Dave is a renowned businessman who owns and runs GT’s Living Foods, making most of his money in the Kombucha business – this business estimated his net worth and salary at $3 Million.

Mark is best-known for playing Doug McKenzie on Canadian syndicated TV sketch show SCTV and has appeared in various films such as Home to Stay by Delbert Mann starring Hollywood legend Henry Fonda; Strange Brew by Lorne Michaels during his hiatus from Saturday Night Live; and The New Show produced by Lorne Michaels when on hiatus from Saturday Night Live.

He is part of a large family and keeps his personal life private. Ian Thomas is an established singer-songwriter; together they founded a foundation offering GED courses.