don wood was the visionary and founder of 80/20 inc., an ......busy creating a system of t-slotted...

Don Wood was the visionary and founder of 80/20 Inc., an innovative and progressive company that has become the number one T-slotted aluminum extrusion brand in the United States. Calling Don Wood enthusiastic is a little like calling Mount Everest a hill. Even at 80, he was as optimistic as anyone you’ve ever met. Don’s legacy shows that with the right attitude, an unshakeable work ethic, and the true vision of an entrepreneur, it is possible to create a profitable, cutting-edge company that can make a difference in the world. His is called 80/20 Incorporated. 80/20 was by no means Don’s first business venture. In fact, his entrepreneurial career started earlier than most when he began selling seeds door to door at the age of 7. Following a growth spurt, Don started selling vacuum cleaners at the age of 12 and was successful enough to help support his family. Like many men of his time, Don was called upon to serve in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and proudly accomplished the rank of Sergeant. In addition to gaining leadership skills in the military, Don’s wealth of experience came from working as a journeyman toolmaker and as a salesman and manager within the automation industry. In 1989, at the age of 58 when most of his peers were planning their retirement, Don and his sons Doug and John were busy creating a system of T-slotted aluminum extrusions that would become the 80/20 construction system. Don tirelessly peddled his construction system across the nation with his iconic demonstration van and gurney. His hard work and persistence paid off. In 1990, Don and two of his sons set up shop in 2000 square feet of space within a business incubator in Fort Wayne, IN. During this time, Don had to tackle many hardships that naturally come with starting your own business. He faced these difficulties with true entrepreneurial spirit – bypassing his own paycheck to cover employee wages, washing bars in 5 gallon buckets, and recruiting family and friends to assemble parts on the weekends. Operating out of a 255,000 square foot facility, 80/20 now supports over 150,000 customers, employs 450 stakeholders, and has more than 500 million dollars of product in the marketplace. 80/20 products are sold throughout North America, the UK, and Australia to all walks of life, from garage tinkerers to high-tech engineers at multi-billion dollar companies and government agencies. 80/20 is widely recognized not only for its innovative product but also its enlightened approach to business, where attitude is everything and all practices revolve around creating an outstanding customer experience. In 2017, Don announced to all of the employees of 80/20, Inc. that his dream was to create an Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP) which would give everyone an opportunity to share in the success of the company by becoming employee owners. Before his passing in 2019, Don also advised Ivy Tech Community College as a regional board member and served on many other boards, including the Fluid Power Society and “Go! Whitley” Accelerating Innovation. Don was also an ardent supporter of the community providing support to a wide variety of causes including setting up a scholarship at Ivy Tech Community College – Northeast and supporting the arts with a focus on the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, to name a few. Don was also awarded many honors, most notably Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2001. Don, through his legacy of the 80/20 Foundation Trust, continues to be a supporter of entrepreneurs and manufacturing and industrial technologies. He often said, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. In total, his life story demonstrates that the combination of hard work, having the right attitude, and daring to have an ambitious vision can truly turn dreams into reality. Don’s vision, through the good work of the 80/20 Foundation Trust, will begin building on Don’s dream of growing and transforming the manufacturing sector in NE Indiana.

Upload: others

Post on 30-Sep-2020

2 views

Category:

Documents

0 download

Report

Download

Embed Size (px):

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Don Wood was the visionary and founder of 80/20 Inc., an ......busy creating a system of T-slotted aluminum extrusions that would become the 80/20 construction system. Don tirelessly

DonWoodwasthevisionaryandfounderof80/20Inc.,aninnovativeandprogressivecompanythathasbecomethenumberoneT-slottedaluminumextrusionbrandintheUnitedStates.

CallingDonWoodenthusiasticisalittlelikecallingMountEverestahill.Evenat80,hewasasoptimisticasanyoneyou’veevermet.Don’slegacyshowsthatwiththerightattitude,anunshakeableworkethic,andthetruevisionofanentrepreneur,itispossibletocreateaprofitable,cutting-edgecompanythatcanmakeadifferenceintheworld.Hisiscalled80/20Incorporated.

80/20wasbynomeansDon’sfirstbusinessventure.Infact,hisentrepreneurialcareerstartedearlierthanmostwhenhebegansellingseedsdoortodoorattheageof7.Followingagrowthspurt,Donstartedsellingvacuumcleanersattheageof12andwassuccessfulenoughtohelpsupporthisfamily.Likemanymenofhistime,Donwascalled

upontoserveintheU.S.ArmyduringtheKoreanWarandproudlyaccomplishedtherankofSergeant.Inadditiontogainingleadershipskillsinthemilitary,Don’swealthofexperiencecamefromworkingasajourneymantoolmakerandasasalesmanandmanagerwithintheautomationindustry.

In1989,attheageof58whenmostofhispeerswereplanningtheirretirement,DonandhissonsDougandJohnwerebusycreatingasystemofT-slottedaluminumextrusionsthatwouldbecomethe80/20constructionsystem.Dontirelesslypeddledhisconstructionsystemacrossthenationwithhisiconicdemonstrationvanandgurney.Hishardworkandpersistencepaidoff.In1990,Donandtwoofhissonssetupshopin2000squarefeetofspacewithinabusinessincubatorinFortWayne,IN.Duringthistime,Donhadtotacklemanyhardshipsthatnaturallycomewithstartingyourownbusiness.Hefacedthesedifficultieswithtrueentrepreneurialspirit–bypassinghisownpaychecktocoveremployeewages,washingbarsin5gallonbuckets,andrecruitingfamilyandfriendstoassemblepartsontheweekends.

Operatingoutofa255,000squarefootfacility,80/20nowsupportsover150,000customers,employs450stakeholders,andhasmorethan500milliondollarsofproductinthemarketplace.80/20productsaresoldthroughoutNorthAmerica,theUK,andAustraliatoallwalksoflife,fromgaragetinkererstohigh-techengineersatmulti-billiondollarcompaniesandgovernmentagencies.80/20iswidelyrecognizednotonlyforitsinnovativeproductbutalsoitsenlightenedapproachtobusiness,whereattitudeiseverythingandallpracticesrevolvearoundcreatinganoutstandingcustomerexperience.In2017,Donannouncedtoalloftheemployeesof80/20,Inc.thathisdreamwastocreateanEmployeeStockOptionPlan(ESOP)whichwouldgiveeveryoneanopportunitytoshareinthesuccessofthecompanybybecomingemployeeowners.

Beforehispassingin2019,DonalsoadvisedIvyTechCommunityCollegeasaregionalboardmemberandservedonmanyotherboards,includingtheFluidPowerSocietyand“Go!Whitley”AcceleratingInnovation.DonwasalsoanardentsupporterofthecommunityprovidingsupporttoawidevarietyofcausesincludingsettingupascholarshipatIvyTechCommunityCollege–NortheastandsupportingtheartswithafocusontheFortWaynePhilharmonic,tonameafew.Donwasalsoawardedmanyhonors,mostnotablyErnst&Young’sEntrepreneuroftheYearin2001.

Don,throughhislegacyofthe80/20FoundationTrust,continuestobeasupporterofentrepreneursandmanufacturingandindustrialtechnologies.Heoftensaid,“Ifyoudowhatyoulove,you’llneverworkadayinyourlife.Intotal,hislifestorydemonstratesthatthecombinationofhardwork,havingtherightattitude,anddaringtohaveanambitiousvisioncan truly turn dreams into reality. Don’s vision, through the good work of the 80/20 Foundation Trust, will beginbuildingonDon’sdreamofgrowingandtransformingthemanufacturingsectorinNEIndiana.

Don Pablo Orellana Rivas Don Alejandro Riquelme Calvo Don ... · Don Pablo Orellana Rivas Don Alejandro Riquelme Calvo Don Enrique Díaz Quiroz Doña Marta Cádiz Coppia ... "AUDITORIA

“Don Alex”“Don Alex” - Don Alex Restaurant - …donalexrestaurant.com/menus/don_alex_menu.pdf · “Don Alex”“Don Alex ... Mazamorra Morada Peruvian purple corn pudding

Zarez 80.qxd - 080 - mgz.hr · su kupci u supermarketu Don Juani koii gomilaju, umJesto mrtvih Ijubavi, mrtve predmete; kad upitate Don Juana što mis li o Ženama, on ée vam reéi:

· PDF filecomfort to work tirelessly for Museveni's victory, is a popular politician at the KIRUNDA KIVEJINJA Kivejinja, 80, is a veteran ... minister Amama Mbabazi

Don Guanella e don Orione

Boletin Don MarioBoletin Don Mario

PAM : DON DES VIVRES JAPONAIS · 2014. 3. 7. · N° 80 - Février 2014 PAM : DON DES VIVRES JAPONAIS Le Programme Alimentaire Mondial (PAM) a réception-né, le 3 Février 2014 à

X CONSIGLIO PRESBITERALE DIOCESANO · 2012-10-26 · Francesco Perico, don Gianni Pesenti, don Andrea Ravasio, don Gianni Ravasio, don Luigi Rossi, don Romualdo Silini, don Giovanni

Environmental Club · La Thiel College Thiel College Environmental Club works tirelessly to promote

Tirelessly He Gives - bahai.org.nz

MIÉRCOLES 25 DE BRIL DE ÚMERO 80 BOLETÍN …media.i-bejar.com/pdf/bop_candidaturas2007.pdf · don luis iglesias pÉrez 6.- doÑa jÉsica de la fuente rojas 7.- don angel manuel

Seminario - n. 01... · Don Pierluigi Guidolin Don Tiziano Rossetto Don Stefano Didonè Don Davide Frassetto Don Mauro Montagner Don Davide Menegon Seminario Rivista degli amici del