House Bill hb9097

    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HR 9097

        By Representative Bense






  1                         House Resolution

  2         A resolution honoring the memory of Dave

  3         Thomas.

  4

  5         WHEREAS, Dave Thomas founded Wendy's Old-Fashioned

  6  Hamburgers in Columbus, Ohio, on November 15, 1969, and

  7  transformed it into one of the most successful food franchises

  8  in the country and, in promoting Wendy's, became a national

  9  figure representing a friendly face, good food, and a kind

10  sense of humor, and

11         WHEREAS, in 1993, 45 years after leaving school, Dave

12  Thomas earned his GED certificate and received his high school

13  diploma from Coconut Creek High School in Fort Lauderdale,

14  Florida, thereby establishing himself as a role model to

15  students of all ages, and

16         WHEREAS, in 1979, Dave Thomas was awarded the Horatio

17  Alger Award for dedication, individual initiative, and

18  commitment to excellence, as exemplified by his remarkable

19  accomplishments achieved through honesty, hard work,

20  self-reliance, and perseverance, and

21         WHEREAS, from 1990 until 2000, Dave Thomas was the

22  national spokesman for numerous White House adoption and

23  foster care initiatives and was the recipient of numerous

24  awards, including the Angel in Adoption Award by the

25  Congressional Coalition on Adoption and the 2001 Social

26  Awareness Award from the United States Postal Service for

27  promoting the use of the Adoption Awareness postage stamp as a

28  vehicle for highlighting the cause of adoption, and

29         WHEREAS, Dave Thomas established the Dave Thomas

30  Foundation for Adoption in 1992, to work with national

31  adoption organizations, individuals, and public and private

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HR 9097

    725-141-02






  1  agencies in raising awareness of children awaiting adoption

  2  and to provide direct support for programs seeking to find

  3  permanent homes for children in foster care, and

  4         WHEREAS, Dave Thomas founded the Dave Thomas Center for

  5  Adoption Law to ease and facilitate the adoption process

  6  through education, advocacy, and research; he was a

  7  constructive force in shaping corporate health policy to cover

  8  adoption expenses, with the result that 75 percent of Fortune

  9  1000 companies now offer adoption benefits to their employees;

10  and he donated his speaking fees and profits from sales of his

11  books, "Dave's Way, Well Done!" and "Franchising for Dummies,"

12  to adoption causes, and

13         WHEREAS, Dave Thomas used his time, energy, and

14  financial resources to promote and advance the cause of

15  adoption, NOW, THEREFORE,

16

17  Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

18  Florida:

19

20         That the House of Representatives respectfully honors

21  the memory of Dave Thomas, devoted family man, successful

22  businessman, and tireless advocate for children in need of

23  permanent homes with loving families.

24         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution

25  be presented to the family of Dave Thomas as a tangible token

26  of the sentiments expressed herein.

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