| When it comes to great business leaders we often | | | | its 4,000 residents play host to over 3 million visitors |
| think of those who started or led enduring | | | | every year. In fact, tens of millions of people have |
| companies, such as Jack Welch of General Electric or | | | | learned about the Bavarian culture through the town's |
| Sam Walton of Wal-Mart. This week the world lost a | | | | festivals, shops, and restaurants for over half a |
| truly phenomenal business mind when William Zehnder | | | | century.Lessons to be learned from this exceptional |
| passed away.Zehnder was well-known in Central | | | | entrepreneur:1. Do not go with the flow. If everyone |
| Michigan as "Mr. Frankenmuth". He is credited with the | | | | is going in one direction, head the other way and you |
| concept of turning a small town in to a leading tourist | | | | go faster.2. Be proud of your heritage - no matter |
| attraction.The story dates back to 1941 when | | | | what it is. Display it with pride and others will want to |
| Zehnder took over the management of a small hotel | | | | experience it.3. Invite others to join your journey. |
| along a state highway in rural Michigan. His soon-to-be | | | | Zehnder showed others his vision. They liked it and |
| wife worked at Fischer's Hotel across the street, | | | | followed. It paid off for all.The Zehnder legacy will live |
| something that would lead to Zehnder's purchase of | | | | on for many generations to come through his |
| that hotel in 1950.Depression hit, causing Zehnder to | | | | wisdom and knowledge that commerce and culture |
| lose money during 1957 and 1958. His financial backers | | | | are a recipe for success.Rick Weaver is an |
| urged him to sell one of the two hotels in order to | | | | accomplished business executive with a wealth of |
| raise money to sustain the other. Zehnder fought the | | | | experience in retail, market analysis, supply chain |
| common business "practice" of downsizing or | | | | enhancement, project management, team building, |
| retreating when business is bad and took the exact | | | | and process improvement.Rick career began in |
| opposite approach. Instead of taking a survival | | | | retailing as a stockclerk, eventually becoming the |
| position, Zehnder decided that it would be better to | | | | Director of Vendor Development at Kmart |
| aggressively look for new customers. He tapped into | | | | Corporation during its heyday. In this position he |
| a long-held dream of establishing a living cultural model | | | | worked with hundreds of Kmart's suppliers to |
| based on the Province of Franconia in the Kingdom | | | | improve mutual processes, procedures, and profits. |
| of Bavaria, from where most of the town's | | | | As a consultant, Rick has worked with companies in |
| forefathers had emigrated.Zehnder's dream started | | | | various industries to develop leadership and business |
| to surface when the Fischer Hotel reopened as the | | | | strategies. As an entrepreneur, Rick has founded or |
| Bavarian Inn in 1959. The new hotel, sporting the | | | | co-founded six successful organizations, including |
| architecture of Bavaria, opened with a genuine | | | | non-profit and for profit.Now in his role as president |
| German festival including ethnic entertainment and | | | | of MaxImpact, Rick uses his vast experience helping |
| food. Despite the economy, people flocked to see | | | | individuals connect to their dreams and teams |
| this unique concept and share in the German | | | | connect to a common vision.Rick's presentation style |
| culture.Over the balance of his life, Zehnder worked | | | | of blending humor, real life examples, and easy to |
| diligently to assist others in the town to adopt the | | | | implement ideas has made him a popular speaker at |
| same motive for their buildings. It proved to be a | | | | seminars, workshops, and conferences in in 43 |
| huge success. Today the town of Frankenmuth with | | | | states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. |