Mr. Lee Dunham This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. ..:: Positive Community::..

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   Published on: 3/13/2002   Last Visited: 1/4/2005

   Lee Dunham, who owns nine McDonald's franchises, got the idea for a series of gospel concert competitions from a fellow McDonald's franchisee in Cleveland OH. His friend , Caesar Burks, had mounted a similar event successfully. "When I saw the show," Dunham said,
   
   " I was really impressed.. I enjoyed it and saw how much the people enjoyed it, so I brought the idea back to our Black owners and operators group." Lee Dunham. You've heard it said, "That's a real Horatio Alger story." Horatio Alger (1832-1898) wrote novels in which the hero, a boy from a poor and dis-advantaged family overcame numerous obstacles to triumph against the odds and build his own
   
   American Dream . Well, Mr. Lee Dunham is a real-life Horatio Alger hero and here's his story. He must have been born an entrepreneur. From an early age he dreamed of owning a business - one that would make enough to make it possible for his mother to stop washing clothes for other people to a earn a living. Growing up in Brooklyn, he didn't just dream he worked odd jobs, all the while dreaming of owning his own restaurant. After high school, he joined the air Force. Following his discharge, he worked at several restaurants, took business classes at night and became a member of the NYPD-all the while planning. For 15 years he worked full time as a police officer, worked part-time as a carpenter and continued to attend school. In 1971, with $42,000 in hard-earned savings he was ready to open a business. All of his years of sacrifice and planning would make his dream a reality - his own upscale restaurant in Brooklyn. But the banks didn't know Lee Dunham, then and he couldn't get financing, so, unstoppable, he changed direction and turned to franchising. He applied to many companies, but McDonald's was the first to offer him a franchise. He opened the first McDonald's in the inner-city - on 125th Street in Harlem, and from 1972-1974 it was the highest volume franchise in the company. Today Lee Dunham owns not one, but nine restaurants-McDonald's restaurants. Dunham says he has a passion for working with people and that's what McDonald's offers. Working with his employees, very often young people from a store's neighborhood, he tries to show them what hard work and planning can do. And he loves the idea of providing enjoyment for his customers. Seeing the smiling faces of people-parents, children , young adults -enjoying themselves in one of his restaurants provides the kind of satisfaction that he thrives on. The other thing Lee Dunham enjoys is helping to make a difference in people's lives. Through his personal success and his well-earned respect in the McDonald's corporation he has been a major influence in the sponsorship of many community-oriented events and programs. From Double Dutch with Vy Higgensen to Gospelfest and Ronald McDonald House, Dunham believes that McDonald's is a good corporate citizen giving back to the communities that support its products.
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   For Lee Dunham, success in any endeavor is all about passion. "Find your passion," he said, "and pursue it.