Ronald G. Wanek

Last updated
Ronald G. Wanek
Born1941 (age 83–84)
Occupation(s)Founder and chairman, Ashley Furniture Industries
SpouseJoyce A. Wanek
Children3 including Todd R. Wanek

Ronald G. Wanek (born 1941) is an American billionaire businessman, and the founder and chairman of Ashley Furniture Industries.

Contents

Early life

Wanek grew up on a dairy farm in Minnesota, where his grandfather and great uncle built furniture as a hobby. [1]

Awards and honors

In 2015, Ronald G. Wanek received an honorary doctorate from High Point University during their commencement ceremony. [2]

Career

Wanek started his first manufacturing business, Arcadia Furniture, in 1970 with a loan from his father and money he got from selling his home. [1]

In 1976, Wanek purchased Ashley Furniture, a company that had been operating since the 1940s. [1] After taking control of the company, Wanek established overseas manufacturing and distribution capabilities to make the business more competitive. [3]

Political activity

In 2012, Wanek, "a prominent Republican donor", gave $1 million towards hosting Tampa's Republican National Convention. [4]

Together with his spouse, Wanek contributed $839,400 to Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign. [5]

Personal life

He is married to Joyce; they have three children and live in St. Petersburg, Florida. [6] [4] His son Todd R. Wanek is the CEO of Ashley Furniture. [6]

In 1998, Wanek and his wife Joyce started the Ronald & Joyce Wanek Foundation. The foundation donates to causes including children and families charities, medical research, education, arts and U.S. armed forces. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Ronald Wanek". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  2. ↑ "Ashley Furniture Founder to Receive Honorary Doctorate at HPU Commencement". High Point University. May 2015. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Ron Wanek: Pursuing excellence". Furniture Today. 2020-12-23. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  4. 1 2 "Snell Isle mansion sells for $8.4 million, highest price since 2011". tampabay.com. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  5. ↑ "Here Are The Billionaires Who Donated To Donald Trump's 2020 Presidential Campaign". Forbes. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Ronald Wanek". Forbes. Retrieved 28 February 2019.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.