Over the years, their business grew to include other franchise opportunities, and my parents soon learned the lessons of owning versus renting. They did all of this together, and there were a lot of late nights. My dad would be on the cook line and operate the day-to-day affairs my mother managed the books, ran the cash register during meal periods, and still worked her bookkeeping job. In 1964, they opened their first restaurant, Jerry’s Restaurant, a full-service coffee shop with curb service. My dad was a meat cutter and my mom was an awesome bookkeeper. Neither of my parents had the chance to go to college, so they pushed us to accept that the opportunity to attend college also included the responsibility to positively impact your community. While I graduated from Jasper High School in 1988 and from Vanderbilt University in 1992, I’d like to think my real education came from my family. How did you take an interest in franchising, real estate and business? Needless to say, it wasn’t a game-changer, though we did have fun and learned a lot.ĭescribe your education and career path. We mixed our shelled corn with acorns, certain that we had hit the right mix for a new, soon-to-be renowned squirrel food. Finding leftover corn in the fields after crops were harvested, a friend and I shelled, packaged and tried selling the feed by going door-to-door in our neighbourhood. My first attempt at “enterprise” was when I was nine years old. Our church, schools and friends were a big part of our community. My parents worked hard to overcome many obstacles, but always with a sense of humility and self-sacrifice. I grew up in Jasper, Indiana, a small town in the southern third of the state. Who or what was an early influence on you? Tell us about your early years growing up in Indiana. Peoria Magazines is proud to name Peoria City Councilman Sid Ruckriegel as the 2017 40 Leaders Under Forty Alumnus of the Year. As an At-Large Council member, he serves as city liaison to the Peoria Public Library, Downtown Development Corporation and Peoria Civic Center Authority. Earlier this year, he was elected outright by city residents, finishing first in a strong field of candidates. In 2015, Ruckriegel’s extensive record of civic leadership made him an obvious choice for appointment to the Peoria City Council. He was also chosen by the Creve Coeur Club to chair the George Washington Day Banquet next year. His board service also includes Alignment Peoria, the Heart of Illinois United Way and many other organizations, including co-chairing Peoria Promise's major fundraising event in 2016. He chairs the Peoria Riverfront Museum Board, having served as a director since its inception, and is director of APPSCo, mentoring youth through real-world entrepreneurial activities. A strong neighborhood advocate, he has served in numerous roles for the Moss-Bradley Residential Association, and his passion for historic preservation led him to serve on the City of Peoria Historic Commission and as a long-time trustee and past president of the Peoria Historical Society. Not only has he built a successful career in the real estate and restaurant industry, his servant leadership is exemplified in a resume that runs for miles. A well-respected businessman and entrepreneur, his strong work ethic and affable personality have long been among our community’s greatest assets. Since being named a 40 Leader Under Forty in 2003, Sid Ruckriegel’s dedication to Peoria has only grown deeper.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |