David Jorgensen and the Free to Choose Network

Silicon Valley entrepreneur David Jorgensen has played an instrumental role in the initial development and extended success of several major national and global technology enterprises over the course of the past four decades, endeavors that provided him with the fiscal means to pursue his long held passion for philanthropy. Following the completion of his Master of Science in Engineering at Stanford University, Mr. Jorgensen moved on to co-found the Katun Corporation, a venture he helped grow from the ground up and oversaw for more than two decades. David Jorgensen seized the opportunity to increase his involvement in the charitable arena after selling Katun to a group of private equity investors in 2002, joining forces with Free to Choose Network (FTCN) as the organization’s Vice Chairman. A non-profit foundation that champions the open and democratic exchange of ideas, FTCN employs a wide array of traditional and digital media platforms to bolster public support for its cause.

With the backing of forward-thinking individuals such as David Jorgensen Katun, Free to Choose Network produces an extensive range of educational and engrossing programs that are then broadcast on the worldwide web through the Google search engine and popular sites like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. In an effort to reach the largest audience possible, FTCN also partners with public television stations across the country to promote its thought-provoking videos and teaching tools. Although FTCN strives to appeal to viewers of all ages, the non-profit agency channels a vast portion of its resources toward engaging younger demographics in intellectual activism. To accomplish this goal, FTCN collaborates with teachers and school administrators to raise awareness of its mission, extending distinctive recognition to those educators who best utilize FTCN teaching units in the classroom.

Sponsoring an annual event called the Winning Ideas Weekend, Free to Choose Network brings together an intergenerational group of students, teachers, parents, and guest speakers to discuss and explore the basic underlying principles that comprise a prosperous society. The 2012 Winning Ideas Weekend is scheduled to take place in Erie, Pennsylvania from June 28 – June 30 and will culminate in a ceremony that honors five educators whose work optimally embodies FTCN’s vision. Thanks to the generosity of the David & Annette Jorgensen Foundation, FTCN looks forward to many more Winning Ideas Weekends in the years to come.

To learn more about the Free to Choose Network and David Jorgensen, visit aboutdavidgjorgensen.org. 

Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group: Operating Two of the Finest Steak Houses in America

Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group operates two high-end steakhouse restaurants, Sullivan’s and Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House, with over 30 locations in 15 states.

The company was established in Dallas, Texas more than twenty years ago. It embodies the rich and timeless culinary panache and traditions of American steak houses, impressing guests with its immaculate chef-driven cuisine, all-encompassing multi-awarded wine list and incomparable hospitality. 

Del Frisco’s serves premium hand-cut steaks and fresh seafood, including the Australian cold-water lobster tails. The company utilizes nothing but the finest ingredients in its tasty appetizers, flavorsome side dishes, delicious main courses and delightful desserts. 

The company’s knowledgeable sommeliers are readily available to guide guests through the extensive wine list, while its bartenders unfailingly lift guests’ spirits with cocktails and martinis crafted and hand-shaken right on the spot. Furthermore, Del Frisco never fails to provide its guests with memorable dining experience through its vibrant and stunning ambience perfect for grand nights, corporate affairs and  special occasions.

Because of its unparalleled business operations, Del Frisco has grown massively over the years and now boasts of numerous accolades and accomplishments including being named by Inc. Magazine as one of America’s fastest growing companies for 2011.

Apple-Metro, Inc.: Applebee’s Outstanding Franchisee

Headquartered in New York’s Metropolitan area, Apple-Metro, Inc. is one of the most outstanding franchisees of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar. The company’s portfolio includes 33 Applebee’s locations in five New York districts as well as in Rockland and Westchester Counties.

Recognizing immense opportunities and unfulfilled needs of a vast market in New York’s Metropolitan area, budding entrepreneurs Roy Raeburn and Zane Tankel grabbed the chance to control the franchise rights for quick-service, casual-dining segment frontrunner, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, and established Apple-Metro, Inc. in 1993. The company’s operations revolve around very basic principles – to create a remarkable dining experience through the best services, food, drinks and atmosphere.

The company opened the first Applebee location in October 1994 in Staten Island, and has since then, saw the construction and launching of thirty-two additional locations all over the country, including three of the biggest Applebee’s in the entire world.  Apple-Metro’s milestone accomplishments include its 25^th Applebee’s location which opened in 2006 at Bricktown at the Outerbridge Crossing, and the 2,000^th Applebee’s restaurant in the world which opened in 2010 at Harlem. The company has exclusive franchising rights in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island and Queens as well as Rockland and Westchester counties.

Apple-Metro has been in operation for nearly twenty years and its focus on creating the most outstanding dining experience through its excellent customer service, extraordinary food and unparalleled drinks in a comfortable, fun-filled ambience remains to be at the core of its incredibly successful business.

Today, Apple-Metro, Inc. continues to exceed the expectations of its customers and the high standards set by the cutthroat restaurant industry by providing diners with unsurpassed dining experiences. The company has been globally recognized as one of the industry’s leading franchising companies, with multiple accolades including New York Urban’s 2012 Frederick Douglass Medallion Award and a spot in Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing companies in the United States.

Apple-Metro’s three newest locations include branches in Yonkers, Jamaica, and Flushing, New York. The company hopes to expand its reach to the rest of the world and share the ultimate dining experience enjoyed by thousands of Americans every single day.

Premium Mushrooms: More Than Just a Local Mushroom Grower

Headquartered in Northern California and considered to be one of the country’s fastest growing agriculture-related businesses, Premium Mushrooms is a firm and farm that produces Portobello and white mushrooms. In the past several years, the company has witnessed incredible growth and success in its operations, facility size and production quantities and has become one of the largest private-sector employers in the nation.

At Premier Mushrooms, products are composted, grown and distributed by hand. The company also utilizes a vertically-integrated system that allows for efficient quality control and greater consistency. Premier Mushrooms’ exceptional business model, unparalleled customer service and outstanding products allowed a rapid 3-year growth and revenue of nearly $17 million last 2011.

Aside from producing, fresh, all-natural, great-tasting mushrooms, Premier has also been actively participating in the goings-on of the local community and has been initiating efforts that lessen hazardous environmental impacts brought about by its operations as well as other ecologically-harmful activities.

Truly an outstanding company that is ahead of its contemporaries, Premium Mushrooms continues to innovate not only in the field of agriculture but in other societal sectors as well.

The Wilson Family and Their Snack Factory

The Wilson family jumpstarted their happy path towards the heights of the food and beverage industry by selling funnel cakes, a traditional Dutch pastry, at food fairs and other big events. With a fervent desire to bring their tasty product to a wider range of people, they opened Pennsylvania Dutch Treats in 1974 at Parasmus, New Jersey, and needless to say, enjoyed countless rave reviews. Later on, the family officially launched the Funnel Cake Factory and expanded their operations to include distribution of their products to several supermarkets and theme parks in the state.

The success of their first product inspired the Wilson family to whip up more baked goodies. During the early 1980’s, they launched a new line of products, this time, inspired by European delights. Nearly all of the items were a massive hit and soon enough, the company took off like wildfire, distributing to countless stores all over the country. The success of their product line propelled the company to the summits of the industry, placing 50^th on Inc. Magazine’s 500 List of America’s Fastest Growing Companies in 1990.

In the early 1990s, people from all over the country began to take notice of the Wilson’s classic success story and their outstanding products. The family was deemed to be a quintessential entrepreneurial team made up of confident, creative and hardworking individuals who labored night and day – a work ethic that is ingrained in their core of the company up to this very day.

A few years and a number of strategic business moves later, the Wilsons found themselves with a new, innovative brand called the Snack Factory, this time with a flat, pretzel cracker for a product. It immediately attracted a cult-like following and soon took off in every sense, securing a new, comfy place at the snack food industry. The company is flying high thus far, with an 86% growth in a span of three years and a whopping $81.4 million in annual revenue as of 2011. The Wilson’s family has also enjoyed countless accolades including the prestigious Ernst and Young Master Entrepreneur of the Year 2012.

Reliant Foods: Putting the Client’s Needs First Before Anything Else

Integrity, quality and service are the foundation, but solid relationships are the keystone for the outstanding success of Reliant Foods in the foods and beverage industry. A one-stop shop food distributor specializing in specialty coffee, frozen desserts, and juice and smoothies, Reliant makes sure that every single customer it caters to is well taken care of. The company sees its clients as business partners and recognizes the fact that its success depends largely on the success of its customers, which is why Reliant firmly commits its operations to providing only premium quality products coupled with highest standards of customer service.

Serving the South California region for more than ten years, the company offers some of the most excellent products there is in the industry. With a heavy emphasis on personalized service, Reliant also keeps a keen eye on the latest market trends and constantly updates its product lines that will meet such drifts. With its state-of-the-art warehouse facilities and massive fleet of trucks, the company is able to deliver food products that cannot be found anywhere else in the entire foodservice industry.