Harland Sanders
(September 9, 1890 - December 16, 1980)
Founded the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food restaurant chain. He held a variety of jobs (farm hand, streetcar conductor, blacksmith's helper, fireman, insurance salesman and tire salesman....). In 1929 he opened his first restaurant, Sanders' Cafe, in the front room of a small gas station in Corbin, Kentucky.
He was made an honorary colonel by the governor of Kentucky in 1935, and by 1964 he had over 600 Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants, using his secret blend of 11 herbs and spices (and a pressure cooker) to make "finger lickin' good chicken". (The 'Original Recipe' of his secret blend was actually developed in 1940.)
He sold the company in 1964 for $2,000,000, a lifetime salary of $40,000 and a seat on the board of directors. He remained an active spokesman for the chain until his death in 1980.
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