Former NBA player Ulysses ‘Junior’ Bridgeman talks about his rise to incredible success as a business owner during the December episode of 21st Century Business Forum webcast.
This webcast, Nothing But Net: Scoring Big in Business, will broadcast at 11 a.m. Wednesday, December 8. Registration is free; sign up here.
It was the beginning of a franchising empire: By the time he retired, he had already purchased three Wendy’s. Mr. Bridgeman was the owner and chief executive officer of various companies operating over 450 restaurants in 20 states, including 263 Wendy’s restaurants and 123 Chili’s restaurants.
His companies received several prestigious awards during his tenure, including the Diamond Award (most effective neighborhood marketer), the Wendy Award (exemplary performance by a franchisee), the Founder’s Award (recognizing operational excellence by a franchisee), the Jim Near Legacy Award (for employer of choice) and the Hall of Fame Award (for overall achievement) from Wendy’s International, and the Franchisee of the Year Award (2012) and the Chili’s Sales Award (2015) from Brinker International.
Mr. Bridgeman is now a bottler for The Coca-Cola Company, serving as the president and CEO of Heartland Coca-Cola, running a production plant in Lenexa, Kansas, and 18 distribution centers with his son, Justin. He also recently purchased the iconic Jet and Ebony magazines.
The 21st Century Business Forum debuted in 2021, featuring a lineup of successful top executives, experts, and global thought leaders to share ideas and insights as business executives, entrepreneurs, owners and managers navigate the new year ahead. It airs on the second Wednesday of each month, interviewing guests in a Q&A format.
The 21st Century Business Forum is presented by Business Report and is sponsored by the East Baton Rouge Parish Library and LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors. Registration is free; sign up here.
