At last, a success story from the NFL.


When you think of Herschel Walker, Georgia Bulldogs, Heisman Trophy winner and NFL running back usually come to mind. But to more than 800 people in South, they just know him as their boss.

Since retiring from the NFL more than 20 years ago, Walker has built three massive companies, which include a chicken plant, a drapery business and promotions company that currently employs more than 800 people in the South.

“I’ve been in the chicken business for about 20 years. I’m the largest minority-owned chicken business in the United States,” Walker tells FOX Business. “I’m essentially a mini Tyson Foods.”

Walker launched his first business, Renaissance Man Foods in 1999, shortly after his retirement from the Dallas Cowboys, because he wanted to make good quality foods for his strict diet.

“Now, we have over 600 employees and we do chicken all over the United States into Canada. We won a lot of wars too,” he says.

Those wars, he adds, were mostly with the country’s largest producer of chicken, Tyson Foods.

“Tyson manufactured for me for about five years until we started to sting, and what I mean by that is that we started to compete for the same customer and I had to make a decision: do I go out of business or do I invest in my plants?”

Walker said his mom told him to keep the business running because a lot of people depended on those jobs to support their families.

“She said if you close your business you’re going to lose some jobs for some people,” he says.

At that moment, Walker said he decided to change his views on his business and no longer wanted to focus on money.

“My thing was as long as the company pays for itself. Like paid the rent and paid all the bills and I don't have to put money in it that I'll be okay,” he says.

Five years later, the Georgia Bulldogs star bought into a drapery company in North Carolina that supplies curtains for hotels across the country.

“My mom was a seamstress and when I bought into the company, they only had 25 women. Today, we got 150,” Walker says.

Walker then founded H. Walker Enterprises, LLC and started his own promotions company out of Atlanta, Georgia that works with Fortune 500 companies on promotional goods. What’s more, the two-time Pro Bowler still serves as the chief executive for all three companies, which is something he is most proud of.

“My companies are doing good stuff and I'm happy because I think I've given a lot of people an opportunity to help their families and that’s what I think got me to do it all.”


http://foxbusiness.com/feature...more-than-800-people

I met Herschel Walker a couple times when I volunteered with the Minneapolis Park Board. We used to take the kids down to Mankato to see the MN Vikings train. He always came and greeted the kids and spent more time with them than anyone else. He is a class act!

Really a great story.

He's putting his time and energy in producing value and helping people produce value.

I always liked him.

quote:

“Now, we have over 600 employees and we do chicken

yeah, we're going to need to go ahead and see those s.s. cards / green cards , that would be great

Grrr...He gave the 'boys their Super Bowls and gave the Vikings mediocrity.

Any true Minnesotan knows the three reasons we hate Dallas!!

quote:

Originally posted by olfuzzy:
At last, a success story from the NFL.

Nothing to do with the NFL. Sure, he was paid when he played (worked). But, the NFL did not build this man's characters and hard work. His parents did, and he carried the loads all himself.

Seems like I read his autobiography when I was in high school 30 years ago. It was mostly an inspirational workout book. It looks like he has a few more chapters to write!

Just. Right.

It’s gratifying to see these men be successful, transition to successful business owners, tributes to their species.

Roger Staubach, John Elway, Magic Johnson, Earl Campbell to name a few, have made wonderful careers off the gridiron and court. Maybe this will catch the attention of some of the young guys, along with Touchdown Johnnie Manziel who has blown it, Whatzizname Leaf who was the biggrst flop of all time and similar fools.

Opportunity is most precious, and none ought to be squandered.

One of my kids interviewed Hershel Walker when he spoke at the U of Montana. She thought him as really nice and a decent & genuine person. There is much to learn from a man like him.

Silent

Seems his success came from hard work, not from whining about overstated mistreatment. Maybe there are some other NFL types that could learn that lesson.

USFL Contract Makes Walker Top Paid Player
Oklahoman Published: February 24, 1983 12:00 AM CDT Updated: February 24, 1983 12:00 AM CDT
Herschel Walker signed pro football's richest contract ever Wednesday, jumping from his junior year at the University of Georgia to the New Jersey Generals of the fledgling United States Football League.

The Heisman Trophy-winning tailback, a three-time All-America, signed a three-year pact worth an estimated $5 million just hours after university officials declared him ineligible to finish his college career.

Just last Friday, reacting to published reports, the 20-year-old star told a news conference here that he planned to return to the Bulldogs for his senior season, and still hoped to run as an amateur in the sprints at the 1984 Olympics. Now, as a professional, the Olympics are out for Walker, and college coaches warned Wednesday that the signing of the talented junior by the USFL could lead to a war between the colleges and the new league.

"The USFL has just slammed the door in our face, and it hurts," said Charlie McClendon, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association.

There also were fears in the established National Football League that the rich contract Walker signed could lead to an escalation of salaries through pro football, such as occurred when Joe Namath signed with the New York Jets of the old American Football League in 1965.

Walker passed up a chance to become college football's all-time rusher. He gained 5,259 yards in his three seasons at Georgia, only 823 less than Tony Dorsett's four-year NCAA record. He ran for 1,752 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in winning the Heisman last season.

Walker's signing followed five days of controversy which prompted an investigation by the NCAA into the reports that he had signed with the USFL team last Thursday in violation of the NCAA's rules on eligibility.

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He had and, on Wednesday, was forced to cut his collegiate career to three years.

"He's a millionaire right now," Jack Manton, Walker's agent, said outside Walker's off-campus apartment in Athens. "It's the highest contract ever in pro football history by far."

Reports had placed the contract as high as $16 million, but best estimates Wednesday night placed it at about $5 million, about $1 million a year plus a $1.5 million signing bonus. The top annual salaries in the NFL are believed to be $750,000 for Cleveland linebacker Tom Cousineau and $700,000 for Chicago running back Walter Payton.

NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle said earlier Wednesday that he didn't know the duration of Walker's contract. "I can only tell you what Walker's attorney told one of our people (executive director Don Weiss) today. "We'll see you in three years,"' Rozelle said.

While he could not disclose details of the contract, Manton said various news media reports were close. Asked if the $16.5 million figure was accurate, he replied, "It could be more, it could be less."

Walker was whisked away from his Athens apartment while Manton held a news conference, and Manton said the tailback did not wish to speak to the media. But Manton read a statement from Walker.

"In denying I signed a contract (last week), I made a mistake," Walker said in the statement. "No one realizes more than I that I am a human being.

"I wish to apologize to Coach (Vince) Dooley, the University of Georgia and all the people that have been my loyal friends. I ask for your forgiveness and ask God for his forgiveness," Walker said.

Manton said Walker would not report to the Generals' training camp in Orlando, Fla., until Saturday at the earliest. The USFL's initial season begins March 6.

"Herschel has done more for professional football players than all the unions striking and debating that's ever taken place," said Manton. "His contract will be the guideline for the future."

Some feared that future would be bleak. Jim Kensil, president of the Jets, said he was concerned that all players "would believe that just because this team (the Generals) paid this money that they would think that kind of money is available and it isn't."

Manton said he checked into the financial status of Generals owner J. Walter Duncan and discovered that he could fulfill the contract even if the USFL should fold.

In a prepared statement earlier Wednesday morning, the University of Georgia said Walker was "technically ineligible" because he had agreed to a contract last Thursday with the Generals.

Last week, Walker denied the reports. At a news conference on Friday, he said there had been no actual offer, adding, "I am planning to return to Georgia for my fourth year."

But Manton confirmed Wednesday that Walker had signed a document last week when he met with Duncan and Generals Manager Jim Valek in Athens. Manton said Walker had "an oral promise" that he could change his mind if he so desired, and Walker exercised that option two hours later.

Manton said, however, that Walker made the decision 10 days ago to turn professional.

"He told me to go get the contract, and it came back, but he had a change of heart. Even through this, when it became apparent Herschel had signed something in violation of NCAA rules, I guaranteed him as a lawyer, he would win his appeal if he wanted to fight it and stay at Georgia," said Manton.

General vice president of business affairs Charles Theokas said Walker's arrival in the USFL would "absolutely have a huge, huge impact on the credibility of the franchise," much as the signing of Namath out of Alabama gave instant credibility to the American Football League.

"There's been an incredible impact on ticket sales," Theokas said from the team's headquarters at Hackensack, N.J. "The phones have been ringing ... I've never seen anything like it in a dozen years in pro sports."

USFL commissioner Chet Simmons said Manton first approached him about Walker going pro in early January. Walker wanted to play in the New York area, Simmons said. After warning Manton of the consequences regarding Walker's college eligibility, Walker's attorney indicated he wanted to forge ahead with negotiations, Simmons said.

Simmons, at a news conference in Orlando, promised that Walker's signing was not a precursor to a wholesale raid on collegians, calling it a "special circumstance."

Simmons said both the league and the Generals believed Walker was ineligible even before the original signing because he had hired an agent who came to the USFL team for the purpose of negotiating a contract.

As Walker's story unraveled Wednesday, it became apparent that New Jersey had not been Walker's only option. An NFL spokesman said that Manton approached the NFL overnight "and asked if we were interested in signing Herschel and placing him in a franchise city of his choice."

"For over 50 years, the NFL has had rules pertaining to eligibility and the draft that we believe to be in the best interests of colleges, players and professional football," the spokesman said. "We have no intention of waiving them for Herschel Walker."

Manton, however, said there was no doubt he could have gotten Walker into a supplementary draft with the NFL but added, "I don't think the Baltimore Colts (who have the NFL's first draft pick) would have paid half of Herschel's contract nor any other team in the NFL."

Meanwhile, Dooley, the Georgia athletic director in addition to serving as football coach, said, "He (Walker) made a mistake and he admits that. He's had an early education in the hard reality of the business profession. Now it's time for him to look ahead."

"This is indeed a sad day for Georgia," said Dooley, who was in Colorado for a speaking engagement. "Herschel Walker has meant so much to our program the past three years."

The university's statement Wednesday said information about Walker's agreement with the Generals was brought to Dooley's attention Tuesday afternoon by assistant football coach Mike Cavan, who had met on the Georgia campus with Vanek and USFL attorney Steve Earhart.

"Dooley subsequently had conversations with Walker Tuesday night," the school statement said. "Both agreed Walker's actions would cause him to be ineligible on two potential points: the negotiation of an agreement and the involvement of Walker's attorney in the matter.

"After discussions with his parents, Walker has decided it would be in his best interest to pursue a professional football career at this time."

In his three years at Georgia, Walker frequently had been the subject of speculation about his future in professional football, but had often said he wished to complete his education and planned to remain at Georgia.

A world-class sprinter, Walker also had expressed a desire to compete in the 1984 Olympic Games. However, that ended with his USFL signing.

"Once a pro, always a pro," said U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Bob Paul. "Walker is not eligible for the Olympics . . . "

http://newsok.com/article/2015037


And who owned the NJ Generals? President Donald J Trump!

President Donald J Trump went on to make millions when the USFL was bought off by the NFL to eliminate competition!

quote:

Originally posted by downtownv:
http://newsok.com/article/2015037


And who owned the NJ Generals? President Donald J Trump!

President Donald J Trump went on to make millions when the USFL was bought off by the NFL to eliminate competition!

The point of posting this article, and your commentary?