Veterans Find New Life In Pizza

ClickonDetroit ^ | February 2, 2007 | AP

[ShadowDancer]

Veterans Find New Life In Pizza

POSTED: 2:04 am EST February 2, 2007
UPDATED: 6:45 am EST February 2, 2007

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The owners of franchise companies are helping war veterans become business entrepreneurs.

Robbie Doughty, of Kentucky, lost his legs in a roadside bombing in Iraq and was searching for a new life outside the Army when a call came from Michael Ilitch, the founder and owner of the Little Caesars pizza chain, offering a business proposition.

Did Doughty want to open a Little Caesars franchise? Doughty said he didn't hesitate a second before saying he'd do it. He and a business partner celebrated their pizza store's grand opening Thursday.

Since last November, any qualified, honorably discharged veteran can receive $10,000 in discounts to become a Little Caesars franchise operator. Discounts for veterans with disabling injuries can reach $68,000.

Besides Little Caesars, about 250 companies that belong to the International Franchise Association offer incentives to help veterans get set up in business.

[Jambe]

FYI - for those outside the Michigan area, Michael Ilitch, founder of Little Caesars pizza is the same Mike Ilitch that also owns the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings.

[ShadowDancer]

Yep, and I wish he'd buy the damn Lions.

[spaatzcadet]

American Resillancy yet agian.

Surprise that a hard charging, crippleed war vetern will beat any lazy welfare perp any day?

I aint.

[texas_mrs]

I LOVE Little Caesars pizza, and now I love Michael Ilitch for doing something noble to help our military instead of castigating it like so many others. Hooray for him! I would like to know the names of other companies that are helping our wounded servicemen after they get back home.

[oldtimer2]

Check the link below. At the bottom of the article is a list of companies that participate.

International Franchise Association

[MEGoody]

Now this is an uplifting story.

[jazusamo]

Veterans Ping.

[jazusamo]

Veterans Ping.

[ASOC]

Nothing noble about it (see post #4)

The guy is looking for motivated, hard working folks.

Just smart business.

That it is good for Vets is a bonus for Vets.

BTW, when I was a hiring manager, it seemed that most of the folks we hired were vets.

One bubble head made a very good point. Describing a damage control exercise where failure meant drowning, he said that gave a whole to meaning to "job related stress". One of our better workers, Was a supervisor in less than a year.

[freema]

The owners of franchise companies are helping war veterans become business entrepreneurs.

FYI - for those outside the Michigan area, Michael Ilitch, founder of Little Caesars pizza is the same Mike Ilitch that also owns the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings.

[quantim]

It's really great to hear this all over the local news, just heard a lengthy interview with Ilitch on WJR.

Not a whole lot to be proud of in this state but Ilitch is on a roll lately.