David Oreck
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| David Oreck | |
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| Born | September 17, 1923 (aged 84) Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| Occupation | Spokesman |
| Spouse | Jan |
| Children | Tom, Bruce, Steven |
| Website Oreck.com |
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David Oreck (born September 17, 1923) is an American salesman, entrepreneur, and businessman. He is the founder of the Oreck Corporation, makers of vacuum cleaners and air purifiers, and is known through his spokesman appearance in Oreck television commercials and infomercials.
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[edit] Early Life
David Oreck was born close to Duluth, Minnesota. When Oreck was young, his father took him on a flight in a Ford Trimotor, and on the ice of Lake Superior, they landed the aircraft on skis; the experience proved so exciting to Oreck that he has been obsessed with planes and the mechanics of engines and electronics ever since.[1] In his desire to ferry airplanes to Europe, Oreck began his flight training in the Civilian Pilot Training program in North Dakota before the U.S. entered World War II.[2] Shortly after Pearl Harbor was attacked, Oreck joined the United States Army Air Forces and served as a certified pilot, navigator, and bombardier in the Pacific Theater for over two years.[2] He participated in bombing missions over Japan in what were then considered state-of-the-art B-29s.[3]
[edit] After the War
Following the war, David Oreck began his career as a wholesale distributor for RCA in New York. He worked with the company for 17 years, eventually reaching the level of general sales manager. It was during this time that the American public was introduced to several new products that Oreck helped market. These items included the washing machine, the microwave oven, and black-and-white and color televisions. Oreck accompanied RCA General Manager David Sarnoff to congressional hearings when the Federal Communications Commission was attempting to develop standards for color television broadcasts.[1]
During his last years at RCA, Oreck started a charter aircraft service on the side for which he did much of the flying. Another venture involved a central antenna system in New York City that would wire apartment buildings for television use, in a foreshadowing of today's cable television. He also started a company to teach radio and television repair in Spanish by direct mail.[1]
[edit] Oreck Corporation
Perhaps it was this last experience with direct mail that, in 1963, inspired David Oreck to start Oreck Corporation and sell vacuum cleaners by mail, a novel approach for the time.[1] Here is the story as told on Oreck's website, Oreck.com:
On a cold snowy day in Chicago, carrying the vacuum cleaner under his arm a la Willie Loman, the call came. In New Orleans, the RCA distributor was fighting for last place and winning, and the company wanted to know if he’d be interested in taking it over. "I flew down to New Orleans that day. The sun was out. It was beautiful. I was still in my heavy winter overcoat. I said to myself, 'Wow. I’m missing something here.’”
As Oreck has explained, he had "a good idea, a lot of energy, and no money."[1] Oreck claims it took about 20 years of hard work to begin to achieve a semblance of success, but he was a beliver in Winston Churchill's maxim, "Never, never, never give up."[1]
[edit] Later Years
David Oreck continues to be active in aviation, maintaining and flying his personal collection of aircraft which includes a Stinson Reliant SR 10J, a WACO WMF, an Aviat Husky Amphibian, an American Champion Decathlon, a Staggerwing Beech G-17S, and a Beech T-34A Mentor.
Oreck also continues to be the company's spokesman, frequently appearing in TV, radio and newspaper advertisements, although he is no longer an owner of the company. Throughout the years these appearances have made Oreck a widely recognized spokeperson.[4] Oreck can still be seen on television infomercials with Terri Ouellette and guests such as Rosemary Jackett.
Oreck also lectures pro bono at universities around the U.S., seeking to inspire young entrepreneurs and businesspeople.[5] He tells his audiences "[You can] see I'm no genius. I didn't get started until I was 40. I did it. You can do it. Only in America could this happen."[2]
[edit] The Candle House
David Oreck is also owner of The Candle House, which has three locations in Houston, Texas.
[edit] Personal Life
Oreck has a wife, Jan; three adult children (Steven, Tom, and Bruce) from his previous marriage to Paula Sarnoff (niece of David Sarnoff)[6]; and seven grandchildren.
[edit] Philanthropy
Along with his son Bruce, Oreck has donated money to mineralogical museums in Colorado. He has contributed to both the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum collections.
He also made significant contributions to Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, Louisiana.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f At 82, David Oreck Never Gives Up
- ^ a b c Airport Journals
- ^ Jeffrey A. Rosensweig, Betty Liu;Age Smart: Discovering the Fountain of Youth at Middleage and Beyond;2006;p. 19;Prentice Hall; ISBN 0131867628
- ^ T.Leslie Smith,david H. Ostroff;Perspective and Radio in Television: Telecommunications in the United States;1998;p.288;Lawrence Earlbaum Associates;ISBN 0805820922
- ^ Pace University - Lubin School of Business - Entrepreneur in Residence
- ^ Len Traubman;The Oreckovsky Family:From Russia to America;1994;p. 245; Oreck Foundation;ISBN 1881529053
[edit] Published works
[edit] External links
- [1]
- Oreck Corporation website
- Airport Journals article on Oreck
- Oreck Buyer's Guide
- Backchannel Media article on Oreck
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | David Oreck |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Dave |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Spokesman |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1924 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
