Nelson Peltz is not the man one would think of when he drives into an Arby’s. His name does not explode in your mind as the All-American Roastburger does in your mouth. It should though --- Nelson Peltz is the man behind Trian Partners and Triarc Cos., two related firms that focus on food and beverage operations. They own restaurant franchises such as Arby's, Wendy’s, TJ Cinnamon, and Pasta Connection.
Not what you would expect of a billionaire, the 64-year old’s silver hair, deep voice, handsome features and compelling nature are not all that set him apart from all the other big shots on Wall Street. The success story that is Nelson Peltz goes beyond mere genius. Nelson Peltz is defined not only by his hardworking and competitive nature, but also his devotion to the people nearest and dearest to him. Before seeing his empire launch in the 1980s, he enrolled at the MBA program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Here, his path to success hit a speed bump when he had to drop out to drive trucks for his father’s food-distribution business. Now with sons of his own, Nelson Peltz has made sure that his boys never have to go through the same.
Insightful and a natural dealmaker, Nelson Peltz is able to focus on the bigger scheme of things. After dropping out of college in 1962, he was able to turn his family’s little frozen-food distribution business into the largest distributor in the Northeast. In 1985, Nelson Peltz assembled Triangle Industries, the largest manufacturer of tin cans, containers, and packages of tin in the United States. Building companies from the ground up since he was out of high school, it is no wonder that Nelson Peltz has lived his life knowing business inside and out.
Looking back on his truck-driving years, Nelson Peltz makes no apologies. He has been known to say, “I believe in pay for performance.” In the years since then, it is evident in the pay that the performance is nothing short of extraordinary.
