Marcus Lemonis

Marcus Lemonis

Marcus Lemonis
Born Marcus Anthony Lemonis
(1973-11-16) November 16, 1973
Beirut, Lebanon
Alma mater Marquette University
Occupation Chairman & CEO, Camping World & Good Sam Enterprises
Television The Profit, CNBC

Marcus Anthony Lemonis (born November 16, 1973) is a Lebanese-born American businessman, investor, television personality and philanthropist. He is currently the chairman and CEO of Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises and the star of The Profit, a CNBC reality show about saving small businesses.

Biography

Lemonis was born in Beirut, Lebanon, during the chaos of civil war and foreign invasions and was adopted during his infancy by Leo and Sophia Lemonis, a Greek couple living in Miami, Florida.[1] Lemonis was exposed to the automotive industry throughout his upbringing, his grandfather owning two of the largest Chevrolet dealerships in the United States and Lee Iacocca serving as a family friend and later mentor to Marcus. Lemonis earned a bachelor's degree in political science and a minor in criminology from Marquette University in 1995 and unsuccessfully ran as a Democrat for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives shortly after graduation,[2] whereupon he refocused his career on the automotive industry.

Business career

Starting in 1997, Lemonis held several sales and managerial roles for AutoNation.[2] From June 2001 to February 2003 he served as CEO of Holiday RV Superstores Inc. Following that, he co-founded a company called FreedomRoads and began acquiring RV dealerships.[3] In 2006, the company merged with Camping World with Lemonis as CEO, and then, in 2011, merged with Good Sam Enterprises, with Lemonis again at the helm.[4] Lemonis attributes Camping World and Good Sam’s success to the three P’s: people, process and product.[5]

As the CEO of Camping World, Lemonis teamed up with NASCAR for the first time in 2004, when the company sponsored driver John Andretti. In 2007, Lemonis and Camping World announced they were taking over sponsorship of the NASCAR East Series from Busch Beer for the 2008-09 seasons, rebranding it the NASCAR Camping World Series. Later that same year, they also announced sponsorship of the then Craftsman Truck Series, rebranding it the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, making the company one of the sport's top three sponsors.[6] In 2014, Lemonis teamed up with NASCAR to renew Camping World's sponsorship of the Truck Series through 2022.[7]

Apart from Camping World and Good Sam, Lemonis is a serial entrepreneur and has helped several troubled businesses in a time of need. Rose’s Bakery & Wheat Free Café was set to close its doors on Christmas Eve of 2012 when Lemonis stepped in with an investment that would allow the bakery to remain open. He wrote an initial check for $200,000 to become the majority owner of the business with a commitment of an additional $150,000 investment over the next 18 months.[8] Not only did he save the existing bakery, but in March 2014 a second location in Highland Park, Illinois, was opened under his direction.[9] Lemonis added Rose's and several other businesses, including: Amazing Grapes, Betty Lou's, Crumbs Bake Shop, Dapper Classics, E-Net IT Group, Key West Key Lime Pie Co., Little Miss Baker, Tonnie’s Minis, Mr. Green Tea, ProFit Protein Bars, Sweet Pete’s and Wicked Good Cupcakes, to his holding company, Marcus Lemonis Enterprises LLC. He also expanded his portfolio in the automotive industry with two businesses from The Profit: 1-800-Car-Cash,[10] an automobile buying service, and AutoMatch USA, which specializes in pre-owned automobiles and accessories for every lifestyle and budget.

In 2007, RV Business Magazine named Lemonis "Newsmaker of the Year" for having “more impact on the industry than any [other] single individual or company in recent memory as an agent of change and retail consolidation.”[11] Crain’s Chicago Business featured him in their 2005 edition of “40 under 40”;[12] and in 2008, Ernst & Young named him "Entrepreneur of the Year." [13]

Lemonis' philanthropic efforts have included support for the Joffrey Ballet,[14][15] St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,[16] Ravinia Festival,[17] Lincoln Park Zoo,[18] RV/MH Hall of Fame,[19] Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center,[20] and through his time on Secret Millionaire, he contributed his time and money to National Voices for Equality, Education and Enlightenment, New Journey's Transitional Home and Neat Stuff.[21]

Under his direction, Camping World and Good Sam launched “Project Good Samaritan” as part of their 2013 goal to foster corporate responsibility, which requires the team of nearly 7,000 employees to volunteer 32 hours per year (eight per quarter) to causes that are meaningful to them.[22]

Television personality

Lemonis was featured on two episodes of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice,[23] hosting marketing-related challenges. In 2011, he gave each team two Camping World RVs and challenged them to stage an "experience" in midtown Manhattan.[24] In 2012, Lemonis challenged the contestants to write a 90-second jingle for Good Sam’s Roadside Assistance program [25] In 2012, Lemonis appeared on an episode of ABC’s Secret Millionaire,[26] returning to his hometown of Miami to help local charities.

In 2013, Lemonis became the star of the CNBC reality show The Profit,[27] which features Lemonis on the hunt for promising yet faltering small businesses. As of the summer of 2016, with the show in its fourth season, he puts his own money on the line to save the business and make himself a profit. After the third season, Lemonis had invested US$35 million in businesses featured in the program.[28]

In 2017, Lemonis will star in a second CNBC program The Partner, in which he searches for a business manager to assist in running businesses Lemonis invests in on The Profit. Lemonis will also co-produce.[28][29]

Political career

1996 Florida House Campaign

Lemonis, appearing on the ballot as Marc Anthony Lemonis, lost to two-term Republican incumbent Bruno Barreiro, 42.44% to 57.56%,[30] despite being endorsed by the Miami Herald. The Miami Herald called Lemonis, a Democrat, a "political neophyte" but endorsed him because "he exudes energy and ideas."[31]

References

  1. ↑ Kim, Jae-Hae. "Go away with Marcus Lemonis". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 "40 Under 40 2005 - Pages - Crain's Chicago Business". Chicagobusiness.com. 2013-02-08. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
  3. ↑ "FreedomRoads, LLC: Private Company Information - Businessweek". Investing.businessweek.com. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
  4. ↑ "Who is Marcus Lemonis? - Zap2it". Blog.zap2it.com. 2013-07-26. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
  5. ↑ "Marcus Lemonis". Cnbc.com. 2013-06-06. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
  6. ↑ "NASCAR's hottest drivers and the companies that sponsor them". Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  7. ↑ "LEMONIS: CAMPING WORLD IN NASCAR FOR LONG HAUL". Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  8. ↑ "Specialty bakery finds Santa it needed". Evanston Now. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
  9. ↑ "Rose's Wheat Free Bakery Now Open in Highland Park".
  10. ↑ "Entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis, of CNBC's Hit Reality Series "The Profit," Announces New Locations of AutoMatch USA SuperCenters to Open Later This Year".
  11. ↑ "Camping World/FreedomRoads Chairman and CEO Lemonis Named RV Business Newsmaker of The Year". 2007-11-29. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  12. ↑ Scheffler, Mark. "40 under 40 2005". Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  13. ↑ Goldenberg, Sherman (2008-06-30). "Lemonis Recognized with Ernst & Young Award". Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  14. ↑ "Landmark Gift Ensures Ongoing Success for The Joffrey Ballet's Chicago Public School Residency Initiative Renamed The Joffrey Ballet Lemonis Bridge Program". 2013-08-06. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  15. ↑ "Financial Gift Allows Joffrey to Continue, Expand, Public School Outreach". Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  16. ↑ "Camping World Cares - St. Jude Children's Hospital".
  17. ↑ "Salute To Our Sponsors".
  18. ↑ "Zoo Ball 2013: Wild at Heart".
  19. ↑ "Lemonis Donation Helps Boost RV/MH Hall Fund Raiser".
  20. ↑ "Camping World CEO Backs Charity Fundraiser". 2011-10-27. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  21. ↑ "Secret Millionaire comes back home to Miami to help - and party!".
  22. ↑ "Good Sam and Camping World Launch 'Project Good Samaritan' to Institute Employee Volunteerism Program".
  23. ↑ "All-Star Celebrity Apprentice". Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  24. ↑ "The Apprentice: Season 11, Episode 3 Unhappy Campers". Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  25. ↑ "The Apprentice: Season 12, Episode 11 Jingle All the Way Home". Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  26. ↑ "Marcus Lemonis: Miami". 2013-06-25. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  27. ↑ "The Profit".
  28. 1 2 de Moraes, Lisa (January 14, 2016). "'The Profit' Host Marcus Lemonis To Star In CNBC Spinoff, 'The Partner' – TCA". Deadline. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  29. ↑ "CNBC Greenlights 'Cleveland Hustles' with NBA Superstar LeBron James and 'The Partner' with Marcus Lemonis". CNBC. January 14, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  30. ↑ "General, Nonpartisan and Special Elections: Dade County, Florida". November 5, 1996. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
  31. ↑ Miami Herald Archives

External links

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