Ben Marcus*
Class of 1982
- Chairman of the Board & CEO The Marcus Corporation
The backbone of a company is the human element. You must treat everyone with dignity.
Born in Poland in 1911, Ben Marcus came to the United States when he was 11. While travelling, he delivered food to seasick passengers, all of whom tipped him generously. This taught Marcus that assisting others can lead to financial rewards.
While in high school, Marcus operated a paper route that he built into the largest in the city. He later worked in the paper's circulation, advertising, and entertainment departments. He next worked his way through the University of Minnesota.
In 1935, Marcus opened the first of almost 500 movie theaters. Later, he built 14 drive-in theaters and then acquired three-state franchise rights for Big Boy Restaurants of America. He also operated 21 Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants. In 1962, he went into the hotel business. He consolidated all of his businesses in 1972 to form The Marcus Corp. and served as its chairman until 1991.