Editing Verne Winchell

{{Short description|American businessman/race horse owner}}
{{Infobox person 
| name = Verne Winchell
| image = 
| imagesize = 
| caption = 
| birth_date = October 30, 1915
| birth_place = [[Bloomington, Illinois]], United States
| death_date = November 26, 2002 (age 87)
| death_place = [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], United States
| resting_place = 
| education = [[Pasadena City College]]
| occupation = Businessman<br>Racehorse owner/breeder
|known_for     = Founder of Winchell's Donuts
| party = 
| spouse = Joan 
| children = 4
| parents = 
| relations = 
| boards  = 
}}
'''Verne Hedges Winchell ''' (October 30, 1915 &ndash; November 26, 2002) was the founder of [[Winchell's Donuts]] and also served as a chairman, president and chief executive officer of the [[Denny's]] restaurant chain.

==Early life==
Winchell was born on October 30, 1915 in [[Bloomington, Illinois]]. At the age of 9, Winchell and his family moved to California. Winchell graduated from [[Alhambra High School (Alhambra, California)|Alhambra High School]] and later took business courses at [[Pasadena City College]], where he decided on a business career.<ref name=Founder>{{cite web|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/Nov-28-Thu-2002/news/20164426.html|title=Founder of doughnut shop chain dies|last=Smith|first=Hubble|date=November 28, 2002|work=Las Vegas Review-Journal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051119143852/http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/Nov-28-Thu-2002/news/20164426.html|archive-date=November 19, 2005}}</ref>

==Career==
In 1948 he opened his first [[doughnut]] shop in [[Temple City, California]] and earned the nickname "The Donut King".<ref name=Founder/> Winchell's Donuts merged with [[Denny's|Denny's Incorporated]] in 1967.<ref name=Founder/> Winchell served as chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer of Denny's until 1980.<ref name=Founder/> 
==Thoroughbred breeder==
Winchell was also a successful [[horse breeder]] and owner.<ref name=Founder/> Today his son, Ron Winchell oversees racing stable and breeding operation known as '''Winchell Thoroughbreds''' which is located at Corinthia Farm near [[Lexington, Kentucky]]. The Winchells were co-owners of 2017 [[American Horse of the Year]] [[Gun Runner (horse)|Gun Runner]]. The Winchells won the 2014 [[Kentucky Oaks]] and [[Breeders' Cup Distaff]] with their homebred [[American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly|US Champion Three-Year-Old Filly]] [[Untapable]], the 2012 [[Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile]] with Tapizar and 2005 [[Kentucky Oaks]] with Summerly.<ref name=Bloodhorse>{{cite web |author1=Bloodhorse Staff |title=Winchell, Falcone Take Ownership of Kentucky Downs Partners bought track and casino through their company Kentucky Racing Acquisition. |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/232489/winchell-falcone-take-ownership-of-kentucky-downs |website=Bloodhorse.com |access-date=17 February 2022 |date=12 March 2019}}</ref>

==Death==
Winchell died of a [[cardiac arrest]] in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] on November 26, 2002 at the age of 87,<ref name=Founder/><ref name=Deaths>{{cite web|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/Nov-28-Thu-2002/news/20162598.html|title=Deaths|date=November 28, 2002|work=Las Vegas Review-Journal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050927185028/http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/Nov-28-Thu-2002/news/20162598.html|archive-date=September 27, 2005}}</ref> at [[Summerlin Hospital]]. Winchell had been a resident of Las Vegas for 30 years.<ref name=Founder/>

==Legacy==
Ron Winchell, Verne Winchell's son, began a chain of restaurants in the Las Vegas area named "Winchell's Pub and Grill". The first restaurant opened in south Las Vegas in 2000. Ron Winchell later expanded the chain by opening two more restaurants in 2003, one in south Las Vegas and one in [[North Las Vegas]]. On July 18, 2008, Ron Winchell opened another restaurant in North Las Vegas and planned to open two more restaurants within a few months.

In 2019, Ron Winchell partnered with Marc Falcone through their company Kentucky Racing Association and purchased [[Kentucky Downs]].<ref name=Bloodhorse/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.broward.com/mld/mcherald/news/obituaries/4629799.htm Monterey County Herald | 29 November 2002 | Doughnut mogul Winchell dies at 87]{{dead link|date=July 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/12903/verne-h-winchell-raced-champions-mira-femme-and-tight-spot-dead Racing profile of Verne H. Winchell at The Bloodhorse.com]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Winchell, Verne}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:American food company founders]]
[[Category:American racehorse owners and breeders]]
[[Category:People from San Marino, California]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:People from Bloomington, Illinois]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from California]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Illinois]]
[[Category:Pasadena City College alumni]]
[[Category:Alhambra High School (Alhambra, California) alumni]]