Nation's Restaurant News honors Monaghan with 1999 Pioneer Award

Nation's Restaurant News,  May 17, 1999  

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Domino's Pizza founder Thomas S. Monaghan, who parlayed small-pizza-delivery business into a global chain of more than 6,000 restaurants, has been selected by Nation's Restaurant News as the winner of the 1999 Pioneer Award.

Monaghan will be honored Sept.14 during the 40th Annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators, MUFSO, Conference in Dallas.

"Tom Monaghan is most noted for being an industry pioneer in developing a successful pizza delivery system on a mass scale," said NRN publisher Alan Gould. "but perhaps he is best remembered for leadership that guided Domino's through difficult times and a generous nature that is a sterling example for all in this industry."

Inaugurated in 1981, the Pioneer Award is selected annually by the editors of Nation's Restaurant News and honors a veteran multiunit foodservice operator for lifetime success and contributions to the industry. Monaghan founded Domino's Pizza in 1960 and expanded the company to more than 6,250 units before selling his ownership stake to equity concern Bain Capital Inc. last October.

Mike Chiodo, executive director of the Domino's Franchise Association, added; "Tom Monaghan built a system that made many people successful. As a former franchisee for 13 years, I know he gave me and others an opportunity to succeed that we might not have had. He's dedicated his life to this, and I'm thrilled for him."

A deeply religious man, Monaghan currently is devoting full time to non-profit endeavors, including the Ava Maria Foundation in Ann Arbor, which he founded in 1983 and on which he serves as chairman. The foundation focuses on Catholic education, Catholic media, community projects and other Catholic charities.

Born in Ann Arbor in 1937, Monaghan served in the Marine Corps from 1956 to 1959 and attended the University of Michigan after he returned home. While at Michigan, he and his brother, James, borrowed $500 to buy a small pizza store called DomiNick's in Ypsilanti, Mich. In less than a year he bought his brother's share, formed another partnership, and opened additional units in Ann Arbor and Mt. Pleasant, Mich.

As the pizza chain grew to become the second largest in the U.S. behind Pizza Hut, it went through several crisis periods, including bankruptcy in 1969. Then, some 20 years later, Monaghan stepped down as president for two years before coming back and leading the chain to record growth in recent years. He also had purchased the Detroit Tigers baseball team, which he sold in 1992 to cross-town rival Michael Ilitch of Little Caesars.

Monaghan has been the recipient of numerous restaurant awards over the years, including the Silver and Gold Plate Award in 1983 from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association and back-to-back Nation's Restaurant News Golden Chain Awards in 1986 and 1987. He also received the Pope John Paul II Family Fidelity Award in 1988. A resident of Ann Arbor. Monaghan and his wife, Marjorie, have four daughters and seven grandchildren.

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