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William Wrigley, Jr.

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Entrepreneur

The Resume

    (September 30, 1861-January 26, 1932)
    Moved to Chicago, Illinois and founded William Wrigley, Jr. Company (1891)
    Manufactured Lotta and Vassar Gum (1892)
    Manufactured Juicy Fruit and Wrigley's Spearmint Gum (1893)
    Funded the construction of the company headquartered Wrigley Building (opened April 1921 - Chicago, Illinois)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was permanently expelled from school for throwing a pie at the building (he was 11).
    He originally gave free chewing gum to customers who bought a can of Wrigley's Baking Powder, without intentions to sell the gum.
    He's an ego-maniac, naming his company after himself.
    His family owned the Chicago Cubs, who play in Wrigley Field and have been cursed by a Billy Goat.
    His company is responsible for the Doublemint Twins commercials.
    In an act of nepotism, his 39 year old great-grandson (of the same name) became CEO of the company (effective January 1, 2004) and is currently worth $3.2 billion.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He said: 'When two men in business always agree, one of them is unnecessary.'
    He overcame near bankruptcy on several occasions.
    He took advantage of advertising methods that were rarely used in his time, such as print media.
    He was the first distributor to make gum available next to the restaurant cash registers.
    The Wrigley Building is one of the most famous historical landmark in Chicago (built by architects Graham, Anderson, Probst & White).
    He purchased Santa Catalina Island (1919).
    Today, his company dominates the market, with almost half the chewing gum sales in the United States.

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 18 Votes: 83.33% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 12 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 17 Votes: 47.06% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 11 Votes: 27.27% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 16 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 19 Votes: 63.16% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 33 Votes: 36.36% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 72 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 124 Votes: 52.42% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 220 Votes: 44.55% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 252 Votes: 45.63% Annoying
    In 2003, Out of 110 Votes: 38.18% Annoying