Henry Clarke (American businessman)
Henry DeBrunner Clarke Jr. (May 19, 1933 – March 31, 2013) was an American businessman and
Early life and education
Clarke was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on May 19, 1933.[1] He graduated from Carson Long Military Academy, a boarding school in New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania.[1] Clarke earned a bachelor's degree in 1955 from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.[1]
Career
Clarke founded his own company,
In 1976, Clarke purchased the rights to the Klondike bar, frozen vanilla ice cream square which had been manufactured and sold by the Isaly's restaurant chain since the 1930s.[2] Clarke introduced Klondike bars to consumers throughout the United States during the 1980s.[1][2] Under Clarke, sales of the Klondike bar increased from $800,000 annually at the time of the acquisition by Clabir to more than $60 million.[1]
In 1989, after he had sold Klondike due to a corporate hostile take over, Clarke entered the British ice cream market.
Clarke founded the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues at Dickinson College, his alma mater.[1] He served as a Dickinson trustee from 1978 until his death in 2013.[1]
Death
Clarke died from Alzheimer's disease on March 31, 2013, at the age of 79.[1] He was survived by his wife, Donna, and seven children.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Hall, Christine (2013-04-08). "Henry Clarke, 79, Made Klondike Bar Famous, Former Greenwich Resident". Greenwich Daily Voice. Retrieved 2013-04-30.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Faith, Nicholas (1992-08-30). "How ice-cream sales came in from the cold: First it was 'real' beer - now 'real' ices are upsetting the old licking order in the market. Nicholas Faith on an industry in the melting-pot". The Independent. Retrieved 2013-04-30.
- ^ "Mr. Henry DeBrunner Clarke May 19, 1933 - March 31, 2013 Vero Beach, Florida". Tributes.