David Oreck: Difference between revisions
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| name = David Oreck |
| name = David Oreck |
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| image = Oreck.jpg |
| image = Oreck.jpg |
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| caption = My name is David Oreck, I EAT BLACK PEOPLE!!! RUN BLACKIE RUN!!!!! |
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| birth_date = [[1924]] (aged 83) |
| birth_date = [[1924]] (aged 83) |
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| birth_place = {{flagicon|Minnesota}}{{flagicon|USA}}[[Duluth, Minnesota|Duluth]], [[Minnesota]], [[USA]] |
| birth_place = {{flagicon|Minnesota}}{{flagicon|USA}}[[Duluth, Minnesota|Duluth]], [[Minnesota]], [[USA]] |
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Revision as of 14:24, 8 August 2007
David Oreck | |
|---|---|
| File:Oreck.jpg My name is David Oreck, I EAT BLACK PEOPLE!!! RUN BLACKIE RUN!!!!! | |
| Born | 1924 (aged 83) |
| Occupation | Spokesman |
| Spouse | Jan |
| Children | Tom, Bruce |
| Website | Oreck.com |
David Oreck (born 1924) is an American salesman and businessman. He is the founder of the Oreck Corporation, makers of a line of vacuum cleaners and is known through his spokesman appearance in Oreck television commercials.
Early life
Oreck was born close to Duluth, Minnesota. He joined the United States Army Air Forces at age 21 and served as a certified pilot, navigator, and bombardier for over two years. A World War II veteran, Oreck flew bombing missions over Japan in what were then considered state-of-the-art B-29s.
Oreck started out as a wholesale distributor for RCA in New York. He worked with the company for 17 years, eventually reaching the level of general sales manager. It was around this time that the American public was introduced to several new products that Oreck helped market. These items included the washing machine, the microwave oven, the black and white and color televisions. He even accompanied RCA General Manager David Sarnoff at congressional hearings when the Federal Communications Commission was looking to develop standards for color television broadcasts.
During his last years at RCA, Oreck started a charter aircraft service on the side for which he did much of the flying. Another venture involved a central antenna system in New York that would wire apartment buildings for television use. He even started a company to teach radio and television repair in Spanish by direct mail.
Oreck Corporation
Mr. Oreck acquired an abandoned design for an upright vacuum cleaner from Whirlpool and a failing RCA distribution facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. Using these assets at age 40, he formed the Oreck Corporation in 1963.
This 8 lb (3.6 kg) design was a third of the weight of other machines available. Competitors, however, used this fact to criticize his vacuum cleaner's effectiveness and durability. Oreck decided to first market to hotels where lightweight would be a big positive factor. The machines now are used in over hundreds of thousands of hotels worldwide.
Oreck machines are produced in the United States along with the rest of the Oreck line of products. The company employs more than 1,500 hands at the company's retail stores and production center in Long Beach, Mississippi. One such product is the Oreck XL Air 8 Purifier, which featured in an informercial running since 1999.
On December 12, 2006, Tom Oreck (son of David and current CEO) announced plans to close the Long Beach facility and move operations to Cookeville, Tennessee. Oreck had already moved some 120 manufacturing, research and development, and marketing jobs to Cookeville in September 2006 and was in the process of moving its call center to Cookeville. Company president Tom Oreck said that the Long Beach facility will start phasing out production in February 2007 and will cease operations by the end of October 2007.
David Oreck continues to be active in aviation, maintaining and flying his personal collection of aircraft which include a Stinson Reliant SR 10J, a WACO WMF, an Aviat Husky Amphibian, an American Champion Decathlon, a Staggerwing Beech G-17S, a Beech T-34A Mentor, and a Twin Beech H-18.
Oreck also continues to be the company's spokesman, frequently appearing in TV, radio and newspaper advertisements, although he is no longer an owner of the company. The company majority is owned by Tom Oreck. David, as a spokesman, can be seen in the Oreck Air infomercial with Terri Oullette and guests such as Rosemary Jackett.
The Candle House
David Oreck is also owner of The Candle House, which has three locations in Houston, Texas.
Personal life
Oreck has a wife, Jan, three adult children (Tom, Bruce,), and seven grandchildren. Tom Oreck is currently the CEO of the Oreck Corporation.
Philanthropy
Along with his son Bruce, Oreck has donated money to mineralogical museums in Colorado. He has contributed to both the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum collections.