Kelty Big Supporters - Interesting Group

Over the course of the race for the Mayor of Fort Wayne several names have been brandished about regarding who is supporting Matt Kelty. Generally the names have come up because of their financial support to Kelty. One name has been used by Kelty in his message of people making a business go despite not having any local government assistance.

Dick Freeland:
The owner of the Pizza Huts in Northeast, Indiana & Northwest, Ohio. Freeland started his business from one store front location and grown to be a model for Pizza Hut Inc. Prospective Pizza Hut franchise purchasers are brought to Fort Wayne, to be shown how one can become highly successful. According to Freeland's Pizza Hut website they employ over 2,000 people in their business.

Freeland knows that growing and sucessful Fort Wayne attracts more people. Which he knows will result in more business to his locations.

http://www.pizzahutfwi.com/


John Popp:
President and third generation owner of Aunt Millies. Been part of the Fort Wayne business community since 1901. Business now includes seven bakeries in Indiana and Michigan. Located near the heart of downtown Fort Wayne on Pearl Street. Is known as a leader in the bakery business with many innovations in the machinery and processes of making bread products. Aunt Millies employs over 2,000 in their operations.

Popp has his core business downtown and to see downtown Fort Wayne grow, would only be beneficial to him and his employees.
http://www.auntmillies.com/


John Tippmann:
From the business of Tippmann Group. The company has a strong relationship to the community in the owning of the historical Lincoln Tower in downtown Fort Wayne. Also they took the lead, in purchasing the old Sears department store building on Rudisell near South Clinton into an office complex.

Part of the Tippmann Group is considered national leader among companies that build refrigerated warehousing. This is carried out under their Tippmann Construction Company. They currently have several building under construction all over the United States.
Tippmann has tens of millions of dollars of personal wealth at risk in the downtown Fort Wayne. The sucess of downtown Fort Wayne directly effects this company.

http://www.tippmanngroup.com/home.html


Tom Spiece:
The owner of Spiece Fieldhouse. Spiece in known around the United States for one of the most successful businesses in promoting basketball programs for the youth of America. Additionally his business also includes one of the larger physical fitness centers, that is not supported in part, by charitable donations.

Spiece took a vacant industrial building and built it into an attraction that draws over 800,000 people a year to Fort Wayne. The number of people enterting his building is only on the scale of what the Allen County Coliseum draws. Yet, Spiece did this without tax abatements or government grants.

Spiece has to be considered the largest private businessman in Fort Wayne that a good tourist business is a must. Good hotels, restaurants, and shopping choices must be available for his business to continue to succeed.

http://www.gymratsbasketball.com/


It is hard to believe these men would continue to support Matt Kelty if they did not believe he could be a leader. These are smart, successful, and seasoned businessmen that each has a stake in seeing Fort Wayne grow and become a great city. These men are not "short timers" in our community. Most have been here for nearly their entire lives and have no plans to leave.

If this sounds like this is a promotion for Kelty then that would be wrong. However, I am impressed with the fact some of our top businessmen must see some good things in Matt Kelty.

This is just some food for thought for the readers.