Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue II, 2017 | Page 32

AT H L E T E S I N F R A N C H I S I N G
BY KERRY PIPES
G
Air Tinsley
Former pro basketball star scores in franchising
eorge Tinsley has been a part of Kentucky Fried
Chicken/KFC for more than three decades, so long
that he had the opportunity to work alongside the
brand’s now-legendary founder, Harland “Colonel”
Sanders, for three years.
That was back in the mid-1970s after Tinsley completed a
short professional basketball career in the American Basket-
ball Association (ABA). The Louisville native was a standout
for the Kentucky Wesleyan college basketball team that won
NCAA Division II championships in 1966, 1968, and 1969.
He was a two-time All-American and was named the Most
Outstanding Player in the 1969 tournament. Following his col-
lege career, he was selected in both the NBA and ABA drafts.
He chose the ABA, where he played for the Oakland Oaks,
Washington Capitals, Miami Floridians, Kentucky Colonels,
and New York Nets.
After his ABA career ended in 1972, Tinsley spent several
years as a teacher and coach in Louisville. Destiny came calling
in 1976 when the Louisville-based Kentucky Fried Chicken
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MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE I SS UE II , 2 01 7
NAME: George Wm. Tinsley, Sr.
TITLE: President, CEO
COMPANY: PenGeo Inc., Tinsley Family Co., Tinsley
Group, GWT Consulting, Tinsley Bridgeman LLC
NO. OF UNITS: More than 60 at street and airport
locations, anchored by Starbucks, Chili’s, Wendy’s, KFC,
Pei Wei, P.F. Chang’s, Shula’s Bar & Grill, Cigar City
Brewing, and The Comfy Cow. (We just closed a TGI
Fridays we had for 23 years when our contract in the
Tampa Airport ended).
AGE: 70
FAMILY: Seretha S. (wife), Penni D. (daughter), George
Wm. II (son)
YEARS IN FRANCHISING: 33 as a franchisee, 8 at KFC
Corp.
YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION: 33