Harry J. Sonneborn

Harry J. Sonneborn (July 12, 1916 – October 21, 1992) was an American businessman, best known for his role in the development of the McDonald's Corporation.

Early Life[edit | edit source]

Sonneborn was born in New York City, New York. He graduated from the City College of New York with a degree in accounting.

Career[edit | edit source]

Sonneborn started his career at Tastee-Freez as a finance officer. In 1954, he was approached by Ray Kroc, who was looking for a way to expand his small chain of McDonald's restaurants. Sonneborn proposed a new plan to Kroc, suggesting that they should not be in the food business, but in the real estate business. This led to the creation of the Franchise Realty Corporation, which allowed McDonald's to lease or purchase the land on which its restaurants were built.

Sonneborn served as the first president and chief executive officer of McDonald's Corporation from 1967 to 1971. He was instrumental in the company's early expansion and success. However, he left the company due to disagreements with Kroc over the company's direction.

Later Life and Death[edit | edit source]

After leaving McDonald's, Sonneborn went on to work in various other businesses, including a stint as the CEO of a savings and loan association. He passed away in 1992 in San Diego, California.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Sonneborn's innovative real estate strategy played a significant role in McDonald's growth into a global fast-food giant. His contributions to the company and the fast-food industry as a whole are still recognized today.