David Oreck
David Oreck (born 1924) is an American salesman and businessman. He is the founder of the Oreck Corporation, famous for its line of vacuum cleaners.
Early life
Oreck was born in Duluth, Minnesota. He joined the United States Army Air Forces at age 17. He served as a certified pilot, navigator, and bombardier for over three 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 salesman and 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
Oreck acquired an abandoned design for an upright vacuum cleaner from RCA subsidiary 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 light weight would be a big positive factor.
The 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.
On December 12, 2006, Oreck announced its plans to close its 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. While Oreck would not give a specific number of jobs that would be affected, there are currently 450 workers at its Long Beach manufacturing facility.
I am a former resident of Long Beach, MS and still have many family members residing there. It is my understanding that the Oreck production center was operating tax free in Long Beach for 10 years. The city of Long Beach is in great financial need since the destruction of Hurricane Katrina and the Oreck center would now have to pay taxes. It seems a small price to pay in order to help the citizens as well as the many loyal employees who have been with Oreck from the beginning. The Gulf Coast is in great turmoil and many people have lost much. The closing of the Oreck plant is disgraceful; people in Long Beach need jobs to help rebuild their lives. I know that the Oreck company has done some charitable things to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. However, knowing that they are leaving an area that desperately needs tax revenue and employment for its citizens will influence my decision to purchase an Oreck vacuum again.
Personal life
Oreck has a wife, Jan, three adult children, and seven grandchildren. One of his sons, Tom, is currently the CEO of the Oreck Corporation.
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.
Philanthropy
Along with his son Bruce, Oreck has donated a great deal of 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.