David Oreck
Encyclopedia
David Oreck is an American
salesman, entrepreneur
, and businessman. He is the founder of the Oreck Corporation, makers of vacuum cleaners and air purifier
s, and is known through his appearances as a spokesman
in Oreck television commercials and infomercial
s.
, Minnesota
and attended the University of Minnesota Duluth
. When Oreck was young, his father took him on a flight in a Ford Trimotor
, and on the ice of Lake Superior
, they landed the aircraft
on skis; the experience proved so exciting to Oreck that he has been obsessed with planes and the mechanics of engine
s and electronics
ever since. In his desire to ferry airplanes to Europe
, Oreck began his flight training in the Civilian Pilot Training program in North Dakota
before the U.S. entered World War II
. Shortly after Pearl Harbor was attacked, Oreck joined the United States Army Air Forces
and served as a certified pilot, navigator, and bombardier in the Pacific Theater
for over two years. He participated in bombing missions over Japan
in what were then considered state-of-the-art B-29s.
distributor for RCA
in New York
. He worked with the company for 17 years, eventually reaching the level of general sales manager. It was during 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
, and black-and-white and color television
s. Oreck accompanied RCA General Manager David Sarnoff
to congressional hearing
s when the Federal Communications Commission
was attempting 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 City that would wire apartment buildings for television use, in a foreshadowing of today's cable television
. He also started a company to teach radio and television repair in Spanish
by direct mail
.
Oreck had acquired an abandoned design for an upright vacuum cleaner from Whirlpool and a failing RCA distribution facility in New Orleans, Louisiana
. The 3.6-kg (8-lb) vacuum cleaner was a third of the weight of other machines available. Competitors, however, used this fact to criticize Oreck's 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 thousands of hotels worldwide.
Oreck machines are either assembled in the United States with parts manufactured in China or imported fully assembled. The company employs more than 1,500 at the its retail stores, corporate headquarters in Nashville
, Tennessee
, and assembly center in Cookeville
, Tennessee
, to where it moved from Long Beach, Mississippi, in 2007. One such product is the Oreck XL Air 8 Purifier, which featured in an informercial running since 1999.
As Oreck has explained, he had "a good idea, a lot of energy, and no money." Oreck claims it took about 20 years of hard work to begin to achieve a semblance of success, but he was a believer in Winston Churchill
's maxim, "Never, never, never give up."
Since 2003 the corporation has been jointly owned by private investment firm American Securities Capital Partners
and David's three children.
Canister Vacuum Cleaners
Floor Machines
Air Purifiers
Small Appliances
, maintaining and flying his personal collection of aircraft which includes a Stinson Reliant
SR 10J, a Waco
WMF
, an Aviat Husky
Amphibian, an American Champion Decathlon, a Staggerwing Beech
G-17S, and a Beech
T-34A Mentor
.
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. Throughout the years these appearances have made Oreck a widely recognized spokeperson. Oreck can still be seen on television infomercials with Terri Ouellette and guests such as Rosemary Jackett.
Oreck lectures pro bono at universities around the U.S., seeking to inspire young entrepreneurs and businesspeople. He tells his audiences "[You can] see I'm no genius. I didn't get started until I was 40. I did it. You can do it. Only in America could this happen."
David Oreck is also owner of The Candle Warehouse, which is located in Houston
, Texas
.
museums and exhibits. He has contributed to the collections of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
, the Colorado School of Mines
Geology Museum, and Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems
. In addition, "the Orecks are major contributors, not only to the Jewish community but to the entire city (of New Orleans)," said Roselle Ungar, interim executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. "They not only write checks, but roll up their sleeves and get involved."
He also made significant contributions to the Isidore Newman School
in New Orleans, Louisiana
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
salesman, entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, and businessman. He is the founder of the Oreck Corporation, makers of vacuum cleaners and air purifier
Air purifier
An air purifier is a device which removes contaminants from the air. These devices are commonly marketed as being beneficial to allergy sufferers and asthmatics, and at reducing or eliminating second-hand tobacco smoke...
s, and is known through his appearances as a spokesman
Spokesman
A spokesperson or spokesman or spokeswoman is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others.In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have received formal training in journalism, communications, public relations and...
in Oreck television commercials and infomercial
Infomercial
Infomercials are direct response television commercials which generally include a phone number or website. There are long-form infomercials, which are typically between 15 and 30 minutes in length, and short-form infomercials, which are typically 30 seconds to 120 seconds in length. Infomercials...
s.
Early life
David Oreck was born close to DuluthDuluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and attended the University of Minnesota Duluth
University of Minnesota Duluth
The University of Minnesota Duluth is a regional branch of the University of Minnesota system located in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. As Duluth's public research university, UMD offers 13 bachelor's degrees in 74 majors, graduate programs in 24 different fields, a two-year program at the School of...
. When Oreck was young, his father took him on a flight in a Ford Trimotor
Ford Trimotor
The Ford Trimotor was an American three-engined transport plane that was first produced in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and that continued to be produced until June 7, 1933. Throughout its time in production, a total of 199 Ford Trimotors were produced...
, and on the ice of Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
, they landed the aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
on skis; the experience proved so exciting to Oreck that he has been obsessed with planes and the mechanics of engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
s and electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
ever since. In his desire to ferry airplanes to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Oreck began his flight training in the Civilian Pilot Training program in North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
before the U.S. entered World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Shortly after Pearl Harbor was attacked, Oreck joined the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
and served as a certified pilot, navigator, and bombardier in the Pacific Theater
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
for over two years. He participated in bombing missions over Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in what were then considered state-of-the-art B-29s.
After the war
Following the war, David Oreck began his career as a wholesaleWholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
distributor for RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He worked with the company for 17 years, eventually reaching the level of general sales manager. It was during this time that the American public was introduced to several new products that Oreck helped market. These items included the washing machine
Washing machine
A washing machine is a machine designed to wash laundry, such as clothing, towels and sheets...
, the microwave oven
Microwave oven
A microwave oven is a kitchen appliance that heats food by dielectric heating, using microwave radiation to heat polarized molecules within the food...
, and black-and-white and color television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
s. Oreck accompanied RCA General Manager David Sarnoff
David Sarnoff
David Sarnoff was an American businessman and pioneer of American commercial radio and television. He founded the National Broadcasting Company and throughout most of his career he led the Radio Corporation of America in various capacities from shortly after its founding in 1919 until his...
to congressional hearing
Congressional hearing
Congressional hearings are the principal formal method by which committees collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. Whether confirmation hearings — a procedure unique to the Senate — legislative, oversight, investigative, or a combination of these, all...
s when the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
was attempting 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 City that would wire apartment buildings for television use, in a foreshadowing of today's cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
. He also started a company to teach radio and television repair in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
by direct mail
Direct mail
Advertising mail, also known as direct mail, junk mail, or admail, is the delivery of advertising material to recipients of postal mail. The delivery of advertising mail forms a large and growing service for many postal services, and direct-mail marketing forms a significant portion of the direct...
.
Oreck Corporation
Perhaps it was this last experience with direct mail that, in 1963, inspired David Oreck to start Oreck Corporation and sell vacuum cleaners by mail, a novel approach for the time. Here is the story as told on Oreck's website, Oreck.com:
On a cold snowy day in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, carrying the vacuum cleaner under his arm a la Willie Loman, the call came. In New OrleansNew Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, the RCA distributor was fighting for last place and winning, and the company wanted to know if he’d be interested in taking it over. "I flew down to New Orleans that day. The sun was out. It was beautiful. I was still in my heavy winter overcoat. I said to myself, 'Wow. I’m missing something here.’”
Oreck had acquired an abandoned design for an upright vacuum cleaner from Whirlpool and a failing RCA distribution facility in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. The 3.6-kg (8-lb) vacuum cleaner was a third of the weight of other machines available. Competitors, however, used this fact to criticize Oreck's 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 thousands of hotels worldwide.
Oreck machines are either assembled in the United States with parts manufactured in China or imported fully assembled. The company employs more than 1,500 at the its retail stores, corporate headquarters in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, and assembly center in Cookeville
Cookeville, Tennessee
Cookeville is a city in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 23,923 at the 2000 census. of Cookeville's population was 30,435, and the combined total of those living in Cookeville's in 2010 was 65,014. It is the county seat of Putnam County and home to Tennessee...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, to where it moved from Long Beach, Mississippi, in 2007. One such product is the Oreck XL Air 8 Purifier, which featured in an informercial running since 1999.
As Oreck has explained, he had "a good idea, a lot of energy, and no money." Oreck claims it took about 20 years of hard work to begin to achieve a semblance of success, but he was a believer in Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
's maxim, "Never, never, never give up."
Since 2003 the corporation has been jointly owned by private investment firm American Securities Capital Partners
American Securities Capital Partners
American Securities LLC is a private equity investment firm focusing on leveraged buyout transactions. AS focuses primarily on investments in the United States and Canada....
and David's three children.
Products
Oreck XL Upright Vacuums- Element Pro Series 2.0
- Silver Pro Series 2.0
- Gold Pro Series 2.5
- Platinum Pilot Pro Series 2.5
- Halo (Discontinued)
- Edge Pro Series 2.5
Canister Vacuum Cleaners
- Quest Canister
- Quest Pro Full-sized Canister
- DutchTech Full Size 1400 Series (Discontinued)
- DutchTech Mid Size 1200 Series (Discontinued)
- Ironman Handheld (Discontinued)
- Edge Handheld
- Housekeeper Ultimate Handheld
- Deluxe Handheld
- Little Hero Bagless Canister
- Little Helper Bagless Canister
Floor Machines
- Orbiter Ultra Multi-Purpose
- Orbiter Multi-Purpose
- Steam-It All Purpose Steam Wand
- Steam-Glide
- XL Shield Power Scrubber
Air Purifiers
- ProShield
- ProShield Plus
- XL Tower Professional
Small Appliances
- Speed Sweep
- Sweep N Go
- Restaurateur Floor Sweeper-12.5
- Restaurateur Floor Sweeper-9.5
- Deluxe Electric Fabric Shaver
- Refrigerator Air Purifier
- Cordless Zip Vac
- Cordless Speed Iron
- Car Vac
Later years
David Oreck continues to be active in aviationAviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
, maintaining and flying his personal collection of aircraft which includes a Stinson Reliant
Stinson Reliant
The Stinson Reliant was a popular single-engine four to five seat high-wing monoplane manufactured by the Stinson Aircraft Division of the Aviation Manufacturing Corporation of Wayne, Michigan.-Design and development:...
SR 10J, a Waco
Waco Aircraft Company
The Waco Aircraft Company was an aircraft manufacturer located in Troy, Ohio, USA. Between 1919 and 1947, the company produced a wide range of civilian biplanes....
WMF
Waco F series
-External links:*...
, an Aviat Husky
Aviat Husky
|-See also:...
Amphibian, an American Champion Decathlon, a Staggerwing Beech
Beechcraft Staggerwing
The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is an American biplane with an atypical negative stagger , that first flew in 1932.-Development:...
G-17S, and a Beech
Beechcraft
Beechcraft is an American manufacturer of general aviation and military aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. Previously a division of Raytheon, it has been a brand of Hawker Beechcraft since 2006....
T-34A Mentor
T-34 Mentor
The Beechcraft T-34 Mentor is a propeller-driven, single-engined, military trainer aircraft derived from the Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza. The earlier versions of the T-34, dating from around the late 1940s to the 1950s, were piston-engined. These were eventually succeeded by the upgraded T-34C...
.
Oreck also continues to be the company's spokesman
Spokesman
A spokesperson or spokesman or spokeswoman is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others.In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have received formal training in journalism, communications, public relations and...
, frequently appearing in TV, radio and newspaper advertisements, although he is no longer an owner of the company. Throughout the years these appearances have made Oreck a widely recognized spokeperson. Oreck can still be seen on television infomercials with Terri Ouellette and guests such as Rosemary Jackett.
Oreck lectures pro bono at universities around the U.S., seeking to inspire young entrepreneurs and businesspeople. He tells his audiences "[You can] see I'm no genius. I didn't get started until I was 40. I did it. You can do it. Only in America could this happen."
David Oreck is also owner of The Candle Warehouse, which is located in Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Personal life
Oreck has a wife, Jan; three adult children (Steven, Tom, and Bruce) from his previous marriage to Paula Sarnoff (niece of David Sarnoff); and seven grandchildren.Philanthropy
Along with his son Bruce, Oreck has donated money and specimens to several mineralogicalMineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
museums and exhibits. He has contributed to the collections of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Denver Museum of Nature and Science
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is a municipal natural history and science museum in Denver, Colorado. It is a resource for informal science education in the Rocky Mountain region. A variety of exhibitions, programs, and activities help museum visitors learn about the natural history of...
, the Colorado School of Mines
Colorado School of Mines
The Colorado School of Mines is a small public teaching and research university devoted to engineering and applied science, with special expertise in the development and stewardship of the Earth's natural resources. Located in Golden, Colorado, CSM was ranked 29th, in America among national...
Geology Museum, and Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems
Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems
The Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems is a notable mineral and gem collection within the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
. In addition, "the Orecks are major contributors, not only to the Jewish community but to the entire city (of New Orleans)," said Roselle Ungar, interim executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. "They not only write checks, but roll up their sleeves and get involved."
He also made significant contributions to the Isidore Newman School
Isidore Newman School
Isidore Newman School is a private, nondenominational, co-educational college preparatory school located on an campus in the Uptown section of New Orleans, Louisiana.-History:...
in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.