Wirtz Corporation Included in Family Spirit Book Celebrating Remarkable Family-Run Companies

May 20, 2015

Coffee tables and bookshelves across the United States will now don a piece of the Wirtz Corporation legacy thanks to our partners at Glenfiddich Single Malt Whisky. The William Grant & Sons brand has released a first-of-its kind book titled Family Spirit, a collection of the photographs, legacy stories and interviews from twelve family-run, multi-generational businesses.

"It’s a distinct honor to be included in the Family Spirit Project along-side legendary families, both in and out of our industry," said Danny Wirtz. "We take great pride in our four generations of success and look forward to learning from the successes and challenges of other family businesses. We value the partnerships we have with like-minded family businesses such as William Grant & Sons that share a long term perspective on business growth. " 

The families featured in the collection represent a dozen diverse industries and include the McIlhenny Company (Tobasco Sauce), Denihan Hospitality Group (Kimpton Hotels, Affinia Hotels), Riedel (glassware), Glenfiddich (distiller), in addition to the Wirtz Corporation.

In an interview with Bloomberg Surveillance, William Grant and Sons Director, Peter Gordon, reviewed the selling power of family-operated brands such as the supplier’s own Tullamore D.E.W and Glenfiddich Single Malt Whisky and what allows a heritage to carry on.

"When times get tough in business, this is when families push on. That’s the point where [a family business] thrives," said Gordon.  

Of the Family Spirit book, Bloomberg Surveillance Co-Host Tom Keene remarked that, "The most important page of the book is when the Wirtz family of Chicago holds up the Stanley Cup."

To celebrate the release of the publication, Art and Danny Wirtz attended a release party in New York City last week hosted by William Grant and Sons and Chronicle Books. During the event, members of the twelve families featured in the book signed a cask of Glenfiddich, signifying their intent to continue on in their traditions and legacy for another fifty years.

Hard cover copies of Family Spirit are available for purchase through Amazon.com.