Marcus Lemonis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marcus Lemonis
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Lemonis in 2019
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| Born | November 16, 1973 Beirut, Lebanon
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| Alma mater | Marquette University |
| Occupation | Businessman, television personality, philanthropist |
| Television | The Profit (on CNBC) Let's Make a Deal |
| Spouse(s) |
Roberta "Bobbi" Raffel
(m. 2018) |
Marcus Anthony Lemonis, born on November 16, 1973, is a successful businessman, TV star, and someone who gives back to the community. He is the boss of big companies like Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises. You might know him from the TV show The Profit on CNBC. On this show, he helps small businesses that are having trouble. He also co-owns Marcus/Glass Entertainment, which owns the game show Let's Make a Deal.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Marcus Lemonis was born in Beirut, Lebanon, on November 16, 1973. This was during a time of war in Lebanon. He was left at an orphanage when he was just four days old.
On July 29, 1974, when he was a baby, he was adopted by Leo and Sophia Lemonis. They lived in Miami, Florida. His adoptive father was Greek, and his adoptive mother was Lebanese.
Growing Up Around Cars
As Marcus grew up, he learned a lot about the car business. His great uncle, Anthony Abraham, owned two of the biggest Chevrolet car dealerships in the United States. A family friend, Lee Iacocca, who was a famous car executive, became a mentor to Marcus. He even helped Marcus start a business that sold recreational vehicles (RVs).
School Days
Marcus Lemonis finished high school in 1991 at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Florida. In 1995, he went to Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He earned a degree in political science. After college, he tried to become a politician in Florida but was not successful. Then, he decided to focus on a career in the car business.
Marcus Lemonis's Career Journey
Marcus Lemonis has had an exciting career, from working in car dealerships to leading big companies and starring on TV.
Starting in the Car Business
After college, Marcus worked at his great uncle's car dealership in Florida. This dealership was later bought by a company called AutoNation in 1997. Marcus then worked in different sales and management jobs there.
A family friend, Lee Iacocca, suggested that Marcus should help create the largest RV chain in the country. Iacocca believed the RV business was not well organized. He helped Marcus start a company called Holiday RV Superstores. Marcus was the CEO of this company from 2001 to 2003.
After that, he helped start another company called FreedomRoads. This company began buying many RV dealerships. In 2006, FreedomRoads joined with Camping World, and Marcus became the CEO. In 2011, Camping World also joined with Good Sam Enterprises, and Marcus continued to lead both companies.
Leading Camping World
As the CEO of Camping World, Marcus Lemonis helped the company grow a lot.
- In 2004, Camping World sponsored NASCAR race car driver John Andretti.
- In 2007, Camping World became a major sponsor for NASCAR racing series. They sponsored the NASCAR East Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, renaming them the NASCAR Camping World Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. This made Camping World one of the top three sponsors in the sport. They continued this sponsorship for many years.
In 2005, a business magazine called Crain's Chicago Business featured Marcus in their "40 under 40" list, which highlights successful young people. In 2008, he was named "Entrepreneur of the Year" by Ernst & Young.
In October 2016, Camping World became a public company, meaning its shares could be bought and sold on the New York Stock Exchange. This made the company worth about $2 billion.
Camping World has also bought other companies:
- In April 2017, they bought Gander Mountain, a store that sells camping, fishing, and hunting gear.
- In July 2017, they bought The House Boardshop, an online store for bikes, skateboards, snowboards, and outdoor gear.
Television Appearances
Marcus Lemonis has become well-known through his TV shows.
- He appeared on two episodes of NBC's Celebrity Apprentice.
- In 2012, he was on ABC's Secret Millionaire. For this show, he went back to his hometown of Miami to help local charities.
- In 2013, Marcus started starring in The Profit on CNBC. In this reality show, he helps small businesses that are struggling. He invests his own money in these businesses and becomes a part-owner to help them succeed.
- In 2017, Marcus also starred in and helped produce another CNBC show called The Partner. On this show, he looked for a business manager to help him run the many businesses he invested in through The Profit.
- In 2021, it was announced that Marcus Lemonis and Nancy Glass bought the rights to the classic game show Let's Make a Deal.
- In 2022, Marcus starred in a new HGTV show called The Renovator. This show debuted on October 11, 2022.
Giving Back to the Community
Marcus Lemonis is also known for his charity work, called philanthropy.
- In 2020, he started the Lemon-AID Foundation. This foundation helps women and minority business owners, as well as small businesses.
- He also created the Business Learning Center, which is an online platform. It offers resources and tools for businesses that were struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- His foundation also launched 'Plating Change,' a program to help fight hunger. They partnered with Grubhub and World Central Kitchen for this effort.
Marcus has given money to his old schools, including Christopher Columbus High School and $15 million to Marquette University. He has also supported the Joffrey Ballet Bridge Program, which helps students in Chicago public schools. In 2016–2017, he started a campaign to support the sports program at the University of Miami. After a bombing in Nashville on Christmas Day in 2020, Marcus set up a fund to help the businesses affected by the event. In 2021, he gave $3.1 million to the staff of Christopher Columbus High School, giving $18,000 to each staff member.
Personal Life
Marcus Lemonis married Roberta "Bobbi" Raffel in 2018. They live in Lake Forest, Illinois.
See also
In Spanish: Marcus Lemonis para niños
