William H. McEssy, Arts ’61, Law ’64
Lake Forest, Ill.
Asked if there is a book he would recommend to a young professional in his field, Bill quips, 鈥淵es, but my book isn鈥檛 finished yet.鈥� It鈥檚 a safe bet that any tome penned by this tremendously successful entrepreneur and devoted Catholic philanthropist would be quite a page-turner.
Bill is the chairman and CEO of McEssy Investment Co., which attained distinction as one of the largest McDonald鈥檚 franchisees in the country with 47 restaurants in Illinois and Wisconsin. Today, McEssy continues to operate numerous McDonald鈥檚 restaurants, many of them top producers for the fast-food chain.
The former Fond du Lac, Wis.-based family practice lawyer got involved in McDonald鈥檚 franchising through a friend, with whom he partnered before moving to the Chicago area and establishing McEssy Co. Bill has represented franchisees as president and director of the McDonald鈥檚 Restaurants鈥揅hicago Region and was awarded the Golden Arch Award, the highest recognition from McDonald鈥檚 for franchise owners.
鈥淢y legal background was instrumental in my entrepreneurship and in growing my involvement with McDonald鈥檚,鈥� Bill says, adding that his law school education taught him to solve problems, a key component in his success. Bill has served on the Law School鈥檚 advisory board and been involved in the school鈥檚 fundraising efforts, including those for Eckstein Hall.
An active philanthropist, Bill and his wife, Lois (LaMantia) McEssy, Arts 鈥�62, have long supported the work of the Archdiocese of Chicago and especially the University of Saint Mary of the Lake鈥揗undelein Seminary, where Bill has been chairman of the board of advisers for 15 years. The couple contributed the lead gift to endow the William H. and Lois J. McEssy Theological Resource Library at Mundelein.
鈥淚n my involvement with various boards and committees in leadership positions, my faith is always involved in decisions being made,鈥� Bill says. He cites the late Cardinal Francis George, the eighth Archbishop of Chicago, as the most influential person in his life.
Fun facts: Bill鈥檚 other business ventures have included investing in Napa Valley鈥檚 Andretti Winery and in the Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan, Wis.
