Parkersburg native inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame
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PARKERSBURG -- A Parkersburg native who went from vacuum cleaner salesman to the owner of the largest food truck organization in the world has been inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.
Tony Lamb of Kona Ice said he owes all of it to his dad, Tom Lamb, who at an early age encouraged him to be his own boss.
"He's my mentor," Lamb said. "He's the guy who got me started."
Lamb is a 1987 graduate of Parkersburg High School where he was the Senior Class president. He also played football for the Big Reds and keeps in touch with old friends in Parkersburg.
He graduated from the University of Kentucky at Lexington where he sold Rainbow vacuum cleaners. Lamb's father was a district representative for Rainbow.
Lamb established Kona Ice, based in Florence, Ky., in 2007, and drove the truck himself. He started franchising Kona Ice in 2008, which has grown to more than 1,800 trucks in 49 states.
He started the company after his daughter after his 3-year-old daughter had a bad encounter with an ice cream truck man.
The induction ceremony into the Hall of Fame was held Thursday at the Central Bank Center in Lexington. Lamb said he was honored.
"It kind of surprised me when I was told," Lamb said. "Me and Col. Sanders. How do you like that?"
Other 2023 inductees into the Entrepreneur's Hall of Fame are Jimmy Kirchdorfer chairman and CEO of ISCO Industries and Donna Salyers, president and founder of Fabulous Furs.
Thursday also is Lamb's and his father's birthday. Lamb turned 55 and dad 87.
"My dad works at Kona Ice everyday," Lamb said.
Lamb in 2020 launched Travelin' Tom's Coffee, which is named after his father. Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck in 2020 has 150 franchised trucks, but has orders for 300 more, Lamb said.
The new Beverly Ann's Warm Cookies and Ice Cream was named after his mother, the former Beverly Ann Graham of Parkersburg. Both of his parents live in Lexington.
Lamb and his wife, Susie, have been married for 31 years. They have four children, sons Jake and Jonah and daughters Annie and Ava.
Entrepreneur Magazine has named Kona Ice in its Franchise 500 list. Kona Ice has been ranked first or second in franchisee satisfaction for the past 12 years by Franchise Business Review.
Lamb was the Chief Executive Officer for a Large Private Company of the year in 2021 by Cincinnati Business Courier.
Kona Ice since 2007 has given more than $135 million to communities it serves, providing funds for schools, youth sports and charities.
"It's been a great ride," Lamb said.
Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com.