Richard J Freeland

Richard J. Freeland, Dick serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Pizza Hut of Fort Wayne, Inc. Mr. Freeland has more than twenty-nine years experience. He founded Pizza Hut of Fort Wayne, Inc. Mr. Freeland served as Director of Steel Dynamics Inc. from 2000 to August 16, 2012. In 1957, he married Deanna Walters and they had three children, Kim (Alan) Cook, Terri Derheimer (deceased), and Todd (Angie) Freeland. In 1967, Freeland took a part-time job at a Pizza Hut for $1.25 an hour. He eventually became a store manager, area manager and a part-owner in an Iowa franchise. In 1972, he and Deanna moved to Fort Wayne and opened their first Pizza Hut on East State near Coliseum Boulevard. Over 40 years the business grew to include 48 Pizza Huts in Indiana and Ohio and four KFC restaurants. He was a founding member and on the board of directors of the Arabian Horse Breeders Alliance and the Arabian Breeders World Cup. His board affiliations included Steel Dynamics Inc., Hall of Fame member of International Pizza Hut Franchise Holders Association, Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce, Lutheran Hospital, Leadership Fort Wayne, and Allen County Republican Party. In addition to his wife and children, survivors include his half sister, Eleanor Mathis of Broken Arrow, Okla.; grandchildren, Tyler Freeland, Dillon Freeland, Deanna Derheimer, Lindsay (Darin) Falk, Tiffany (Mike) Rego, and Austin Freeland; and one great-grandchild, Connor Falk. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Terri Derheimer, in 2009; his brother, John (who died at age 10); and his half brother, Fred Freeland Jr.