Meet the Laureates: Sid Ruckriegel

Author: Sally Eastman
Corporate Responsibility
Published: Wednesday, 01 Mar 2023

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Sid Ruckriegel wearing a suit and smiling in front of a stone building

Image caption: Sid Ruckriegel

Sid Ruckriegel was born and raised in Jasper, Indiana. The son of Robert and Lovella Ruckriegel, Sid has one brother, Al. His dad, a meat cutter, and his mother, a bookkeeper, in 1964 started a 24 coffee shop. This endeavor would eventually grow to be recognized as the “nation’s 6^th largest privately held multi-franchisee company” operating brands including Denny’s, Long John Silver’s, Wendy’s, Grandy’s, Paco’s, Day’s Inn, and Jasper 8 Theaters. Growing up around a family business, Sid remembers as a kid scouting the cornfields in the fall for stray corncobs which he’d shell and go door-to-door selling as squirrel food. Sid’s first jobs would be peeling shrimp, filling sauce cups, busing tables at the original coffee shop, and working for his brother mowing yards. Attending Jasper High School, Sid was active in many extra-curricular activities, but it was his involvement with Junior Achievement that would help stoke his entrepreneurship spirit.

Graduating from Vanderbilt University, Sid moved to Peoria, Illinois in 1992 to co-found SIDAL which would grow to 26 Papa John’s Pizza and 26 Rally’s locations. Serving on the Papa John’s Franchise Advisory Council, Ruckriegel was a recognized influence on marketing strategy serving not only on national committees but also presiding over several COOPs, was awarded ‘Franchisee of the Year’ multiple years, became a vocal advocate for the industry in Washington D.C., and was the inaugural winner of the ‘Go LEFT’ Award, spotlighting innovations in operational and strategic excellence by setting new standards that drive the business.

Over the years, Sid and his brother would take on increasing roles in their parents’ company and, during the 50^th year for BR Associates, merged the two entities to form SERVUS, Inc. One of the strengths for both companies was their investment in real estate, and recently SERVUS completed the transition into a strictly real estate company. Ruckriegel also owns several other companies with the real estate portfolios including commercial, student, and residential developments.

Throughout the years, Sid Ruckriegel has been dedicated to not only serving Peoria but has had a leading influence on many organizations that are transforming the area serving as chair for the Peoria Riverfront Museum, the Country Club of Peoria, the Peoria Historical Society, and as vice-chair for WTVP/PEORIA Magazine. Sid has served on the Order of St. Francis Hospital Community Advisory Board, Heart of Illinois United Way, Creve Couer Club, Peoria Promise, Peoria Public Library Board, Peoria Historic Commission, APPSCo, and Align Peoria as well as working with various community groups doing the grass roots actions to impact change.

When a vacancy occurred, Sid Ruckriegel was unanimously appointed to serve on the Peoria City Council in 2015. In 2016 and 2018, Sid Ruckriegel was re-elected as City Councilmember, serving as city liaison to the Peoria Civic Center Authority, Peoria Downtown Development Corporation, the Peoria Public Library, and the 2020 Peoria City/County Census Committee.

Sid Ruckriegel lives in a restored 1902 residence on Moss Avenue with his partner, Andrew Rand, a 2018 JA Hall of Fame Laurette. Together, they were recognized for their ongoing work in our community by the United Way’s Tocqueville Society as the ‘2020 Philanthropists of the Year.”