[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 114 (Friday, July 14, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S10069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     75th BIRTHDAY OF EDWIN ZEHNDER

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor one of the 
leaders of the community of Frankenmuth, MI. Edwin Zehnder is owner of 
Zehnder's of Frankenmuth restaurant, one of the top ten independent 
restaurants in total sales in the United States. July 25, 1995 will 
mark Edwin's 75th birthday. The city of Frankenmuth will be honoring 
Edwin on his birthday by naming a park located near his restaurant in 
his honor. This event is especially significant because 1995 also marks 
the 150th anniversary of the city of Frankenmuth. It is only fitting 
that this great citizen's 75th birthday happens to coincide with the 
150th anniversary of the community to which he has given so much.
  Frankenmuth is a unique community and one of Michigan's largest 
tourist attractions. It is a quaint Bavarian village which maintains a 
festival atmosphere year-round. Everything from its authentic 
architecture to the popular Frankenmuth Bavarian and Oktoberfest 
celebrations make this community a special place to live in and visit. 
At the center of it all is Zehnder's of Frankenmuth restaurant. The 
restaurant serves traditional Bavarian cuisine as well as American 
fare. However, most visitors come to Zehnder's for its famous 
Frankenmuth-style chicken dinners.
  Edwin and his wife Marion have four children--L. Susan, Albert, 
Catherine, and Martha. Family has always been an important part of this 
gentleman's life. The family business was started in 1927, when Edwin's 
father, William, bought the circa 1856 Exchange Hotel. The Zehnder 
family then began work on building the restaurant into the institution 
it is today. Edwin and his wife Marion assumed ownership of the family 
business in 1965. The couple were able to cater to the growing numbers 
of tourists visiting the city by continually expanding the restaurant. 
They added a retail gift store, retail food store, and a coffee shop in 
1977. In 1983, the family broke ground for a 5,000-square-foot addition 
which now houses a bakery. Zehnder's of Frankenmuth today is a 84,000 
square-foot, 1,500 seat establishment.
  Edwin Zehnder graduated from Valparaiso University in 1942, and later 
went on to do graduate work at the University of Chicago and the 
University of Michigan. Edwin served his country in World War II with 
the U.S. Navy. Edwin was stationed in the Marshall Islands in the South 
Pacific.
  Edwin maintained his commitment to service after the war by becoming 
a vital member of the community. He is a member of St. Lorenz Lutheran 
Church and sits as a member of the board of Concordia Theological 
Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN. He was also director of the Michigan State 
Chamber of Commerce and has served as president and director of the 
Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce. In 1982, he received the 4-H Friend 
Award, which is the highest award given by the organization for support 
of its many causes.
  On the basis of his expertise in restaurant management, he was 
elected director of the Michigan Restaurant Association and the 
National Restaurant Association. He has also served as a circuit 
speaker for the Michigan and National Restaurant Associations. In 1975, 
he received the Excellency Award of the restaurant association.
  I know thousands of people in Michigan and around the Nation join me 
in congratulating Edwin Zehnder for the fine work he has done and also 
in wishing him a happy 75th birthday.


                          ____________________