Wendy's founder Dave Thomas left school at 15. Decades later, he earned his high-school equivalency and created an award for students

Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas left school at age 15 and spent decades carrying the regret of never earning a high-school diploma. After building Wendy’s into a successful restaurant chain, Thomas decided in his 60s to return to education. In 1993, he earned his high-school equivalency diploma from Coconut Creek High School in Florida, 45 years after leaving school.