GEORGE W. TINSLEY, SR.
CEO & President OF PENGEO, INC. AND Past President of TINSLEY FAMILY CONCESSIONS, INC.
George Tinsley Sr.’s road to success could be likened to a rags-to-riches story. His story is of
faith, tenacity, education, and a white-hot desire to succeed. George’s unyielding determination and
strong work ethic are the true gifts that catapulted him to a lifetime of multiple careers, professional
achievements, business success, and meaningful contributions to improving the lives of others. George
William Tinsley grew up in Smoketown, an inner-city neighborhood one-mile southeast of downtown
Louisville, Ky. Smoketown has been a historically black neighborhood since the Civil War and is the only
city with such a continuous presence.
Despite many obstacles, Tinsley capitalized on his athletic gifts and was recruited on scholarship to
Kentucky Wesleyan College in 1966, and as a freshman, he led the team to the first of 3 Division II NCAA
National Championships. He quickly earned the rep of being a ‘defensive demon’. and would take the
Panthers on to 2 national titles in 1968 and 1969, for which he was twice named All-American, selected
as an alternate to the 1968 U.S. Olympic Team and would soon be drafted to the old American
Basketball League to play for the Oaks, Washington Capitals, Miami Floridians, Kentucky Colonels and
the New York Nets.
Tinsley was already prepared to pursue other options when his 3-year tour with the ABA ended in 1972.
He had graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan on the dean’s list and was the first African-American to
receive the prestigious Oak and Ivy Award for academic achievement. Tinsley transitioned his talent for
team management to the corporate sector, beginning with an 8-year management career at Kentucky
Fried Chicken Corporation, where he paved the way to his first franchise in 1984. Within 5 years, he had
acquired and built 5 more franchises and, in 1989, was named KFCC’s Premier Operator, the highest
honor presented to franchisees. Today, George Tinsley is the President and CEO of PenGeo Inc., Tinsley
Family Concessions, Inc., The Tinsley Group, Inc., Tinsley-Bridgeman, LLC, and GW Tinsley Consulting,
LLC. His company owns and operates more than 60 franchises in Florida and Kentucky.
Tinsley has served on the board of the National Basketball Retired Players Association for 7 years as
Board Member, President, Treasurer, and Chairman of the Board of Directors. He also served on the Airport Minority Advisory Council Board as the
Southeast Representative. He is currently serving on the boards of The United Way, Talbot House, The
Florida Bar Foundation and Nda, Inc.
Thirty-four years of entrepreneurship, Tinsley holds as many records in business as he did in basketball.
He was honored as KFCC’s Premier Operator for a second time in 1994. His KFC restaurant, located in
Auburndale has won the KFC Million Dollar Sales Award since 1986. His KFC restaurant is also in the top
5 sales categories per town size since 1986. His TGI Friday in Tampa has won the Highest Domestic
Franchise Sales and Domestic Franchise of the Year awards for 9-straight years.
Tinsley was named Florida’s Minority Entrepreneur of the Year in 1989, Louisville Male High School Hall
of Fame in 1986, Smoketown Hall of Fame in 1985, was named Winter Haven Businessman of the Year in
2010. He has been inducted to the Kentucky Wesleyan Alumni Hall of Fame in 2005, the Kentucky Black
Sports Hall of Fame in 2011, the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011, the Kentucky Wesleyan College
Athletic Hall of Fame Inaugural Class of 2013 and the National Small College Basketball Hall of Fame
2017. Tinsley also holds an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humanities from Kentucky Wesleyan. In 2010
He had the distinction of being the first athlete & African American to give the commencement speech
in the school's history.
Tinsley has been involved in the Airport Concessions business for over 25 years. He first became a
majority partner with HMSHost and operated the TGIF Fridays at the Tampa Airport. He then became a
minority partner with HMSHost in the Miami Airport. He also became a minority partner with HMSHost
at the Louisville Regional Airport and a minority partner with HMSHost AVOLTA with two Starbucks.
Tinsley is presently a partner in the new development with HMSHost as partner and is a Sub Tenant as
Tinsley Bridgeman as a Wendy’s Franchise in the Main Terminal. Tinsley has a Wendy’s location under
development at the Ft. Myers Airport in the Plaza as you enter the Airport property.
Tinsley will tell you, with all his success, Tinsley says his greatest treasure is his family.
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