Roger & Sybil Ferguson
In 1970, Sybil Ferguson, with her husband Roger, founded Diet Center, Inc., in their home in Rexburg, Idaho. Determined to lose 50 pounds in a healthy manner, Sybil researched and studied nutrition. She developed a healthy diet and lost the 50 pounds.Then friends began to come to her for help in losing weight. She consulted her own doctor for medical counsel and guidance. Successful in her efforts, the doctor began to send his patients to her for daily counseling. Because of Roger's knowledge of franchising, which was a fairly new concept in the business world, they decided to franchise the business which had begun in their home.Through Sybil's formation of the diet and Rogers knowledge and experience in finance, marketing and franchising, by word-of-mouth Diet Center spread across the United States and Canada until there were 2600 open centers. When Diet Center was sold in 1985, it was rated the number one franchise in the weight control industry. Diet Center’s rapid growth didn't come without hard work and dedication. Sybil authored two books that appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and appeared on numerous national talk shows and was featured in many major newspapers and magazines in America. In a two-year period, Sybil traveled the equivalent of 2 1/2 times around the world, returning home every other weekend to her family of five children. Sybil received the Outstanding Business Person of the Year award from Idaho State University Business Department in 1988. She has won many other awards and has served on many Board of Directors. For 20 years Diet Center, Inc., provided great franchising opportunities for many local as well as national entrepreneurs, and many jobs for people in the community. The economic impact on Rexburg and Madison County was immeasurable.The company provided an excellent working environment and had hundreds of loyal employees and franchisers. Roger and Sybil traveled to nearly every state and province.They knew all the franchisers personally and visited most of the early centers.They sold Diet Center in 1985. The following year Diet Center had an initial public stock offering and was listed on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange until it was taken private in 1988 and the new owners moved the main office to Pittsburgh. Since retirement, they have remained actively involved in land development in Idaho and Arizona and Sybil works with several charitable organizations. In Rexburg they have donated to Madison County a safe house for women and children, are major supporters of the Senior Citizen Center and have been involved with various projects in Madison and Sugar City schools.The Madison High School's athletic field was named after them. Roger and Sybil consider their family their greatest achievement. At the current time, they have five children, 24 grandchildren, and five great grandchildren, with whom they love to spend their time at their home on the Sheridan Ranch.
By Dee Klenck |
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