Lewis Rudolph

William Lewis Rudolph, known as Lewis Rudolph, (December 6, 1919 – December 28, 2014) was an American businessman who helped to co-found the Krispy Kreme doughnut company with his brother, Vernon Rudolph, during the 1930s. He also helped open the first Krispy Kreme in Nashville, Tennessee. Lewis Rudolph later served as Vice President of Krispy Kreme, while Vernon Rudolph served as President and CEO of the company.

Lewis Rudolph was born on December 6, 1919, in Marshall County, Kentucky. He was one of four children born to Rethie and Plumie Rudolph. His father, Plumie, operated a general store in Marshall County.

In the early 1930s, Lewis Rudolph's uncle, Ishmael Armstrong, and his brother, Vernon, who was 18 years old at the time, began a yeast doughnut, based on a recipe they had received from a chef from New Orleans. However, the economic downturn during the Great Depression caused financial difficulties for both Plumie Rudolph's general store and Vernon Rudolph's doughnut business. The entire family relocated to Nashville to pursue better financial opportunities. Lewis Rudolph's father, Plumie, soon purchased Ishmael Armstrong's doughnut business from him.

Lewis Rudolph dropped out of high school to work at the family doughnut business. He spent days mixing ingredients by hand. The doughnut shop proved successful and the family was able to expand to new shops in Charleston, West Virginia, and Atlanta, Georgia. In 1937, Vernon Rudolph established Krispy Kreme doughnuts at a new location in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He had decided to open the first Krispy Kreme in Winston-Salem due to the presence of Camel cigarettes in the city.

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