Jon Wisotzkey, 1953-1992. (Obituary)

Jon U. Wisotzkey, president and majority owner of Little Professor Book Centers since 1981, died June 23 after a six-month battle with cancer.

Wisotzkey, 39, was widely credited with reviving the Little Professor franchise chain, which had lost direction in the late 1970s, by reenergizing the company and staff and focusing on its core business: the franchise operation. From a low of about 55 stores in the year after Wisotzkey's purchase of the company, Little Professor has grown to 130 stores, grosses some $70 million annually and is expanding its new superstore division (see p. 14). Bob Foster, a Little Professor franchisee for 15 years, says, "The minute Jon came in …