Great Wolf Resorts has announced that Edward H. Rensi has been elected to the company’s board of directors.Rensi spent 33 years at McDonald’s, where he rose from grill man up through the management ranks to positions of increasing scope and responsibility, as regional vice president, senior vice president operations and training, senior executive vice president, chief operating officer of McDonald’s World Wide, and, from 1984 to 1998, president and CEO of McDonald’s USA.

Following his retirement from McDonald’s in 1998, Rensi began a second career as chairman and CEO of Team Rensi Motorsports, where he applies the marketing and motivational skills he honed in the corporate world to the sport of NASCAR auto racing.

“Ed’s consumer and entertainment experience will add greatly to the strength of our board,” said John Emery, Great Wolf Resorts chief executive officer. “With his extensive background and focus on marketing and service excellence, Ed will be able to provide valuable insight into our brand-building strategy as we work to further establish the first national family waterpark resort nameplate.”

Rensi has been actively involved in numerous charity initiatives throughout his career. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan honored Rensi with the President’s Volunteer Award, which recognized his body of charitable work, including co-founding the world-famous Ronald McDonald House and serving as chairman of the Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities. Rensi’s volunteer work for numerous educational charities was cited in 1997 when he was chosen Italian-American Man of the Year.

Rensi graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in business education. He serves on the boards of directors of Snap On Tools, International Speedway Corporation and the National Italian American Foundation. He also serves on the Compensation Committee for ISC and the Snap On boards.
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