Godfather of Barbecue

Over more than three decades, Paul Peden has opened more than 20 different restaurants, from an oyster bar in the fishing hamlet of Matlacha to a fancy restaurant in downtown Fort Myers.

But Paul Peden's legacy will be the Rib City barbecue chain of 28 restaurants he's built with his son, Craig Peden, 41.

In an industry that experiences a higher-than-average rate of failure, the Pedens stand out as sharp operators who managed to grow their company despite a brutal recession that hit consumers' discretionary income.