Mack Associates sells its McDonald's locations

Mack Associates has sold its 11 franchised McDonald's stores in the Reno area, a McDonald's executive confirmed last week.

The parent company said the sale is not related to guilty pleas last July by Mack Associates, one of its executives and one of its former executives to charges that the restaurants knowingly hired illegal alien workers.

A spokeswoman for McDonald's said the name of the buyer of the franchised stores is proprietary and won't be disclosed.

Mike Andres, vice president and general manager of McDonald's Pacific-Sierra Region, praised Mack Associates and its founder, Reno businessman Luther Mack.

"In his more than 30 years with McDonald's, Luther Mack has significantly contributed to the McDonald's system at all levels," Andres said. "His commitment, dedication and involvement in his community have made him a well-known and beloved McDonalds franchisee and leader in his community."

A spokeswoman for the company said the decision by Mack to sell the stores was entirely personal.

Mack didn't return phone calls for comment last week.

Mack, whose profile is among the highest of anyone in business in northern Nevada, also has owned broadcast properties and served on numerous corporate and nonprofit boards during a business career that began more than 30 years ago. He's 70 years old.

Mack Associates was rocked in September 2007 when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided the company's 11 restaurants as well as its corporate headquarters in Reno.

They found 58 undocumented workers employed by the restaurants, and they discovered that managers of the companies provided fake Social Security numbers and names to some workers who were in the country illegally.

After pleading guilty to immigration charges, Mack Associates in July agreed to pay a $1 million fine. Luther Mack wasn't charged.

Jimmy Moore, a former vice president of the company, pleaded guilty to one count of inducing an illegal alien to remain in the United States.

Anntoinette Richmond, the controller of Mack Associates, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of continuing employment of an illegal alien.