02.07.2024 Today’s Inspiration from Kelli Valade, CEO of 70-Year-old Chain Denny’s
Dear Students,
While you might not think of Denny’s (sometimes known as Denny’s Diner) as haute cuisine, the 70-year-old company that began as “Danny’s Donuts” brought in nearly $464M last year and is currently undertaking an ambitious, major transformation to modernize its operations. The innovations are credited to Kelli Valade, Denny’s CEO since 2022, who is seeking to reinvigorate the 1,600-store chain in a very competitive marketplace (aka the “fast food fight”).
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Kelli Valade is a star example of someone who grew up in the restaurant industry and made it all the way to the top as a brand CEO. Her love of food began as a kid cooking and eating Italian meatballs and dishes in her grandmother’s kitchen, and Valade landed her first restaurant gig at […]
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Previously CEO of Red Lobster and Black Box Intelligence, Valade, who was adopted at birth and raised in an Italian family, was also former Brand President of Chili’s Grill and Bar and Vice President at Brinker International. With an undergraduate degree in Sociology and an MBA, Valade has clearly parlayed a love of food and the restaurant/hospitality business into an executive career.
An animal rights advocate, Valade is also a champion for the well-being of her employees. She’s a great example of a values-driven CEO who nonetheless – or perhaps as a result? – has built a net worth upwards of $7M, serving as an inspirational individual to Americans and ambitious international students like you alike.
Have a delicious evening, wherever you eat dinner!
Best,
Amy-Louise