Ed Nelson is retiring as Whataburger president and CEO at the end of the year, ending a 20-year career with the venerable Texas-based burger chain.
Debbie Stroud, a former Starbucks executive who was named chief operating officer last year, will take over, the company said.
“Ed’s passion for the Whataburger brand has been unparalleled, and he has expertly guided the company to new heights,” Matthew Rose, Whataburger chairman, said in a statement.
Nelson joined Whataburger in 2004 as company controller. He was named CFO four years later and then president in 2019 before he was given the CEO title the next year.
Ed Nelson/Photo courtesy of Whataburger
Under Nelson, Whataburger has expanded further away from its Texas home, to Florida to the East and Kansas to the North. System sales grew 40%, according to data from Restaurant Business sister company Technomic. The brand has added 250 locations and has about 1,000 restaurants.
Stroud had been SVP of retail operations with Starbucks, where she spent five years. She previously spent 27 years with McDonald’s in various financial and operational roles.
Rose said she “brought a wealth of knowledge and a strong vision for operational excellence and high-quality, made-to-order food to Whataburger.”
Stroud in a statement said working alongside Nelson “has been an extraordinary experience.”
“We are dedicated to ensuring that Whataburger continues to resonate deeply with our customers in Texas and beyond,” she said.
Two dozen restaurant companies have changed chief executives this year. That includes several chains, such as El Pollo Loco, Taco Johns, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream and Tony Roma’s, who hired women to be their chief executives.
Debbie Stroud/Photo courtesy of Whataburger
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