"While the restaurant industry is deep with diversity across its huge footprint, it is no secret that diversity lessens as we look at ownership or C-suites. There are no Black CEOs of large, public restaurant chains, and there are just a handful of women leading large restaurant companies, with no Black or Brown women among that small base. As we look at independent operations, we see a bit more diversity among chef owners, and as we look at franchisees, we see an improved number of people of color at the helm – but still in small numbers and not nearly enough.
We believe it is past time to build a more inclusive leadership pipeline. The executives on our annual Power List agree, and they have readily selected power players within their own organizations with an emphasis on identifying people of color, women and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Throughout the year we will continue to follow the Power List and these emerging leaders with videos, webinars, and toward the end of the year, a special gathering at our new CREATE conference and festival, where we set out to create a new future for foodservice.
I couldn’t be prouder of our editorial team and partners for leaning in and stepping up to champion change as the best leaders do.
We are powerful when we come together."
-- Sarah Lockyer, Group Publisher, Nation’s Restaurant News
