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Jon L. Luther was named chief executive officer of Dunkin' Brands in January 2003 and chairman in March 2006. A veteran of the food-service industry, Jon is a proven leader at creative brand development and at satisfying consumers who seek quality, convenience, and value in a quick service restaurant setting. From February 1997 until December 2002, Jon was president of Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, a division of AFC Enterprises. During his term, the company's store count grew 67 percent to 1,672 units, while average annual unit volume grew to over $1 million, the highest in the chicken QSR category. With Jon at the helm, Popeyes won industry awards for menu strategy, store re-design, and customer satisfaction.
Prior to Popeyes, Jon was president of CA One Services, a subsidiary of Delaware North Companies, Inc. He has also held leadership positions in the contract foodservice division of the Marriott Corporation and at ARAMARK in Philadelphia, PA., where he rose from vending sales director to become president of Davre’s, ARAMARK’s luxury restaurant subsidiary. Jon also founded Benchmark Services, Inc., a foodservice management firm specializing in business dining for corporations, growing the business into a strong regional competitor.
Jon holds a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Paul Smith’s College, and honorary doctorate degrees from Bentley College and Johnson & Wales University. He supports culinary and foodservice programs at a variety of institutions, including serving on the Board of Directors for The Elliot Leadership Institute and the Board of Trustees for the Culinary Institute of America. In addition, Jon is on the Board of Trustees at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass., and on the Executive Board of Directors for the Companions in Courage Foundation, which builds interactive playrooms in children's hospitals throughout North America.
In 2005, Jon was the recipient of the Nation’s Restaurant News Golden Chain award, and in 2006, he received the Chain Leadership award from Chain Leader magazine. Last year, Jon was awarded the 2007 Gold Plate Award from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, IFMA. | 