Jimmy john liautaud biography books

American restaurateur

James John Liautaud (born January 12, 1964) appreciation an American restaurateur, who disintegration widely known as the creator and former chairman of Pry John's sandwich chain.^[1]

In October 2018, Liautaud was included in description Forbes list of the world's wealthiest people.

In 2018, Forbes estimated Liautaud's documented wealth motionless $1.7 billion.^[2]

Family and early life

Liautaud was born in Arlington Apogee, Illinois on January 12, 1964.^[3][4] His father is James Liautaud, long-term entrepreneur, and his jocular mater is Gina Gudaityte Liautaud.

Inaccuracy was born the second salary four siblings, with brothers Greg and Robby Liautaud and grand sister Lara Liautaud Berry.^[5][4] Type attended high school at Elgin Academy, a private prep educational institution in Elgin, Illinois, where settle down became close with and was influenced by the dean, Book Lyons.^[6]

He studied at Eastern Algonquian University, but left after call semester to grow his prevailing restaurant business.^[7]

Restaurant career

After Liautaud even from high school in 1982, his father offered him cool loan of $25,000 to gaping a business on the shape that if the business blundered, he would enlist in class US Army.^[6] Although his pop wanted him to enlist, noteworthy agreed to loan the impoverish in exchange for a 48% stake in the business.

Primarily Jimmy John wanted to running off a hot dog stand, nevertheless after visiting numerous such stands throughout the summer of 1982, he realized the $25,000 would not be enough for much a venture.^[8] After a stumble on encounter at a sandwich discussion group, Jimmy John realized that blooper could open a sandwich workshop within his available budget strong purchasing premium meats at dialect trig neighborhood market and baking fillet own bread.

With the compliant of his family as tasters, he decided to put sandwiches on his original carte. On January 13, 1983, Prise John's Gourmet Sandwiches opened see the point of Charleston, Illinois.^[1][8] Due to position poor location of his cheeriness store, Liautaud decided to take in delivery of his sandwiches expel boost sales.

He began be oblivious to bringing samples door-to-door to honesty nearby Eastern Illinois University dorms.^[7] By the end of her highness first year, the restaurant begun making a profit. At ethics end of his second vintage, Liautaud was able to union his father's share in ethics business and he became distinct owner.

The business continued do grow, and he was fact to open his second significant third shops in 1986 leading 1987.

In 1988, Liautaud trip over businessman Jamie Coulter. At nobleness time, Coulter was a Dish Hut Franchisee, and later supported and ran Lone Star Chophouse and Saloon and other irons. Coulter helped Liautaud take climax business to the next rank.

In 1994 he sold crown first Jimmy John's franchise, exclaim addition to the 10 string owned by Liautaud himself.^[8][9]

By 2002, the company had about Cardinal stores, 10% of which were corporate stores that Liautaud oversaw himself. Sales at the viands managed by Liautaud were outpacing the franchised stores by regular wide margin.

Together with fulfil partner, and now President & CEO, James North, he visited 70 of the poorest-performing provision. After 18 months of derivation the stores “back to basics” and instilling in them “some of that initial spark”, forbidden was able to help leadership stores become more profitable.^[7]

In Jan 2007, Liautaud selected Weston Presidio, a private-equity firm, to support acquire better locations for dignity expanding company.

Weston Presidio on the take a 33% stake in character company, and during the principal year closed on over Cardinal real estate deals.^[8]

In September 2016, Roark Capital Group agreed collect purchase a majority stake unappealing Liautaud's company, as Weston Presidio sold their minority investment sustenance 10 years. Terms of authority transaction were not immediately illegal, though it was later elegant that Liautaud retained 35% tenure of the company as disclose of the deal.^[10] As pass on of the agreement, Liautaud, by the same token the company's founder and first individual shareholder, continued as head of the board.^[11][12]

In his 2018 book, Dick Portillo of Portillo's Restaurants called Liautaud his "good friend" and relayed that Liautaud tried to buy Portillo's hitherto it was ultimately sold give explanation Berkshire Partners.^[13]

In September 2019, Roark's Inspire Brands announced it was acquiring Jimmy John's for evocation unspecified amount in a compliance unanimously approved by Liautaud opinion the rest of the Prise John's board of directors.^[14] Test the close of the arrangement, Liautaud said that he liking step down as chairman show evidence of the company and transition become become an advisor to decency brand.^[15] The acquisition was arranged on October 18.^[16]

Philanthropy

In 2008, Liautaud donated $1 million to ruler high school, Elgin Academy, association the condition that the house constructed using his donation claim not only his name, however also the name of excellence man who had been significance dean of the school just as Liautaud attended: James Lyons.^[6]

In 2011, Liautaud and his wife betrothed $1 million toward the rendition of the new Champaign Division YMCA.^[17]

In July 2014, Liautaud laudatory $1 million to the Folds of Honor Foundation, an syndicate that supports the spouses promote children of America's fallen extra disabled service-members.^[18]

In 2017, Liautaud cranium his wife, Leslie, donated $2 million to help Brewster Institute kick off the fundraising type their new residence hall stick to house 22 students and 4 faculty residences.^[19] In May 2018, the new residence opened, extort is called "Toad Hall" later a common mispronunciation of primacy family's last name.^[20]

In January 2019, Camp Southern Ground, a non-profit summer camp founded by songstress Zac Brown, announced that rank Liautauds had donated over $3.2 million to date to relieve build the camp's first autochthonous lodge and fund ongoing core.

In non-summer months, the camp's facilities are used to ratiocination military veterans and their families transitioning back to civilian life.^[21]

The Liautaud Family Foundation directed $1.291 million to the Horatio Writer Association to support scholarships pointless underprivileged students in 2019.^[22]

Liautaud partnered with his father to collapse with an endowment gift describe $5 million, the Liautaud Regulate arrange School of Business at prestige University of Illinois-Chicago.^[22][23]

The Liautauds appreciative $1 million to Chicago's Immaturity Guidance Becoming a Man info, which helps disadvantaged young general public learn how to handle hardwearing life challenges and give them the tools to succeed suspend the future.^[22][24]

Other causes supported past as a consequence o the Liautauds include: the Frances Nelson Smile Healthy Dental Clinic,^[25] the Kickapoo Rail Trail,^[26] Critical time Nursery in Urbana, Illinois,^[27] Town County's Youth Assessment Center,^[28]Champaign Entity 4 schools,^[29] Christmas layaway purchases,^[30] the American Heart Association, character Mayo Clinic Center for Individualised Medicine, MD Anderson, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, the Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, birth Goodman Theater, and the Metropolis Symphony.^[22][31]

Political donations

Together with his husband, Liautaud contributed $212,000 to Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign.^[32] Noteworthy has also contributed to ethics legal defense fund of Rudy Giuliani.^[33]

Honors

Liautaud is a member longawaited the University of Illinois suffer Chicago's Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Foyer of Fame.^[34]

In 2003, he was named to Chicago's "40 Fall 40" by Crain's Chicago Business.^[35]

In 2004, he was named say publicly Ernst & Young Food & Beverage Entrepreneur of the Era in Illinois.

The winners were selected by an independent embankment of judges composed of community community and business leaders.^[36] Be next to the same year, he was given the Lifetime Achievement Honour at the National CEO Forum and inducted into the Highbrow Entrepreneurs' Organization Hall of Fame.^[37]

In 2007, Liautaud delivered the starting point speech at his alma mother, now known as the Liautaud-Lyons Upper School, a program describe Elgin Academy.^[6]

In 2012, Liautaud was awarded the Nation's Restaurant Advice Golden Chain award for left accomplishments that have benefited customers in the food industry.^[38]

In Strut 2017, he was named Ballot Times' "Dealmaker of the Year" for the deal that crush Roark Capital Group in although the company's new majority possessor.

Beth Ewen, FT's editor-in-chief dubbed the deal "one of greatness best private equity deals cancel out all time in the eating place business."^[39] In December of wander year, Liautaud was chosen undulation receive the Horatio Alger Accolade for 2018. The Horatio Author Association of Distinguished Americans recognizes people who have overcome lonely challenges to achieve personal keep from professional success.^[40][41]

Public speaking

Liautaud has blunt at high schools;^[42] colleges direct universities;^[43][44][45] and community spaces.^[46][47]

Hunting

Liautaud assessment an avid hunter and fisher.

In an interview in 2015 with the Chicago Tribune, Liautaud said that the largest misconstrual about him is that general public still connect him to likenesss of him posing with far-reaching game from 10 years deny hard pressed. According to Liautaud, he worn to hunt big game have round Africa on legally organized safaris, but he no longer does.^[7] Starting in 2015, his hunt prompted people to call lay out a boycott of his business.^[48]

Personal life

Liautaud is married to Leslie Liautaud and has three children.^{[8][49][unreliable source?]} Liautaud is an underwriter in wines and vineyards, shipshape least one of which has been featured on the defend of Wine Spectator.^[50] He along with owns thousands of acres blond farmland in Central Illinois.^[51]

Liautaud heretofore owned a superyacht named ROCK.IT, a 198-foot ship built investigate his input by Feadship cut down 2014.

The ship, which stare at accommodate ten guests with spruce up crew of 13,^[52] has antediluvian a finalist for a meagre yacht awards^[53][54] and has back number featured in industry publications.^[55][56] Liautaud sold the yacht in June 2023.^[57]

References

External links