University News

Stutz Named to Top 30 Women in Food '24

April 2, 2024

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MACOMB/MOLINE, IL - Western Illinois University Board of Trustees Chair Carin Stutz has been honored as one of the Top 30 Women in Food in 2024 by Lunchbox.

Stutz secured the fifth spot on the list of 30 outstanding women due to her 50-year experience within the restaurant industry. Throughout her career, she has held pivotal roles as a board member, president and CEO across renowned brands such as Hawaiian Bros, Kura Sushi and Cosi.

Stutz, a 1978 home economics graduate, is the former chief operating officer and executive vice president for Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. Before Red Robin, she served as president of McAlister's Corporation at FOCUS Brands Inc. In 2012, she was named the CEO and president of Cosi, Inc. and served as a member of Cosi's Board of Directors from 2012-13. Previously, she served for three years as the president and COO of global business development for Brinker International, where she led franchise development and operations for Chili's and Maggiano's restaurants worldwide; and spent eight years as an executive vice president of operations for Applebee's International; served five years as central and pacific division vice president for Wendy's International; served as regional operations vice president for Sodexo, U.S.A.; and was vice president of corporate operations for NutriSystem, Inc.

Additionally, her contributions include her co-founding the GLEAM Network, a platform dedicated to providing mentorship to underprivileged individuals in the food service sector.

Stutz's recognition showcases her impact on advancing the food industry and her role in forming the next generation of leaders within the field.
Lunchbox annually accepts nominations to compile a pool of 60 final nominees, subjecting them to a voting round to determine the Top 30 Women in the Food Industry. Both the nomination and voting phases remain open for two weeks, allowing for public participation. Following the collection of public votes, candidates are assessed and selected based on their popularity among the public.

Lunchbox stands as the sole open and scalable restaurant solution facilitating B2B catering, multi-channel ordering and guest engagement for enterprise operations, all within a single platform.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing