Roland Gonzalez is at the helm of Church’s Texas Chicken and Texas Chicken across both domestic and international markets overseeing more than 1,400 restaurant locations in 22 countries. As CEO, he is at the forefront of driving the company’s next phase of global expansion and evolution, and strategic initiatives that will accelerate the brand’s growth and momentum.
Roland brings a wealth of expertise in franchising, operations, P&L management, global business strategies, team leadership and process improvement to the company. A dynamic and results-oriented leader, he excels at building and motivating cross-functional teams and driving key business metrics that enhance the company’s growth and success.
Before his role as CEO at Church’s, he served as the Chief Operations Officer, where he led operational excellence through global business strategies and process improvement, strengthening franchisee partnerships, enhancing guest experiences, and expanding brand reach in highly competitive categories and geographic markets. Prior to Church’s, he held numerous executive positions and key business operations roles, including Executive Vice President for Operations at Virtual Dining Concepts and Head of Global Operations Standards and Strategy at Restaurant Brands International, supporting its 20,000+ restaurants, including Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes.
Roland holds an MBA and a Bachelor’s in International Business Administration from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He serves as Treasurer on the Board of Trustees for his alma mater and has been recognized with several honors, including 2024 Tampa Titan 100, South Florida Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award and the Executive Award from the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, he is an active board member and supporter of the non-profit organization Share Your Heart, a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and an executive member of the Latino Corporate Directors Association (LCDA).
