International Dairy Queen Hires Phil Crawford as Chief Technology Officer

Crawford brings 20 years experience leading IT and technology for restaurant brands including Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s, Shake Shack and Yard House.

“Technology plays an increasingly critical role in empowering our business for our employees, franchisees and fans,” said Troy Bader, president and CEO at International Dairy Queen. “Phil’s proven success as a restaurant business and technology leader positions us for continued growth as we live our mission of creating positive memories for all who touch DQ.”

“The iconic Dairy Queen® brand has a powerful legacy I admire, and I respect the team’s recent commitment to technological innovation and digital capabilities,” said Phil Crawford, executive vice president and chief technology officer at International Dairy Queen. “I am excited to lead the next chapter of the company’s technology strategy that builds a truly unified, scalable commerce ecosystem. Our goal will be to deepen consumer engagement and deliver exceptional experiences–whether our fans are ordering at drive thru, via delivery, in restaurant or through our digital platforms.”

Prior to joining IDQ, Crawford led the global food, beverage and hospitality verticals at Adyen N.V. He also held CIO or CTO roles at CKE Restaurants, owners of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s; Godiva Chocolatier; Shake Shack; and Yard House Restaurants.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Northern Arizona University, an MBA from the University of Phoenix and completed the Harvard Business Analytics Program at Harvard University. Crawford lends his expertise to industry advisory boards including active roles with EveryBite, Bite and Fresh Technology and past advisory roles at Olo and PAR/Punchh.

Crawford will office from the IDQ global franchisee support center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He succeeds Kevin Baartman who is retiring later this year.

International Dairy Queen, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the parent company of American Dairy Queen Corporation and Dairy Queen Canada, Inc. Through its subsidiaries, IDQ develops, licenses and services a system of more than 7,800 DQ restaurants in more than 20 countries. IDQ is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. For more information, visit DairyQueen.com.

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