Shaquille O’Neal Owned Big Chicken Appoints Sam Stanovich Senior Vice President of Franchise Leadership

“When I was approached by the Big Chicken team, I immediately began my own due diligence from the perspective of a restaurant operator and developer,” said Stanovich, whose restaurant and hospitality industry experience dates back to the early 90s. “Obviously working with Shaquille was a huge draw, yet I still had to explore the brand inside and out. What revealed for me was an electric concept with food and operations that are truly unmatched.”

Stanovich has an extensive background in the restaurant industry, with specific experience in restaurant franchising as a Firehouse Subs franchisee and area developer in Northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana. Before launching his franchising career, he spent nearly a decade working for the National Restaurant Association where he focused on evolving the strategic direction of partner products. Currently, Stanovich sits on the advisory board for the Illinois Restaurant Association, serves as the Vice President of Alliances and Partnerships for the International Food and Beverage Technology Associations and podcasts as the co-host of “The Takeout, a Delivery and Catering Show” on Foodable Network.

“Shaquille and our owners have tasked me with building a champion-caliber leadership team. Sam is absolutely a champion in the industry, and he knows we’ve got something spectacular to offer franchise investors with Big Chicken,” said Josh Halpern, Big Chicken’s CEO. “His experience and drive will help us fulfill our mission of bringing BIG Flavor, BIG Food and BIG Fun to fans everywhere. His perspective resonates extremely well with restaurant owner/operator groups.”