Executive Spotlight: Jack Butorac, Chairman & CEO of Marco's Pizza (2027)
Jack Butorac is the chairman of Marco's Franchising, LLC, the Toledo, Ohio company behind Marco's Pizza, and has led it since acquiring the franchise rights in 2004. Since a leadership change announced in January 2021, Marco's company materials list him as Chairman & Co-Chief Executive Officer alongside President & Co-CEO Tony Libardi; some outlets still describe him as chairman and CEO. Marco's says it has more than 1,200 stores in 35 states plus Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Mexico.
This page covers public professional information only, drawn from trade press, company releases and the company's website.
Current role and company
Marco's own About page lists Butorac first on its executive team as Chairman & Co-Chief Executive Officer, with Tony Libardi as President & Co-CEO. Wikipedia's infobox gives his title as chairman and CEO, so titles vary by source; this page uses the company's wording.
- CompanyMarco's Franchising, LLC, franchisor of Marco's Pizza, based in Toledo, Ohio (Wikipedia and 2026 trade coverage give the Toledo headquarters).
- TitleChairman & Co-Chief Executive Officer (company About page). Tony Libardi is President & Co-CEO.
- Founded1978, by Pasquale "Pat" Giammarco, in Oregon, Ohio, just outside Toledo (company About page).
- FootprintMore than 1,200 stores in 35 states, plus Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Mexico (company-reported, March 2026).
Career path
- Restaurant operator. A July 2017 Golden Chain Award announcement says he has more than 40 years in the restaurant industry, starting as a trainee manager at Zapata's and rising to director of operations. Nation's Restaurant News adds that he held executive roles at Hormel Foods, Fuddruckers and Chi-Chi's.
- 2002. NRN reports he began analyzing Marco's as a consultant for a client considering investment in foodservice brands.
- 2004. He bought the franchise rights. SmartBrief (2016) says he joined as a consultant in 2002 and took majority ownership two years later. One 2017 release says 2005; the 2004 date is used here because most sources agree on it.
- 2020 to 2021. Tony Libardi, previously president and COO, became co-CEO and president effective December 28, 2020. The announcement, published January 14, 2021, described preparation for a long-term leadership transition and named Butorac Chairman & Co-CEO.
What he is known for
- Scaling Marco's. NRN reported 126 units when he first looked at the chain and 770 locations at the end of 2016. Systemwide sales rose 45% from 2014 to 2016, per the same article.
- Industry honors. He received Nation's Restaurant News's 2017 Golden Chain Award and was named Operator of the Year at the MUFSO conference in Dallas on October 2, 2017, chosen by peer vote over finalists including leaders of Shake Shack, White Castle, The Cheesecake Factory and Dave & Buster's.
- Franchisee alignment. After a 2012 dispute over a second point-of-sale vendor, Marco's worked with Culture Partners to align management and franchisees, according to a Culture Partners case study.
- Multi-unit franchisee. SmartBrief reported in May 2016 that he was also a franchisee through a separate company that owned or managed 34 of the chain's 340 stores at that time.
Leadership style and philosophy
His own words, as published: "I can't accept not growing," he told NRN. On franchisor and franchisee relations he said, "You have to be aligned. Management has to be aligned. The franchise community has to be aligned." SmartBrief quoted him: "If a franchisee is not successful, the company is not successful."
Accepting the 2017 Operator of the Year title he said, "It's not me, it's the whole team," and credited founder Pat Giammarco for the original vision. This page does not claim a wider philosophy than these remarks.
Key numbers
Company-reported or press-reported figures for Marco's, each with its period. Counts differ because sources use different dates.
- End of 2016770 locations (NRN, 2017).
- 2020More than 70 openings, including the 1,000th store; 114 new store commitments signed (company release, January 2021).
- January 20241,200th store opened in Louisville, KY; more than 170 signed agreements and 4,200 identified potential U.S. locations (company release).
- 202560 stores opened (company-reported, March 2026).
- 2026 planMore than 80 openings targeted; top 25% of franchised stores averaged $1.3 million unit volume in 2024 per the Franchise Disclosure Document (March 2026 coverage).
- Systemwide salesCompany says it passed $1 billion in annual systemwide sales and ranks fifth among pizza brands; the About page gives no year or source for the ranking.
Questions people ask
Who is Jack Butorac?
He is the chairman of Marco's Franchising, LLC, the Toledo, Ohio parent of Marco's Pizza, which he has led since acquiring the franchise rights in 2004.
Is Jack Butorac still CEO of Marco's Pizza?
Marco's lists him as Chairman & Co-CEO alongside Tony Libardi, who became co-CEO and president in the leadership transition announced in January 2021. Some outlets still call him chairman and CEO.
When did Butorac take over Marco's?
Most sources date his acquisition of the franchise rights to 2004, after he consulted on the brand in 2002.
How many Marco's Pizza stores are there?
Company materials from March 2026 cite more than 1,200 stores in 35 states, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Mexico. Wikipedia's text cites over 1,300 openings without a source, so treat that as unverified.
What awards has Jack Butorac won?
Nation's Restaurant News's 2017 Golden Chain Award and the 2017 MUFSO Operator of the Year title.
Who founded Marco's Pizza?
Pasquale "Pat" Giammarco founded it in 1978 in Oregon, Ohio.
Sources
- Nation's Restaurant News: Jack Butorac named 2017 Operator of the Year (Oct 3, 2017) · Career, growth figures, quotes; hero photo whose alt text names him
- Nation's Restaurant News: 2017 Golden Chain Award winner: Jack Butorac · Career background, 2002 and 2004 dates, quotes
- SmartBrief: Q-and-A: Marco's Pizza CEO Jack Butorac (May 26, 2016) · Franchisee role, quotes
- Franchising.com: Humility Remains Jack Butorac's Secret Ingredient For Success (Oct 3, 2017) · Operator of the Year details, quotes
- Franchising.com: Marco's Pizza Promotes Tony Libardi to Co-CEO (Jan 14, 2021) · Co-CEO structure, 2020 results
- Franchising.com: Marco's Pizza CEO to Receive Golden Chain Award (Jul 11, 2017) · 40-plus years, early career
- PR Newswire: Marco's Pizza Opens Milestone 1200th Store (Jan 15, 2024) · 1,200th store, pipeline figures
- Pizza Marketplace: Marco's Pizza to open 80-plus stores in 2026 (Mar 6, 2026) · 2025 and 2026 openings, footprint
- Marco's Pizza: About · Executive team, titles, founding, $1 billion claim
- Culture Partners: Marco's Pizza case study · 2012 alignment effort, philosophy
- Wikipedia: Marco's Pizza · Pointer only: Toledo headquarters
Facts were read from the linked pages on November 1, 2026. Titles and dates differ across sources, so each is attributed. The hero photo is a 2017 Nation's Restaurant News image of Butorac alone at the podium; its alt text reads "MUFSO Operator of the Year 2017 Jack Butorac Marco's Pizza." This page covers public professional information only.
Top photo: Nation’s Restaurant News (MUFSO 2017)