Executive Spotlight: Jane Grote Abell, Executive Chairwoman of Donatos Pizza (2027)
Jane Grote Abell is the Executive Chairwoman of the board and Chief Purpose Officer of Donatos Pizza, a pizza chain headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. A 2023 Ohio State alumni magazine profile says she has held a string of Donatos jobs over roughly 35 years, from training manager to president, and PMQ Pizza reports she became president in 2007 and chair of the board in 2010. She is best known inside the industry for leading the 2003 effort to buy Donatos back from McDonald's, and outside it for community work such as the Reeb Avenue Center in Columbus.
This page covers her public professional record only. It is built from the articles linked under Sources, read on November 1, 2026, and titles and counts are as of the dates shown.
Current role and company
Texas Roadhouse's 2024 board announcement, as reported by Nation's Restaurant News, calls her executive chairwoman of the board and chief purpose officer at Donatos Pizza in Columbus. A 2026 Franchise Times feature and a 2026 PMQ report use the same pair of titles. The Franchising.com release of January 29, 2026 names Kevin King as CEO and President of Donatos, so the chairwoman role sits on the board side of the company.
- CompanyDonatos Pizza, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, founded in Columbus in 1963 (Franchise Times, 2026).
- TitlesExecutive Chairwoman of the board and Chief Purpose Officer (Franchise Times, April 2026).
- Other seatsTexas Roadhouse board (announced March 2024); Appetronix board (PMQ, July 2026); vice chair of the YWCA Columbus board (PMQ, July 2026).
Career path
The Ohio State alumni magazine (February 2023) lists these Donatos titles over about 35 years, in this order: training manager; director and vice president of people services; chief people officer; senior vice president of development and franchising; chief operating officer; and president. PMQ (March 2023) adds that she took over as president in 2007 and as chair of the board in 2010, and that the chief purpose officer title came alongside her work on growth.
- People and training roles. PMQ says she preferred the title chief people officer to corporate terms like human resources. The alumni magazine lists the people-services and training jobs as her early Donatos roles.
- Franchising and development. Nation's Restaurant News (2024) says she was senior vice president of business development, leading franchising and development while McDonald's owned Donatos.
- President, then chair. PMQ reports president in 2007 and chair of the board in 2010. By 2023 the title was executive chairwoman.
- Outside boards. Texas Roadhouse added her in March 2024, growing its board from eight to nine seats. In 2026 PMQ reported she joined the board of Appetronix, the robotics company that worked with Donatos on its autonomous airport pizzeria.
What she is known for
- The 2003 buyback from McDonald's. Donatos was sold to McDonald's in 1999. The alumni magazine says McDonald's had planned to sell or close it and that she led the 2003 effort to buy it back, saving nearly 5,000 jobs. PMQ says the company was restructured and left some markets, including Germany, and reports a first-year turnaround of $10.5 million. Franchise Times (2026) adds that she offered to sell her house to help raise funds.
- Partnering with Red Robin. PMQ says Donatos began operating inside Red Robin restaurants in 2018, and she described it as a growth strategy for the future.
- Declining a pandemic loan. PMQ reports Donatos turned down an $8.2 million Paycheck Protection Program loan after sales rebounded. The alumni magazine says it also expanded mental health assistance and paid extra to exhausted managers during the pandemic.
- Undercover Boss. Franchise Times dates her appearance on the show to 2013, season five, while the alumni magazine says 2014. Sources differ, so we give both. The alumni magazine says she gave an employee she met $50,000 for college tuition and a car.
- Community institutions. She helped open the Reeb Avenue Center on Columbus' south side, which PMQ says houses 10 nonprofits and the alumni magazine says opened in 2015 after raising $12.5 million for renovation plus an initial $4 million endowment.
- Author. A Smart Business Dealmakers speaker page credits her with the book The Missing Piece: Doing Business the Donatos Way.
- Recognition. The January 2026 company release says she received a Bronze Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year. It does not give the award year.
Leadership style and philosophy
These points come from her own words as quoted in the articles. She told PMQ that Donatos "abides by three tenets: Treat others the way you want to be treated. Always lead with love. And do the right thing." In the same piece she said the company looks for "people who are aligned with our values." Franchise Times (2026) quotes her saying, "I love our pizza, but our company is a people business."
The alumni magazine quotes her on the buyback years: "We didn't go in with a strategy; we went in with an open heart." It also says she turned down some franchise candidates, even large ones, when they lacked the right traits or motivation, and Franchise Times (2026) says she visits several restaurants each fall. This page does not claim a wider philosophy than these remarks.
Key numbers
Company-reported or press-reported figures, each with its period. Counts differ by source and definition.
- 1999 and 2003Sold to McDonald's in 1999 and bought back in 2003, saving nearly 5,000 jobs (Ohio State alumni magazine, 2023).
- 2023More than 430 locations in 27 states, including 248 inside Red Robin restaurants (PMQ, March 2023).
- January 2026Over 175 stores run by the company and its franchise partners, plus nearly 300 non-traditional locations (company release on Franchising.com).
- 2025First fully autonomous, robot-operated restaurant at John Glenn Columbus International Airport (company release, January 2026).
- RankingsTechnomic Top 500: No. 190 (2025) and No. 197 (2026); Entrepreneur Franchise 500: No. 315 (2025); Franchise Times Top 400: No. 213 (2025), all per the company release.
Questions people ask
Who is Jane Grote Abell?
She is Executive Chairwoman of the board and Chief Purpose Officer of Donatos Pizza in Columbus, Ohio, and a director of Texas Roadhouse.
What did Jane Grote Abell do at Donatos before becoming chairwoman?
An Ohio State alumni magazine profile lists training manager, director and vice president of people services, chief people officer, senior vice president of development and franchising, chief operating officer and president. PMQ says she became president in 2007 and chair in 2010.
What was the Donatos buyback from McDonald's?
Donatos was sold to McDonald's in 1999. The alumni magazine says McDonald's planned to sell or close it, and that she led the 2003 effort to buy it back, which it says saved nearly 5,000 jobs.
What boards does Jane Grote Abell serve on?
Texas Roadhouse announced her appointment in March 2024. PMQ reported in 2026 that she joined Appetronix's board and is vice chair of the YWCA Columbus board.
How many Donatos locations are there?
It depends on the count. PMQ reported more than 430 locations in 2023, including 248 inside Red Robin. A January 2026 company release says over 175 stores plus nearly 300 non-traditional locations.
Has Jane Grote Abell written a book?
A Smart Business Dealmakers speaker page credits her with The Missing Piece: Doing Business the Donatos Way.
Sources
- PMQ Pizza: Jane Grote Abell Puts the Golden Rule into Action at Donatos (March 2023) · Titles and years, buyback, PPP loan, Red Robin, Reeb Center, foundation, quotes, 2023 counts
- Ohio State Alumni Magazine: Jane Grote Abell: Serving with values (February 2023) · Career titles, 2003 buyback and jobs saved, pandemic measures, community roles, quotes
- Nation's Restaurant News: Texas Roadhouse adds Jane Grote Abell to the board (March 2024) · Board appointment, titles, prior franchising role
- PMQ Pizza: Top pizza chain executive joins robotics company's board of directors (July 2026) · Appetronix board seat, YWCA Columbus vice chair
- Franchise Times: Donatos feature (April 2026) · Current titles, Undercover Boss, buyback detail, quote, store visits
- Franchising.com (company release): Donatos Pizza Heats Up 2026 (January 29, 2026) · Store counts, rankings, autonomous restaurant, Stevie Award, CEO
- Smart Business Dealmakers: Jane Grote Abell speaker page (Columbus 2022) · Title, book credit, hero photo
Facts were read from the linked pages on November 1, 2026. Titles and counts are as of the dates shown and may have changed. The hero image is a solo portrait of Jane Grote Abell from the Smart Business Dealmakers speaker page, whose image text names her, centered on a blurred background to fit the page format. This page covers public professional information only.