Executive Spotlight: Who Is Mark Parmerlee, CEO of Golden Chick in Richardson, Texas? (2027)
Mark Parmerlee is the CEO of Golden Chick, a fried chicken chain founded in San Marcos, Texas, in 1967 and headquartered in Richardson, Texas. Nation's Restaurant News (June 2026) reports that Parmerlee and his partners bought the business in 1989, when it had 63 units, and the chain was renamed Golden Chick in 1993.
According to NRN, the chain ended 2025 with just under 250 locations after a record year of openings. This page covers public professional information only, taken from pages read for this page.
Current role and company
Franchise Times (June 2023) and Franchising.com (May 2023) both call Parmerlee the CEO of Golden Chick. NRN's June 2026 profile quotes him extensively about the company's next phase; the portion of that article read for this page does not restate his title, so the title below is the one given in the 2023 sources.
- CompanyGolden Chick, headquartered in Richardson, Texas (NRN, Jun 2026).
- TitleCEO (Franchise Times, Jun 2023; Franchising.com, May 2023). In 2019 NRN described him as chairman of the Golden Chick division and, afterwards, chairman and president of its parent company, Golden Tree Restaurants.
- ModelA franchisor. Parmerlee called the company "a for-profit co-op" (NRN, Jun 2026).
- FootprintJust under 250 locations at the end of 2025, per NRN citing Technomic.
Career path
- 1967. Golden Chick's origins date to 1967, when the business opened in San Marcos, Texas, as Golden Fried Chicken, according to NRN. Franchising began in 1972.
- 1989: the purchase. NRN says Parmerlee and his partners bought the business in 1989, when it had 63 units. The company was rebranded as Golden Chick in 1993.
- 2015: marketing hire. NRN reports he hired Howard Terry as chief marketing officer after Terry's time at Raising Cane's.
- 2019: leadership change. NRN (May 2019) reported that franchisee Jim Stevens was named president of the Golden Chick division, replacing Parmerlee, who had been the brand's chairman. Parmerlee stayed on as chairman and president of the parent company, Golden Tree Restaurants, which then also owned other restaurant brands.
- 2023: restructuring. Franchising.com (May 26, 2023) reported a restructuring of the company's executive team, which it said began at the CEO level with Parmerlee and promoted internal leaders to presidents of the franchisor and operating companies.
- 2026: new campaign. NRN (June 2026) reports the "Gimme That Golden" brand campaign, created by The LOOMIS Agency, framed as a new chapter about thirty years after the 1989 purchase.
What Parmerlee is known for
- Buying and rebuilding the brand. He and his partners acquired a chain that, per NRN, had been sold in 1982 and filed for bankruptcy not long after, and built it into a franchise system of nearly 250 locations.
- Small-town and Texas strength. Franchise Times (June 2023) says most Golden Chick locations are in towns with populations under 10,000, and that Parmerlee described a "cult following" in Texas.
- The "Go East" growth plan. In 2023 Franchise Times reported expansion plans toward the Southeast and other new markets, with prospective operators in talks for Puerto Rico and Las Vegas. Parmerlee called the project "Go East, old man."
- Record openings. NRN (June 2026) reports a record number of openings in 2025, a nearly 9% year-over-year unit increase per Technomic, with a similar pace expected for 2026.
Leadership style and philosophy
These are Parmerlee's own words as quoted by Franchise Times and NRN.
- On hands-on franchising. "We're a very hands-on franchisor," he told Franchise Times in 2023.
- On pace of growth. "I'd like to have a nice environment as opposed to hair-on-fire growth" (Franchise Times, 2023).
- On the work. "I love what I do and who I do it with" (Franchise Times, 2023).
- On franchisees. He told NRN (June 2026) that the company is "a for-profit co-op" and that "our franchisees don't want us to stay the same."
- On competition. "We're in a very crowded category and I'd rather be proactive than play catch up" (NRN, June 2026).
Key numbers
Figures are press-reported or company-reported, each with its period. They are not audited and unit counts change.
- 1989 (NRN, Jun 2026)63 units when Parmerlee and his partners bought the business.
- 2019 (NRN, May 2019)More than 180 locations across Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas.
- 2023 (Franchise Times, Jun 2023)Average unit volume above $1 million; initial investment of $440,950 to $1.3 million, excluding real estate (company-reported franchise data).
- End of 2025 (NRN, Jun 2026)Just under 250 locations, a nearly 9% increase on the prior year per Technomic.
Questions people ask
Who is Mark Parmerlee?
He is the CEO of Golden Chick, a Richardson, Texas-based fried chicken franchisor. He and his partners bought the business in 1989, according to NRN.
What does Golden Chick do?
It franchises and operates fried chicken restaurants, mostly in Texas. Franchise Times (2023) says most locations are in towns with fewer than 10,000 people.
How many Golden Chick locations are there?
NRN (June 2026) reports just under 250 at the end of 2025, up nearly 9% from the year before. Counts change.
When was Golden Chick founded?
NRN says it was founded in 1967 in San Marcos, Texas, as Golden Fried Chicken, began franchising in 1972 and was renamed Golden Chick in 1993.
Is the name Parmerlee or Parmalee?
The trade press read for this page spells it Parmerlee. Some podcast and web listings use Parmalee.
Sources
- Nation's Restaurant News: Golden Chick is ready to write its next chapter (Jun 22, 2026) · History, 2025 units, quotes, 2026 campaign
- Franchise Times: 'Go East, Old Man,' Says Golden Chick CEO for Growth Plan (Jun 8, 2023) · Title, growth plan, quotes, franchise figures; hero photo (caption: Golden Chick CEO Mark Parmerlee)
- Franchising.com: Golden Chick Solidifies Executive Team with Strategic Restructuring Plan (May 26, 2023) · CEO title, 2023 restructuring
- Nation's Restaurant News: Golden Chick names franchisee president (May 24, 2019) · 2019 role change, Golden Tree Restaurants
Facts were read from the linked pages on November 1, 2026. Titles and counts are as of the dates shown; no 2026 unit total was confirmed. The hero photo is the portrait published with the Franchise Times article, captioned "Golden Chick CEO Mark Parmerlee"; it shows him alone and is centered on a blurred card. Photo: Franchise Times. This page covers public professional information only.
Top photo: Franchise Times (June 2023)