Wray Executive Search

About Us

For 50 years, Wray Executive Search has successfully provided executive search and advisory services, recruiting impressive leadership teams for many of the nation’s most successful restaurant, foodservice, hospitality, franchise and retail companies. Our primary focus has always been and remains aligning candidates who have the appropriate blend of knowledge, skill, attitude, experience and commitment with our clients’ needs. Our client partners range from multinationals to entrepreneurial startups both private and public.

Our team of executives has developed broad-based expertise coupled with an impeccable reputation for creativity building the teams and human capital strategies that contribute to the progress of bringing the brands to the top of their respective segments. We are vested in the process and the ultimate success of each candidate placed.

We provide an unparalleled commitment to the recruitment of an organization’s most critical players—C-level professionals, Functional Vice Presidents, and Director- level executives. Services are tailored to our clients’ specific hiring and assessment objectives. We work tenaciously until an assignment is complete, with a strong client focus and a commitment to quality on every engagement.

Wray Executive Search has depth and breadth of experience conducting searches both domestically and internationally in the following areas:

  • Board Members • C Level • Operations • Financial • Marketing
  • Human Resources • Business Development • Supply Chain
  • Manufacturing • Culinary • Construction • Training
  • Quality Assurance • Franchise Sales • IT

Our clients include billion dollar brands, mid-market and emerging companies. We work closely with both public and private boards and leadership teams. We boast relationships with many of the top industry involved private equity firms. We are engaged as a “Retained” firm to represent our client’s interests and deliver the most talented executives within their respective segments.

Recent Placements

Wray Executive Search

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Wray Executive Search is led by an elite recruitment team of accomplished professionals who combine personal experience in the restaurant, foodservice, hospitality, and franchise industries with expertise in executive search.

 

Wray Executive Search

Solutions And Expertise

What We Do – We provide an unparalleled commitment to the recruitment of an organization’s most critical players—C-level professionals, VP’s, and Director level executives. Services are tailored to our clients’ specific hiring and assessment objectives. We work tenaciously until an assignment is complete, with a strong client focus and a commitment to quality on every engagement.

Executive Talent Disciplines – Wray Executive Search has depth and breadth of experience conducting searches both domestically and internationally in the following areas:

Solutions
  • Advisory Services
  • Board Services
  • Career Services
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Executive Search
  • Leadership Consulting
  • Leadership Develop.
  • Onboarding
  • Succession Planning
Industries
  • Consumer Products
  • Restaurants
  • Retail
  • Travel, Hosp. & Leisure
Functions
  • Board/Governance
  • Business Development
  • C-Level
  • CEO/President
  • Communications/PR
  • Development
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Finance/Accounting
  • General Management
  • GM/Operations
  • Human Resources
  • Information/Digital
  • Legal/Compliance
  • Manufacturing
  • Marketing & Sales
  • Research & Develop.
  • Supply Chain

Wray Executive Search

News Briefings

How Emotional Intelligence Has Become a Key Leadership Trait

Effective leadership is critical to drive and grow our rapidly changing organizations. Emotional intelligence has been identified by many as a crucial element needed for effective leadership. By definition, emotional intelligence is the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. Popularized by psychologist Daniel

Wray Executive Search Opens New Office in Miami

Wray Executive Search, a provider of executive search and advisory services in the restaurant, foodservice, retail, and franchise industries, has opened a new office in Miami. Rebecca Patt, who brings 18 years of executive search experience with Wray as senior vice president, will lead the Miami office. “Rebecca has and continues to be a major

Jobless Claims Continue to Fall at Steady Pace as Recovery Continues

The Labor Department reported that 419,000 Americans filed new claims for state unemployment benefits. This is the lowest level for initial claims since March 14, 2020 when it was 256,000. This was well above the 350,000 Dow Jones estimate and more than the upwardly revised 368,000 from the previous period. The previous week’s level was

Wray Executive Search Appoints Partner

Wray Executive Search, a provider of executive search and advisory services in the restaurant, foodservice, retail, and franchise industries, has named Kevin M. Stockslager as partner. He will now be responsible for growing Wray’s executive search operations across North America, continuing to build a dedicated recruitment team and driving the implementation of technology to enhance client

Wray Executive Search

Press Releases

Wray Executive Search

Multimedia

Thought Leadership
Viewpoint – Bob Gershberg – September 2023
Viewpoint – Bob Gershberg – August 2023
Viewpoint – Bob Gershberg – July 2023
Viewpoint – Bob Gershberg – June 2023
Viewpoint – Bob Gershberg – January 2023 – The End of the Non-Compete in America?
Viewpoint – Bob Gershberg – December 2022 – Food, Beverage and Restaurant Trends for 2023
Viewpoint July 2022 – Retention, Turnover – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Viewpoint June 2022 – Remote, Hybrid or On-site
Viewpoint May 2022 Emotional Intelligence is a Crucial Element Needed for Effective Leadership
Viewpoint April 2022 – Building a High-Performance Leadership Team
Viewpoint March 2022 – Women in Leadership

Executive Chat
Executive Chat – John Metz RREMC Restaurants.
Executive Chat – Michael Mabry Won Life Brands .
Executive Chat with Carlos Bernal, CEO at Areas USA.
Executive Chat featuring Grant Kreutzer, VP Franchise Development with Hawaiian Bros.
Executive Chat with Rebecca Patt, SVP Development, Wray
Executive Chat featuring Abby Taylor, Founder & CMO of Playa Bowls
Executive Chat with Don Fox, CEO at Firehouse Subs
Executive Chat with Richard Snow, Chair of the IFA Black Franchise Leadership Council
Executive Chat with Meredith Sandland, co-author of Delivering the Digital Restaurant
Executive Chat with Rebecca Patt, SVP Development at Wray Executive Search

Firm Overview
Why a Retained Search?
The Team
8 Step Search Process
6 Points of Distinction

Career Opportunities
Click here for full listing of opportunities