Burger King Corporation Chairman, chief executive
officer and president John H. Dasburg announced today that Christopher E. (Chris) Clouser will join the company
as executive vice president and chief marketing officer, effective immediately.
Clouser, 49, was chief executive and executive board member of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball Club
until Dec. 12, 2000. Prior to joining the Twins, he was president, chief executive officer and a member of the board
of directors of Preview Travel, Inc., which merged with Fort Worth-based Travelocity.com in March of last year to
form the leading internet travel company in the world (through this merger, Travelocity.com emerged as a public
company listed on NASDAQ.
During the 1990s, when Dasburg served as chief executive officer of Minnesota-based Northwest Airlines and led
the turnaround of that major airline, Clouser worked closely with him as Northwest’s senior vice president of
advertising, communications, administration and human resources. He is credited with playing key roles in the
turnaround and developing customer loyalty, advertising, communications and global branding programs that
contributed to Northwest Airlines becoming a leader in its industry by the time of his departure in 1999.
“Burger King® and the Whopper® are exceptional consumer brands,” said Dasburg, “and I know from
working closely with Chris for many years that he is the ideal marketing executive, with the necessary experience,
creative leadership, energy and commitment, to further strengthen our brand and carry it to new heights around the
world, and in each Burger King franchise. I’m absolutely delighted that Chris has agreed to lead Burger King’s global
marketing as chief marketing officer.” Dasburg’s appointment as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of
the London-based Diageo unit was announced on February 20. He assumed his new duties April 1.
In his executive capacity with Burger King, Clouser will be responsible for creating and implementing global
marketing strategies, including research, new products, pricing, promotions, sponsorships, diversity, global
corporate communications and advertising, community relations and business analysis. He will also assume a major
role in franchisee relations and support, and will be a member of the company’s executive committee.
At Northwest Airlines, Clouser was responsible for worldwide advertising and communications, human resources,
frequent flyer and loyalty programs, branding and sponsorships, and community relations. He founded the
Northwest AirCares charitable assistance program and was Publisher of the Northwest World Traveler magazine.
Under his direction, Northwest’s advertising, communications and marketing events won numerous awards.
Prior to joining Northwest Airlines, Clouser held officer positions at Hallmark Cards, Bell Atlantic and Sprint/United
Telecom in marketing, communications, advertising and corporate relations. From 1973 to 1981, he served as
executive assistant to United States Senator Thomas F. Eagleton of Missouri and managed the senator’s successful
re-election campaign in 1980.
Clouser has been a director of numerous corporate and charitable boards, including Piper Jaffray, Inc.,
PepsiAmericas, Marquette Bancshares, Inc., Preview Travel, Inc., the Minnesota Twins Baseball Club, Theatre
Live!, the Memorial Blood Centers of Minnesota, the Minnesota Thunder, Taste of the NFL, the Epilepsy Foundation
of America, and the advisory board of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
A native of St. Louis, and a graduate of the University of Missouri, Clouser and his wife, Patsy, have been married
for 26 years. They have two sons, Todd, 20, and Brad, 16.
