For the second consecutive year, Church’s Texas Chicken Global Chief People Officer Karen Viera was named a recipient of the Georgia Titan 100, a program recognizing Georgia’s top CEOs and C-level executives for their passion, vision, and leadership. Recipients gathered with their fellow Titans at the annual awards ceremony in April.

“I am honored to be recognized as a Georgia Titan 100 among such an esteemed group of leaders,” says Karen Viera, Global Chief People Officer of Church’s Texas Chicken and Texas Chicken. “I am grateful to be part of a company that values its employees and prioritizes their well-being, and I am committed to continuing to lead with passion, vision, and dedication in all that I do.”

As Senior Vice President, Global Chief People Officer for Church’s Texas Chicken and Texas Chicken, one of the world’s largest chicken restaurant chains, Viera leads all human resource functions for the brand. During her tenure, Viera assisted in the launch of Our Texas Way, an innovative program designed to increase employee engagement by placing emphasis on company values, employee appreciation and guest experiences every day. She also developed and oversaw the company’s first-ever culture survey in 2022, which saw a record in employee engagement. In 2021, the company was named a Top Workplace by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution under her leadership.

The 2023 Georgia Titan 100 program recognizes recipients based on a list of criteria centered around exceptional leadership, vision and passion. Titans are chosen from a range of Georgia’s industries including technology, education, hospitality, healthcare and many more.  

“As a valued member of our leadership team, Karen’s passion, vision, and dedication to our employees and guests has helped drive our success and create a positive culture within our organization,“ states Joe Guith, CEO, Church’s Texas Chicken and Texas Chicken. “We are honored to have her represent Church’s Texas Chicken and Texas Chicken among Georgia’s prestigious group of leaders.”

Viera is currently serving her fourth-term appointment by Georgia’s Governor to the State Workforce Development Board. She was recently appointed by Governor Kemp as the Chairwoman of the State Workforce Board of Georgia and previously served as the Chair of the Adult and Dislocated Workers Committee for the State of Georgia, SHRM Senior Certified Professional, DiSC Certified Training Instructor, and holds a Senior Professional Human Resources Management Certification.