With over 230 locations, Texas-based Golden Chick knows that the key to its historic growth is maintaining and growing essential relationships with its franchisees and developers. Through their drive, determination and experience, the brand has been able to expand to new and undeveloped markets.  

One of the largest contributors to the quick-service chicken concept’s growth in recent years has been the dedicated team behind SXThree Restaurant Group led by Jim Stevens, Scott Stevenson and Jason Graham. SXThree is responsible for the ownership and operation of 20 Golden Chick locations, with a goal of having 100 restaurants in their portfolio by the year 2030. In the past year, the team has successfully opened six Golden Chick locations across varied trade areas including developed markets such as DFW and Oklahoma City, as well as expansion into states including Mississippi and beyond. As a result, the trio was awarded their second Developer of the Year Award at Golden Chick’s Regional Conferences this year, the first team to have accomplished such a feat. 

SXThree Principal Jim Stevens added, “we are excited to be the largest franchisee and to win our second consecutive Developer of the Year Award with Golden Chick.  We are very thankful to our CEO Mark Parmerlee and Senior Vice President of Development Monty Whitehurst for creating an environment where this can be possible for us to achieve.” 

Stevens, the head of SXThree’s leadership, has a unique understanding of Golden Chick from the inside out after serving as president of the brand from 2019 to 2021. As an already-experienced franchisee, Stevens took on the corporate leadership position with added insight on what it truly takes to run a restaurant. Stevens returned to his passion of being a hands-on contributor to the growth and expansion of the brand he’s grown to love as a franchisee. 

Stevenson is also an insider with the Golden Chick organization, serving on the Golden Chick executive team as vice president of development.  

Graham brings an outside perspective to the SXThree family as a Mississippi native who played a key role in expanding the brand into his home state with SXThree’s locations in Hattiesburg and Purvis. His knowledge of the Mississippi markets made for a seamless transition for the Golden Chick brand as it expanded into the state for the first time. 

“This is a milestone for a group of gentlemen who we have the utmost respect for,” said Mark Parmerlee, CEO of Golden Chick. “The SXThree team has been a game-changer for the overall growth of Golden Chick as a concept. We are so grateful to continue our work with their team and look forward to seeing where they expand to in the future.”