Whataburger announced the promotion of two key executives to assist with the chain’s continued growth.
Jeffrey Hagelman was named Vice President of Legal Affairs & Compliance. Jeff has been an integral part of the Whataburger Family since 2012 when he joined as Senior Corporate Counsel and was most recently Group Director of Employment & Litigation in the Office of the General Counsel. He will continue to oversee various critical functions in his new role, including Family Member Inclusion, Corporate Responsibility, and Crisis Response and Brand Recovery Programs.
He will also continue to lead Whataburger’s legal teams in all issues related to Government Affairs, Labor Relations, Compliance, and Employee Relations.
“Our greatest asset is our people, and Jeff’s heart is with the 51,000-plus Family Members,” Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Elena Kraus says. “Through his work, Jeff has demonstrated his dedication to supporting, counseling, and advocating for the people who make our Whataburger brand an amazing place to grow and build a career. Jeff’s leadership and practical approach to legal counseling will continue to drive results for our company.”
His dedication and strategic insight have been invaluable to Whataburger as it has taken an aggressive growth journey.
Jeff is a graduate of the University of Texas in Austin and earned his law degree from the South Texas College of Law in Houston. Away from work, he enjoys spending time with his wife of 30 years, Deanne, and their two sons. He also enjoys the occasional Spurs game.
“We have such a dedicated legal team that stands shoulder to shoulder with our other Support System partners working on new and innovative ways to positively impact the lives of our Family Members, our customers, and our communities we all serve,” Jeff said. “I am humbled with the opportunity to help lead those teams as we grow our incredible and iconic Whataburger brand.”
On the financial side, Brent Fisher has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Financial Planning and Business Insights. Brent has been with Whataburger since 2013 and has consistently demonstrated his expertise in forecasting and financial analysis as Whataburger has undertaken moves across the Midwest and to the Atlantic Ocean.
In his new role, Brent will lead financial planning initiatives and provide invaluable insights into business operations. His guidance during Whataburger’s continued expansion into new markets will be essential to ensure financial success and sustainability.
“Brent has such a service mindset,” Chief Financial Officer Janelle Sykes says. “He has developed a strong finance team that is collaborative, strategic, and forward thinking. They respond quickly to support the organization with analytics and insights that enable our success.”
Brent earned his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and his MBA from the University of Kansas in Lawrence.
“I have really enjoyed watching the FP&A team get invited to the table as a partner throughout the organization,” he says. “Seeing the team’s success and observing the growth and development of the members of my team is what gets me the most excited.”
