Grace Dobson—affectionately known as “Lady Grace”—ate her first Whataburger meal on a date with her future husband and the company’s founder Harmon Dobson.
Reserved and compassionate, Lady Grace’s quiet strength complemented Harmon’s outgoing and adventurous personality. They grew their family and the Whataburger brand simultaneously until tragedy struck in 1967 with Harmon’s unexpected death in a plane crash accident.
As a single mother with three children, many expected Lady Grace to sell the rapidly expanding hamburger concept. Instead, she honored her husband’s wishes to preserve the company and spent the next four decades nurturing it into one of the largest burger chains in the nation, with more than 1,000 units, alongside a strong management team. Throughout all this, she never lost her empathetic spirit. She solidified her role as chairwoman of the board and used her position to give back to the community she loved dearly. Whether she realized it or not, Lady Grace left a legacy of pride, love, and female empowerment.
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Today, Whataburger stands out in the hospitality industry as one of the few brands with a woman-powered C-suite, also known as the “she-suite,” comprised of four top executives: Peggy Rubenzer, chief people officer; Elena Kraus, chief legal officer; Debbie Stroud, executive vice president and chief operating officer; and Janelle Sykes, chief financial officer.
They feel Lady Grace’s spirit in each of their lives and find encouragement in her strength as a committed leader and mother. They echo a prayer called “Keep Me at It” from the late Whataburger matriarch’s book.
“The nontraditional decision she made in the ’60s is a huge inspiration to the women of Whataburger,” Rubenzer says. “In each of our lives, we’ve had to make nontraditional decisions as well. Her strength of character is motivational for anyone who knows that story—and we all know it.”
Each executive comes from a different background, but they all remember the moment they answered the Whataburger call.
Stroud, set to become CEO in January, started her career at 21 by dissecting restaurant finances at McDonald’s. Over two decades later, she moved to Texas, buying three cowboy hats and a pair of boots. Similarly, Rubenzer had stints at Southwest Airlines, P.F. Chang’s, Shake Shack, and True Food Kitchen before donning the iconic Whataburger orange.
For Kraus and Sykes, their intimate knowledge of Whataburger from growing up in Texas led to a full-circle moment. Kraus’ high school graduation treat from her parents was a trip to Whataburger, and Sykes’ sons treated their local restaurant like a community dining room. They were thrilled to learn of her new role with the brand, ultimately encouraging her to take it after 30 years in food and beverage manufacturing.
Throughout their careers, they’ve grown comfortable with leaping from manager to executive and beyond. When they feel the urge to branch out and make a different impact, they remind themselves that a career path sometimes looks less like a ladder and more like a Christmas tree—where lateral moves can lead to the best opportunities.
“My best career growth happened when I broadened my expertise and became more of a generalist, even if it was unplanned,” Stroud says. “It helped me see more perspectives around business issues than if I stayed in one lane, and it was an important leadership lesson. I later realized I was becoming more courageous and confident in myself, which is empowering.”
Operating as a leader during ambiguity and uncertainty is something the team has also become accustomed to. Stroud says these periods of unpredictability have built her resilience—such as when she accepted a job at Starbucks and moved to Seattle during the peak of the pandemic. She leaned into the uncertainty and learned how to thrive in it.
“You start to be energized by the high stakes and lead change instead of being the recipient of it. You begin to reason with agility, and it’s empowering to act as a calming influence versus adding to the chaos. Working through those feelings relieves some pressure, and soon uncertainty becomes a comfortable partner,” Stroud adds. “I’ve told myself, ‘I’m agile in this environment. I lead with intention, and I have both feet firmly on the ground, and I can adjust if needed.’”
Kraus finds uncertainty more challenging due to her analytical legal background. She acknowledges that evolution and change are positive, as stagnation can raise red flags.
“I tell myself and my team to return to the core of ourselves and our organization. If we stay true to our values and integrity, even in shifting sands, we can maintain our calm and composure. Then, we can help our peers navigate the destabilizing effects of ambiguity,” Kraus says.
The higher up in an organization, the tighter-knit the team becomes. For the women of Whataburger’s she-suite, relying on each other’s strengths has become the most effective way to counterbalance challenges.
They believe their personal and professional closeness as a woman-led team differentiates how Whataburger impacts the dialogue around leadership and brings fresh perspectives to the table. Each woman contributes a unique voice and experience as the brand moves into the future.
For instance, Rubenzer revolutionized the long-held 55-hour workweek for managers, advocating for 40-hour workweeks and flexible priority management. When Stroud took over as chief operating officer, Rubenzer’s voice was amplified, resulting in real change and more versatile working options for Whataburger staff.
“[Women in leadership] just opens the thinking, and there’s more than one way to approach things. We had to learn about work-life balance before it was widely discussed. When we heard from our operations people that we were struggling to hire managers, we started advocating for change,” Sykes explains. “It took people like Rubenzer and Stroud with different perspectives to push for flexible weeks, and it’s been huge for our management teams.”
The importance of male allyship cannot be overstated. Kraus says men in the industry are valuable sources of advocacy, mentorship, and support. It was crucial in her career to have male allies who viewed her as top talent, added to the diversity of thought, and weren’t afraid to engage in tough conversations.
“If we’re tackling the issue of women’s advancement in the professional world, we want to avoid becoming an echo chamber,” Kraus adds. “We need people who can help us help each other. We have progressed so much as women in the workplace, and having forward-thinking male allies is imperative.”
The women of Whataburger believe it’s important to have sponsors, advisors, and mentors: someone to ask discrete questions, someone deeply trusted who can handle the good, the bad, and the ugly, and someone who can speak about you behind closed doors and use their political capital to open doors for you. Stroud says understanding the difference between these roles and not intermixing them was a critical part of her growth.
Sometimes, mentors come from unlikely places. Rubenzer’s high school English teacher Mr. Williams has been a valuable pillar of support throughout her career.
“I was at a crossroads in my career, and he gave me some English literature connection like he always did,” Rubenzer says. “He told me it never feels good to be on a sinking ship, and that stuck with me. His wisdom has been a unique gift.”
They’ve all faced obstacles, from juggling careers and growing families to dealing with imposter syndrome, mom guilt, and self-doubt. Kraus still experiences self-doubt when trying something new but allows herself to feel those feelings, evolve personally, and refocus on her purpose.
“When I was on maternity leave with my second child, I was standing by my sink cleaning bottles and thought that if I had interviewed for my job at Southwest Airlines now, I probably wouldn’t be selected,” Rubenzer says. “But I pushed through those feelings. I wanted my boys to see their mother as a strong, thoughtful, and nurturing professional, which kept me on track. Growing up as one of nine kids, seeing my mother manage that became a great role model for me later.”
With most of their children grown and out of the house, the women of Whataburger say it’s been a bittersweet process. Kraus finds it fulfilling to watch her children become independent and seek her professional guidance.
“There are many blessings that come with the decades of life. I’ve gained so much perspective from raising three ambitious daughters, teaching me what to focus on and what to let go,” Stroud adds. “Watching them launch their lives has been a privilege. At Whataburger, we’re always telling ourselves, ‘Good job, moms!’”
Whataburger celebrated its 74th anniversary in early August, further solidifying itself as a top player in the burger segment with nationwide expansion deals coming down the pipeline.
The women of Whataburger credit this success to the company’s people-first culture and dedication to uplifting employees like Connie Claxton from Forney, Texas, who recently retired after 54 years. She had her first burger there in 1970 and, like Lady Grace Dobson, married someone she met at Whataburger.
“We have many women in the restaurants and our support system. My team tells me how refreshing it is to see women in leadership roles,” Sykes says. “Now, because of our she-suite, they see multiple females at the top. We each have our distinct personality and style, but we’re successful in our own ways. Our employees see that they don’t have to follow a single mold to succeed—they can be themselves and still advance in their careers. This has been powerful, and it’s terrific to have other women with me on this journey.”
