Staffing

Whataburger promotes 2 to VP roles

Jeffrey Hagelman was named VP of legal affairs and compliance. Photo: Whataburger

January 12, 2024

Whataburger has promoted two employees to VP roles, according to a press release.

Brent Fisher has been promoted to the position of VP of financial planning and business insights at Whataburger. Photo: Whataburger

Whataburger has named Jeffrey Hagelman vice president of legal affairs and compliance. He most recently served as group director of employment and 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," Elena Kraus, EVP and chief legal officer, said in the release. "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."

"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," Hagelman said in the release. "I am humbled with the opportunity to help lead those teams as we grow our incredible and iconic Whataburger brand."

Brent Fisher has been promoted to VP of financial planning and business insights, where he will lead financial planning initiatives and provide insights into business operations.

"Brent has such a service mindset," Janelle Sykes, CFO, said in the release. "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."

"I have really enjoyed watching the FP&A team get invited to the table as a partner throughout the organization," Fisher said in the release. "Seeing the team's success and observing the growth and development of the members of my team is what gets me the most excited."

Whataburger operates nearly 990 restaurants across 14 states.