2015-2016 Go Red For Women Chairs

Jane Grote Abell & Tom Krouse, Donatos

JANE GROTE ABELL

Chairwoman of the Board

Donatos Pizza

A founding family member of Donatos Pizza, Jane Grote Abell currently holds the title of Chairwoman of the Board.

Over the last four decades, Jane has held a variety of positions at both Donatos Pizza and Jane’s Dough Foods, Donatos’ food service commissary operations. In 1988 with a degree from Ohio State University in Organizational Communications, and a strong passion for people, she was promoted to Chief People Officer and served in this role during the acquisition by McDonald’s in 1999. During the four years with McDonalds, Jane served as Senior Vice President of Development and maintained her role as Chief People Officer. In these leadership positions, she helped steer the company’s business strategy. In 2003, Jane was a major catalyst behind the decision to purchase Donatos back from McDonald’s. Following the buy back, in December of 2006, Jane was promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer.

Though Jane is heavily focused on the chain’s mission of promoting goodwill through product, service, principles and people, since taking over as Chairwoman of the Board in 2010, Jane has had time to focus on work outside of Donatos. Because her roots trace back to the first store on Thurman Avenue on Columbus’ south side, she and her family remain committed to the area’s success. Evidence of this was the $1.5 million donation that the Grote family contributed to help a city plan to revive the South Parsons Corridor. She has been an advocate for this project from its inception in 2012 and founded the Reeb Avenue Center, a social-services center housing the Boys and Girls Club, the South Side Learning and Development Center and job-training services.

Jane is a member of the American Heart Association Go Red for Women and the co-chair for the 2015-2016 Go Red Campaign with husband Tom Krouse. She is a founding member of the Ross Leadership Institute and serves on the Board of Action for Children, Experience Columbus, and I Know I Can.

Jane has received a number of awards and recognitions; most recently in 2014 she was named to the YWCA Columbus Academy of Women of Achievement, one of only 237 women so honored since 1986.  In 2014, Columbus CEO Magazine named Jane CEO of the Year and Franchise Update Magazine listed her as one of the Top 24 Women in Franchising.  Jane was also featured in CBS’s hit series Undercover Boss where she donned a disguise and went undercover in Donatos restaurants.

Jane and her husband Tom reside in Bexley. Jane has 1 son and 2 daughters and Tom has 3 sons.

TOM KROUSE 

President & Chief Executive Officer

Donatos Pizza

Tom Krouse’s career has spanned over three decades in marketing and management in the restaurant industry.  In October 2010, Tom was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Donatos Pizza to oversee the company’s 157 store restaurant business as well as Jane’s Dough Foods, the Bakery Division of Donatos.

Prior to his current position, Tom was named President-Expansion Brands in September 2009 with the responsibility of Donatos franchise development and Jane’s Dough Foods.  In December 2003, Tom was named Chief Concept & Strategy Officer to oversee marketing and menu development, future concept innovation, and new franchise business development.  He began his career at Donatos as Senior Vice President of Marketing.

Prior to joining Donatos in June 2000, Tom was Vice President of Wendy’s International where he spent 12 years in various field and brand marketing positions.  Before joining Wendy’s, he spent his early years in the agency business working for clients such as Wendy’s and McDonald’s.  He was partner and co-founder of Daly, Lewis & Krouse, a marketing communications firm.