Chris Thomas

Senior Principal Team Leader, Chick-fil-A Inc.
Board Member, Penn State Smeal College of Business Board of Visitors

Chris Thomas '03 is responsible for leading a team of escalated restaurant technology support leaders, who help to resolve widespread technology problems that may occur in the restaurants. Most recently, Chris was a senior lead advisor responsible for helping to select the best individuals to become operators of Chick-fil-A restaurants. Chris was also the co-founder of BERG (Black Employee Resource Group), a community group at Chick-fil-A.

Prior to Chick-fil-A, Chris spent eight years with General Electric in several strategic marketing, sales, and talent management roles – most relevant serving as Vice President of Sales Origination for GE Franchising Finance providing financing for Arby’s, Subway, Wingstop, and Corner Bakery Café franchising businesses. He has also worked for companies such as NVHomes, Inc, PNC Bank, MBNA (now Bank of America), and May Company (now Macy’s).

Chris serves on the Boards of the Atlanta Airport Community Improvement District (CID), the Penn State Alumni Association’s Alumni Council, the Penn State - Smeal College of Business Board of Visitors, and the Dave Krache Foundation.  He likes to dedicate time to mentoring youth via Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Chris is a 2018 fellow of the New Leaders Council Institute in Atlanta. In 2019, Chris was named one of the 40 Under Forty by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, and recently completed the 2023 Cobb Leadership program.

Chris received both his B.S in Business Management/International Business and MBA degrees from the Penn State University.  Chris and his wife Cherie, and three children reside in the Atlanta Metro area.