Jim Holthouser is the Chief Executive Officer for GoTo Foods, parent company of Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, Moe’s Southwest Grill, McAlister’s Deli, Schlotzsky’s, and Seattle’s Best Coffee (in certain military bases and in certain international markets). Jim is leading GoTo Foods into its next phase of growth for its seven market-leading brands while driving results and profitability for franchisees, with a focus on delivering an exceptional customer experience.
Jim brings more than 30 years of experience in worldwide brand development, concept innovation, franchise management and digital marketing. He most recently served as Executive Vice President, Global Brands, Marketing and Loyalty at Hilton Worldwide, where he was responsible for Hilton’s entire portfolio of 15 brands with over 5,000 hotels across 105 countries, generating annual revenues of $36 billion. He spent more than 20 years at Hilton in various strategic and brand management roles and has a proven track record of spearheading the launch, development and repositioning of leading consumer brands.
Jim earned both an MBA from the America Graduate School of International Management as well as a B.A. and an M.A. in Economics and Political Science from University of Louisville. He has served on boards and advisory councils, including the Executive Committee at the American Lodging Association, and multiple credit unions, hotels, and nonprofit organizations. Jim is fluent in German, conversant in French, and is also a trained pianist with a number of recordings to his credit.
