James E. Grote Founder & Chief Executive Officer - Donatos Pizza

Jim Grote founded Donatos Pizza in 1963 while still a sophomore at The Ohio State University. He invested $1,300 to buy a small neighborhood pizzeria on the South Side of Columbus. Since that time, he has built a company based on goodwill – and good pizza.

Currently operating in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Alabama, New Jersey, Florida and Pennsylvania, Donatos now has 180 company-owned and franchised locations. Considered the "Gold Standard of the Pizza Industry" by the world's largest food service company, McDonald's Corporation acquired Donatos in July 1999. In December 2003, Grote bought back the company from McDonald's.

Grote is also founder and Chairman of the J.E. Grote Company, a manufacturer of specialized food processing equipment with operations in Columbus and the United Kingdom.

Grote has been recognized as a leader by his peers. In 1998, he was one of the first recipients of Restaurant Business Magazine's High Impact Leadership Award. Additionally, he has been honored as Owner/Operator of the Year with the National Association of Pizza Operators' Golden Pizza. He has served as General Board Chairman of the YMCA of Central Ohio. In November 2003, Grote was inducted into the Junior Achievement Central Ohio Business Hall of Fame, and in May 2004, received the Pace Setters Executive Award from The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business.

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