Kevin King, right, will officially succeed Tom Krouse, left, as the top executive at Donatos later this year.
Tom Krouse, the CEO of Donatos Pizza, believes business leaders can learn a lot from music. It’s just a matter of them taking the time to listen to it and paying close attention to the catchy beats and mesmerizing chord changes.
“People will nod their heads or tap their toes when they hear something they agree with in music, and it’s the same way in business when you repeat a message,” he said. “There is a lot of cross over between music and business.”
Krouse is a serious music fan and self-published composer who released his latest collection of original songs in March on Apple Music. He’ll have plenty of time to focus on his passion later this year when he steps down as the top executive of Donatos.
Although he’s still trying to figure out exactly what his retirement will look like after officially handing the reins in October to Kevin King, who has served as Donatos president the past two years, 64-year-old Krouse knows music will be a big part of his next life.
“The question people are asking is, am I retiring or un-retiring,” Krouse said. “Only this I know; it will be the first time in my life when I can dedicate an effort purely for myself. The idea of creating music is certainly going to be a big part of my life along with serving on some nonprofit boards.” He’ll work with the International Franchise Association to promote the benefits of franchising.
Always upbeat and approachable, Krouse has by every measure been an effective communicator and leader for Donatos. Since joining the company in 2000 and becoming the CEO in 2010, he has helped steer the pizza chain to unprecedented growth.
Under his guidance, Donatos, which ranks No. 198 on the Franchise Times Top 400, has doubled in size with global sales of over $297 million in 2022. The company now boasts more than 460 locations in 29 states, including more than 280 non-traditional locations.
Tom Krouse will step down from his role at Donatos Pizza in October.
More importantly, Krouse said, Donatos is a more profitable business for its franchisees. Operators reported average unit sales of $1.23 million in 2023, which is 60 percent higher than the pizza industry average, according to the company.
Related: Why Donatos Pizza Is Ready for a Big Franchise Push
“It all goes back to the essence of our mission, which started with my father-in-law, Jim Grote, when he founded the company many years ago. He talked about doing business with a sense of moral responsibility and ethical set of values to do more than just make money,” Krouse said.
“I feel we have done a great job doing that by giving the next generation of operators the chance to realize the American Dream.”
Krouse’s success at Donatos didn’t come by accident. He came to the company with a resume that included 12 years in various marketing roles at Wendy’s. The Ohio State University graduate spent his early years at several advertising agencies, including co-founding Daly, Lewis & Krouse, a marketing communications firm.
He lists working for two family-owned food brands as career highlights, along with pushing for smaller restaurant prototypes, optimizing backend automation into stores and integrating third-party delivery at Donatos.
Related: Pizza Vending Machines to Help Donatos Boost Market Penetration
“I feel very fortunate to have worked very closely with two amazing founders, Dave Thomas” who founded Wendy’s in 1969, “and then Jim Grote, in two very different food segments. Both of them had the passion and persistence to make their companies successful, but I’d like to think I helped both families communicate what they were trying to do better,” said Krouse.
Krouse’s work at Donatos has not gone unnoticed.
“Tom’s leadership and passion have had a profound impact on our family business,” Grote said in a statement. “Tom’s creative approach to growth is deep-rooted in his belief of saying yes until there is a reason to say no.”
The constant in Krouse’s life is music, and he looks forward to creating more original compositions. His latest album displays the range of his musical repertoire, with an interesting mix of gritty rock-themed songs and mellower balladeer-style tunes. He said that he would like to take the power of music and apply it to mental health therapy.
“Music is a passion, no doubt,” he said, “and I really look forward to seeing where that new journey leads me.”