Ron Shaich is a businessman and center-left political activist best known as the former chairman and CEO of restaurant chain Panera Bread. Shaich is a co-founder of the metropolitan liberal-centrist advocacy group No Labels and sits on the board of electoral advocacy group Unite America.

Career

Shaich is the founder, and former chairman and CEO of Panera Bread. Shaich later became the managing partner of Act III Holdings, a $300 million private investment fund, which invests in restaurants and other consumer companies that promote “long-term value creation.” ¹

Shaich sits on the boards of Unite America, and Conscious Capitalism, Inc., and formerly served on the boards of Whole Foods Market Inc., and the Alliance for Business Leadership. ²

Shaich is a co-founder of No Labels, ³ a political organization that promotes bipartisanship in politics. The organization claims to come up with “practical solutions” to issues like health care, climate change, immigration, among others. ⁴

Donations

Ron Shaich has donated $200,000 to Unite America since 2018. ⁵

Shaich made donations to several 2020 Democratic presidential campaigns, including those of former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), and former Gov. Deval Patrick (D-MA). ⁶

Shaich made donations to the Democratic presidential campaigns of John Kerry and Barack Obama. In 2012, Shaich donated $35,000 to the Obama Victory Fund, as well as $30,800 to the Democratic National Committee (DNC). ⁷

Shaich donated to a number of congressional campaigns, including those of Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), and Joe Manchin (D-WV). ⁸

1. “Meet Ron.” Ron Shaich, 2020. Accessed March 18, 2020. https://www.ronshaich.com/meetron.php.
2. “Meet Ron.” Ron Shaich, 2020. Accessed March 18, 2020. https://www.ronshaich.com/meetron.php.
3. “Meet Ron.” Ron Shaich, 2020. Accessed March 18, 2020. https://www.ronshaich.com/meetron.php.
4. “Why We Matter.” No Labels. Accessed March 18, 2020. https://www.nolabels.org/why-we-matter/.
5. “Individual Contributions: Ron Shaich.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed March 18, 2020. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Ron%20Shaich.
6. “Individual Contributions: Ron Shaich.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed March 18, 2020. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Ron%20Shaich.
7. “Individual Contributions: Ron Shaich.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed March 18, 2020. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Ron%20Shaich.
8. “Individual Contributions: Ron Shaich.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed March 18, 2020. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Ron%20Shaich.