Ron Shaich

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.

At-A-Glance

Issue Areas: Multi-Issue Advocacy
Nationality:

American

Contents

    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. 1

    Shaich is a co-founder of No Labels, 1 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. 2

    Donations

    Ron Shaich has donated $200,000 to Unite America since 2018. 3

    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). 3

    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). 3

    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). 3

    References

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