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© History Oasis
Note: Pizza Hut has been owned by PepsiCo (1977-1997) and Yum! Brands (1997-present). Some fast food CEOs managed Pizza Hut as division heads within these parent companies rather than as independent executives.
1958-1977
Two college brothers borrowed $600 from their mother and opened the first Pizza Hut restaurant in Wichita, Kansas. Dan Carney and Frank Carney knew nothing about making pizza but learned fast. Their franchise model exploded. By 1971, Pizza Hut became the world's largest pizza chain. Frank Carney stayed on as president after selling to PepsiCo for $300 million in 1977.
1986-1992
When Steven S. Reinemund's staff complained that pizza delivery was "too undignified," he fired them. This former Marine captain launched Pizza Hut's delivery service in 1986, attacking Domino's stranglehold on home delivery. Reinemund crushed the competition in two years, making Pizza Hut America's top delivery chain.
1996-2016
David C. Novak grew up in a trailer park and never went to business school. He led both KFC and Pizza Hut as CEO starting in 1996, then became head of Tricon Global Restaurants (later Yum! Brands) when PepsiCo spun off its restaurant division in 1997. Under Novak's leadership at Yum! Brands, Pizza Hut expanded aggressively in China, and it launched East Dawning, a Chinese food concept that sold dumplings and noodles in Shanghai.
2016-2019
Pizza Hut was bleeding customers when Greg Creed took control. He closed 500 locations and faced the nightmare of NPC International's bankruptcy, which threatened nearly 1,000 franchises. Creed's tenure meant damage control, not growth.
2020-2024
David Gibbs inherited Pizza Hut's wreckage from the NPC bankruptcy. After 37 years at Yum! Brands, he rebuilt the franchise network by transferring 937 failed locations to Flynn Restaurant Group. His quiet competence stabilized operations before he retired in 2024.
2024-Present
Most recently, Aaron Powell arrived from Kimberly-Clark with experience managing brands across 30 countries. He now faces Pizza Hut's toughest challenge: competing against delivery apps and ghost kitchens. His international background suggests Pizza Hut's future growth lies overseas, not in saturated American markets.
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