It began with a delicious idea

In 1936, Lawrence Shipley wanted to create a gourmet donut so tasty that it would withstand the test of time. Cut by hand and served hot throughout the day, Shipley Do-Nuts were five cents a dozen and only available wholesale. But within four short years, they proved so popular that Lawrence began offering them to the public. As the business grew, life because much busier for Lawrence and his family. His wife, Lillian, would fill orders at home, baking from her humble kitchen with their infant son, Lawrence Jr., balanced on her knee while Lawrence Sr. was away on his sales route.

Lawrence Jr. carried on his father’s vision and worked in the family business his entire life. Under his leadership the menu was expanded, and Shipley went beyond its original Texas location to include more than 190 stores across six states. Today, Shipley Do-Nuts is a fast-growing QSR franchise brand with over 360 locations and counting. And we still make our delicious donuts fresh every day, just like Lawrence Shipley envisioned.

Values that do good

At the heart of every Shipley Do-Nuts bakery are the core values that have made us a beloved brand for over four generations. Our people, our process, and our products define us, and we strive to provide an experience found nowhere else on earth.

Service

Hospitality

Integrity

Passion

Leadership

Energy

Yummy

“I do believe I’m leaving a strong legacy for my two kids.”

Aman Dhuka

Multi-Unit Franchise Owner

Meet the team behind our success

Flynn Dekker

Chief Executive Officer

Shipley Do-Nuts CEO Flynn Dekker joined the company in 2023 to spearhead the iconic, Houston-born brand’s national expansion, bringing 30-plus years of executive leadership experience in the restaurant and retail industry and a strong track record of executing significant growth. Dekker previously served as CEO of Bonchon, a global franchisor of Korean chicken restaurants with

more than 420 locations spanning nine countries. He also held chief marketer roles at Wingstop Restaurants, where he led all strategic advertising, franchisee communication, branding, media and marketing efforts, and at Rave Restaurant Group and Fogo de Chao. In addition to expanding Shipley’s 87-year-old brand’s footprint and store count, Dekker will also focus on driving same store sales growth and investing in franchisee success with product innovation, equipment and technology upgrades and customer service enhancements.

Chief Financial Officer

Brad Reynolds joins us from Blaze Pizza where he most recently served as the Chief Financial Officer. He has served as Chief Operating Officer at Creating Culinary Communities, CFO and SVP of Development at Smashburger as well as an Investment Banking Senior Associate with Capstone Partners. Brad brings a wealth of knowledge from his experience in both the restaurant and banking segments.

Laurie Curtis

SVP of Marketing

Laurie Curtis brings more than 25 years of major brand marketing experience to Shipley Do-Nuts, where she leads all aspects of marketing, brand communications, culinary and product innovation strategy. Most recently she served as CMO at Walk-Ons Sports Bistreaux. She has extensive experience with large franchise systems including as vice president of marketing and menu innovation for category leader Denny’s, and she has also held leadership roles at TGI Fridays, Pizza Hut and Domino’s.

Chris Smith

SVP of Operations & Training

Chris most recently served as COO of Eskimo Hut where he oversaw almost every aspect of the business. He has also served in many leadership roles as SVP of Operations at Rave Restaurant Group, RVP for Smashburger, as well as many years with Chipotle. Chris works closely with the Shipley Operations and Training teams to ensure our franchisees have the necessary tools and support to be successful.

Jim Fisher

SVP of Supply Chain

Jim was named senior vice president of supply chain in February 2022, bringing more than 20 years of food manufacturing and food service experience to the company. His previous roles include senior director of global strategic sourcing at Krispy Kreme and senior manager of sourcing at Pillsbury/General Mills.

Kerry Leo

VP of Technology

Kerry, who joined Shipley Do-Nuts in June of 2021 to head up the technological transformation of the brand, has more than two decades of technology and operational leadership experience. He was previously the Senior Director of IT at Church’s Texas Chicken®, Industry Manager for Food Service at Radiant Systems POS, and held top IT positions with Focus Brands and Chick-fil-A.

Keith Sizemore

SVP of Franchise Development

Keith will be responsible for leading all functions of development including construction, design, new shop openings, real estate and sales. Keith brings great experience as he was most recently the VP of Development for Marco’s Pizza, one of the fastest growing restaurant concepts over the last several years. He is also the owner of 6 Marco’s pizza franchise locations.

Prior to Marco’s, Keith worked in a variety of roles at McDonalds for 12 years.

Senior Director of Real Estate

Ben joined Shipley Do-Nuts in 2023 with a track record of helping companies identify and align business, financial, and operational objectives with real estate requirements. Those companies have included Sweetgreen, Planet Fitness, Cotton Patch Café, and Walmart. He leads our real estate team and supports our franchisees in their expansion efforts.

Jonathan Massey

VP of Franchise Recruitment

Jonathan is a seasoned franchise development leader, known for propelling growth. As the former Director of Franchise Development at Wingstop, he spearheaded the company’s record-breaking pipeline of development agreements. With over a decade of experience across development, operations, and marketing roles at Pizza Hut, Krispy Kreme, and Burger King, Jonathan consistently delivers impactful results.

Fred Frey

Director of Franchise Recruitment

Fred brings over a decade of experience in the financial sector, where he excelled as a Regional Private Banker and Financial Advisor. In 2021 he transitioned into franchising, leading an up and coming brand from 40 to 100 locations, while also more than doubling its development pipeline. He joined Shipley’s in January 2024 bringing a strategic vision, while leveraging his background to propel the brand forward.

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