If you’re a fan of pizza – and who isn’t? – then you probably know our man Shaq is a big fan of the Papa John’s chain of carryout pizza stores. He’s owned a few around the country and he’s been the star of many of the chain’s TV and online commercials over the years.
Not only that, a few years ago, O’Neal really stepped up his pizza game, when he joined the Papa John’s corporate Board of Directors. We’ve even seen a few “behind the scenes” videos from him at company meetings. Although, truth be told, he could have been using those videos to help with marketing for the company. Didn’t matter, they were still fun.
Now O’Neal has announced that when his current term on the company Board of Directors comes to an end, he won’t seek re-election. It’s been five years on the job, and it officially ends in May. In a recent press release, he said he’ll finish out the term this spring, but he has no plans to go for another round in the corporate Boardroom.
The BIG Podcast with SHAQ
In an official company press release, Papa Johns’ that Shaq is departing the board due to his other business commitments. He joined the company’s board back in 2019, as the chain struggled through some “serious PR issues” regarding some comments made by the company’s founder. The board oversaw the process of dealing with that issue, and eventually fired the original founder. The company has bounced back since then, with Shaq adding his business wisdom to the mix.
The first item released during Shaq’s tenure that also carried his name was the Shaq-a-Roni Pizza, essentially an extra large pizza with a ridiculous amount of pepperoni on top. Definitely a favorite here at the offices of the ShaqFu Radio blog! By adding the big man’s name and image to the new product offering, the company says just that one new menu item brought in a lot of new customers and revenue.
Part of the deal with the Shaq-a-Roni pizza was that for every pizza purchased, one dollar was donated to The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community. Within two months, that offer alone generated about $3 million for the Foundation.
Now, even though he won’t be attending those suit-and-tie board meetings, O’Neal is still going to remain a spokesperson and “brand ambassador” for the pizza chain. Shaq is ready: “While my other business commitments make it challenging to extend my board service for another term, I am looking forward to continuing my partnership with Papa Johns, a brand I’ve loved since my days playing basketball at LSU.”
Shaq said he was proud of the work he did on the Board, and proud of the company’s transformation. “I am grateful for the valuable experience I gained on the Papa John’s Board and am proud to have played a role in making the company culture into what it is today, including being recognized as a best employer for diversity three years in a row.”
Along with owning several Papa John’s outlets himself, Shaq continues to make noise in the food / restaurant industry. Lately, there’s been a lot of news coming out about Big Chicken, a company Shaq owns a large stake in. New franchises are being announced all over the country.
Nation’s Restaurant News reported last year that Shaq has played a major role in helping grow out Big Chicken’s breakfast menu and drive-thru concepts. O’Neal has been a proprietor of the chain since 2018, not long before he took Papa Johns into his business portfolio.
For Shaq and his relationship with Papa John’s, this doesn’t really sound like an ending or a breakup. More of a case of “see you later.”