Co-founder
Culver’s | Prairie du Sac
Craig Culver and his family opened the first Culver’s in Sauk City in 1987. Three years later, the restaurant’s franchising arm was born. Culver went on to lead the company, from a single restaurant to more than 530 locations and $1 billion in revenue, until 2015. This year, Culver’s is on track to open its 1000th location, with operations in 26 states and more than 45,000 employees. Since retiring as CEO in 2015, Culver has remained involved in the business as board chairman and brand ambassador. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame in 2016.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Favorite part of the workday: “I still like getting to the office early in the day and grabbing my cup of coffee and greeting the team as they come in. I also greatly enjoy meeting and presenting to the different management and franchise classes that come into the Support Center.”
Cocktail of choice: “Beefeater or Safire extra dry dirty martini with a lemon twist and stuffed blue cheese olive.”
Thing to learn this year: “I’d like to learn to be a better golfer, so one day I can beat my brother, Curt, and shoot my age. Isn’t going to happen.”
Your secret talent: “I like to cook at home and I’m pretty good at opening the refrigerator door to check out what I could throw together for dinner.”
2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile
Hospitality | Restaurants
Founder and board chairman
Culver’s | Prairie du Sac
Fresh out of college, Craig Culver got his start in the restaurant business managing a McDonalds. A few years later, he and his parents together purchased an A&W location in Sauk City, operating the restaurant for several years before selling it and buying a supper club. In 1984, the family purchased the A&W property again and renovated the restaurant, adding a blue roof and painting the walls white. That restaurant became the original Culver’s, home of butter burgers and frozen custard.
Culver went on to lead the company from a single restaurant to over 530 locations and $1 billion in revenue until 2015, when he stepped down as CEO. An inflection point for the company under Culver’s leadership came in 1990, when the first successful franchise opened in Baraboo. Franchising proved key to enabling the chain’s spread. The restaurant began multiplying throughout the Midwest in the 1990s and nationally throughout the early 2000s.
Under the leadership of Culver’s successors, the company has continued to grow its presence throughout the U.S., with the chain now boasting more than 850 restaurants in 25 states and employing more than 30,000. Culver remains chairman of the board and the face of the brand. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame in 2016.
Today, the Culver family continues to hold majority ownership of the company.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh