Article by Matt Willinger | Video by Kaela Dickerman | February 22, 2023
From operating casinos and marketing hotels to now running some of America’s most beloved brands, University of Louisville alumnus Jim Holthouser ’81, ’83, ’85 is a transformative leader with a successful record of building brand loyalty and staying at the forefront of innovation.
As chief executive officer for Focus Brands, Jim is responsible for a global portfolio of incredible food service and restaurant brands. He leads the parent company of some of your favorites, including Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, Moe’s Southwest Grill, McAlister’s Deli, Schlotzsky’s, and Seattle’s Best Coffee.
Holthouser earned three degrees from the University of Louisville and credits his time at UofL for helping shape him into the person he is today.
“I’ve always had this love of all things international. By the time I left Louisville, I had my [bachelors] degrees in German and French and my masters in political science. Louisville became my springboard to the international school,” said Holthouser.
Holthouser’s energy and vision sets the tone and leads the passionate culture of Focus Brands’ 6,000 locations worldwide. He creates innovative and customer-focused solutions to grow and reinvigorate brands, improve loyalty, create cost savings, and drive revenue and unit growth.
Prior to his work at Focus Brands, Holthouser served as a senior executive at Hilton Hotels, where he was responsible for a $36 billion international portfolio of 15 leading hotel brands. He covered more than 5,000 locations across 105 countries and directed worldwide brand marketing, product and brand development, owner relations, and the 75 million-member Hilton Honors guest loyalty program.
Though his Atlanta-based work keeps him quite busy, Holthouser does find time to relax with a good book and bottle of wine. A modern-day renaissance man, Holthouser loves to travel and is fluent in German, conversant in French, and is a trained pianist with several recordings to his credit.
“[College] is the one time in your life where you really get to explore and play. That’s the other thing that Louisville gave me — it gave this little Kentucky boy a lot of exposure to the world."
Holthouser will speak at the University of Louisville College of Business on Thursday, March 30, from 4:30-6 p.m. at the Horn Auditorium during an event titled “Focus on Franchising,” an insightful conversation followed by an audience Q&A.