Andrew Puzder

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Andrew Puzder
Puzder.jpg
United States Secretary of Labor
Nominee
Taking office
TBD*
President Donald Trump
Succeeding Edward C. Hugler (Acting)
Personal details
Born Andrew Franklin Puzder
(1950-07-11) July 11, 1950 (age 66)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Lisa Henning (1973–1987)
Deanna Descher (1987–present)
Children 6
Education Cleveland State University (BA)
Washington University (JD)
Salary Decrease US$4 million (2012)[1]
*Pending Senate confirmation

Andrew Franklin "Andy" Puzder (born July 11, 1950) is the chief executive of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Hardee's and Carl's Jr., a position he has held since September 2000. He was previously a lawyer in private practice, where he was active in opposing abortion.[2]

On December 8, 2016, Puzder was named as President-elect Donald Trump's planned nominee for United States Secretary of Labor.[3]

Early life and education[edit]

Puzder was born on July 11, 1950, in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Winifred M. (Franklin) and Andrew Frank Puzder.[4][5] He grew up in Russell Township. He attended Kent State University and dropped out in 1970[6] following the Kent State shootings. According to Puzder, he then "spent the next three years attending concerts and marching on Washington."[7] While living in Cleveland Heights, Puzder worked in sales at a guitar studio[8] and attended Cleveland State University, receiving a BA in history in 1975. He then attended Washington University School of Law where he was editor of the Washington University Law Quarterly, receiving his JD in 1978.

Career[edit]

Early legal career[edit]

From 1978 to 1983, Puzder was an associate at the law offices of St. Louis attorney Morris Shenker, practicing corporate law. In 1984 he moved to the Stolar Partnership and worked with trial attorney Charles A. Seigel.[9] He also served as a trial lawyer in St. Louis until 1991.[2]

Opposition to legalized abortion[edit]

During the 1980s and early 1990s, Puzder was considered Missouri's leading anti-abortion lawyer[2][10] and was active in the anti-abortion group Lawyers for Life.[11] In 1984, Puzder and another lawyer wrote an article for the Stetson Law Journal proposing a Missouri law that would define life as beginning at conception in the broad context of contract or property law. Puzder reasoned that if fetuses were recognized as having rights in other contexts, it would establish a foundation for challenging Roe v. Wade later on.[12]

Puzder authored Missouri House Bill 1596,[11] an abortion law prohibiting the use of state money for abortions and declaring that life begins at conception.[2] Following a challenge, the Supreme Court in 1989 upheld the law in Webster v. Reproductive Health Services.[13] The watershed decision opened the door for new state-level restrictions on abortion.[10] Following the Webster decision, Puzder was a founding member of the Common Ground Network for Life and Choice.[13]

In July 1989, Puzder was appointed chair of the Task Force for Mothers and Unborn Children by Missouri Governor John Ashcroft. After The Riverfront Times published an article detailing allegations that he had abused his wife, he offered up his resignation to the Governor. The allegations were later retracted, and Puzder was not asked to step down, but left the task force a few months later.[11][14]

CKE Restaurants[edit]

Puzder speaking on a panel at FreedomFest in Las Vegas, Nevada in July 2016.

Puzder met Carl Karcher, the founder of the Carl's Jr. quick-service restaurant chain, while practicing law in St. Louis. Karcher was embroiled in serious financial difficulties, in part related to an investigation into insider trading by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC filed suit saying that Karcher had told several relatives to sell their stock ahead of a poor earnings report. In July 1989, Karcher paid $664,000 to settle the case.[15] Puzder organized a transaction in which Karcher would sell a stake in his company to William P. Foley, the Chairman and CEO of Fidelity National Financial.[7] In 1991, Karcher asked Puzder to move to Orange County, California and become his personal attorney and Pudzer did so.[7] Puzder has been credited with resolving Karcher's financial dilemma, allowing Karcher to avoid bankruptcy and retain a significant ownership interest in the company he founded, CKE Restaurants, Inc. (CKE).[7] Puzder was a partner in the Costa Mesa-based law firm Lewis, D'Amato, Brisbois & Bisgaard from September 1991 to March 1994 and a shareholder in Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth from March 1994 to 1995.

In 1993, Foley became Chairman and CEO of CKE Restaurants and Karcher became Chairman Emeritus.[7] In January 1995, Puzder became Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Fidelity, managing one of the largest corporate legal departments in the country until June 2000. Puzder also worked with Foley to create Santa Barbara Restaurant Group, a conglomerate of restaurant chains that was purchased by CKE in 2002. Puzder served as the company's CEO.[16]

In 1997, Puzder was also named Executive Vice President and General Counsel for CKE and CKE purchased the Hardee's quick-service restaurant brand. The transaction burdened CKE with $700 million in debt. The company underperformed and its market capitalization dropped to about $200,000.[17] Faced with serious financial and operational issues, CKE's Board of Directors named Puzder as president and CEO of Hardee's Food Systems in June 2000 and named him president and CEO of CKE Restaurants, Inc. in September of that year.[18] Puzder is credited with turning around both the Hardee's brand and CKE, allowing the company to survive, become financially secure and return to growth.[19][20][21][22]

Opening Statement on Andrew Puzder at Workers Forum

Sales to Apollo and Roark Capital[edit]

In July 2010, Apollo Global Management, private equity firm, took CKE private in a transaction valued at $694 million.[23] In December 2013, Roark Capital Group purchased CKE and retained CKE's management team including Puzder, who remains as CEO.[23]

Awards and honors in the food service industry[edit]

PR News and CommCore Consulting named Puzder its 2005 Spokesperson of the Year for his work in representing the Carl's Jr. and Hardee's brands on television and radio.[24] Puzder earned the Golden Chain Award in 2008 from Nation's Restaurant News, in honor of his accomplishments and career achievements as a multi-unit foodservice executive.[25] In 2009, Cleveland State University named Puzder Distinguished Alumni of the Year.[26] In 2010, the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association awarded Puzder with the Food Service Operator of the Year Silver Plate Award in recognition of outstanding service and dedication to the foodservice industry.[27] In 2012, Washington University School of Law named Puzder Distinguished Alumni of the Year.[28]

Media appearances[edit]

Puzder is a frequent author on economic and legal issues in periodicals such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Real Clear Politics, CNBC online, National Review, The Hill, Politico, and the Orange County Register. He has been a guest on business news programs including Your World with Neil Cavuto, Varney & Co., Mornings with Maria, The O'Reilly Factor with Bill O'Reilly, Mad Money with Jim Cramer, Fast Money, Power Lunch, Lou Dobbs Tonight, and Squawk on the Street. He has co-hosted both Varney & Co. and Squawk on the Street. He is also a frequent speaker at colleges, universities, and other venues on economic issues and the impact of government regulations on corporations.

In 2010, Puzder and David Newton co-wrote the book Job Creation: How It Really Works and Why Government Doesn't Understand It. In the book, Puzder and Newton sharply criticize trade unions and argue in favor of deregulation, tax cuts, government spending cuts, and an increase in domestic oil production.[29]

Political involvement[edit]

English: Las Vegas Carl's Jr employee Lupe Guzman speaks at a Senate forum on January 10, 2017 for Carl's Jr/Hardee's CEO Andrew Puzder, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Labor.

Presidential campaign of Mitt Romney[edit]

In 2011, Puzder contributed to Believe in America, Mitt Romney's Plan for Jobs and Economic Growth. He was an Economic Adviser and a spokesman for the Romney campaign for President.[28] Puzder also served as a Delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention[30] and as the Chairman of the Platform Committee's Sub-Committee on the Economy, Job Creation, and the Debt.[31]

Presidential campaign of Donald Trump[edit]

In 2016, Puzder raised money for the Trump campaign for President,[32] and with his wife contributed $332,000 to Trump's campaign, joint fundraising committees, and the Republican National Committee, according to the Federal Election Commission.[33] He was a Trump Presidential Trustee, Victory Finance Chair for California,[34] spokesperson, and Senior Economic Advisor to the campaign.[35] Puzder also served as a Delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention and as the Chairman of the Platform Committee's "Restoring the American Dream" Sub-Committee on the economy, job creation, and the debt.[36]

In December 2016, Puzder was selected by President-elect Donald Trump as his planned nominee for Secretary of Labor of the United States.[37]

Political views[edit]

Puzder has been critical of substantially raising the federal minimum wage, arguing that a $15 per hour minimum wage would increase costs for consumers and increase automation, leading to fewer jobs.[38][39][38][37] He is also reported to oppose raising the $2.13 per hour minimum wage for tipped workers.[40]

In an interview published by Fox Business in May 2016, Puzder said: "There are solutions to this problem, and increasing the minimum wage is not the best solution. If we are going to increase the minimum wage at all, we’ve got to keep a lower minimum wage for entry-level workers, or these people are just going to be shut out of the workforce….The Congressional Budget Office came out with a report last year that said you could raise the minimum wage to about $9 without much impact on jobs, and you probably could do that".[41][42] He said that protesters who are demanding a $15/hour minimum wage "should really think about what they’re doing".[41][42]

Puzder opposed a never-enacted rule that would have required time and a half overtime pay to certain workers when they worked more than 40 hours per week. In an editorial published by Forbes Magazine in 2016, Puzder wrote: "This new rule will simply add to the extensive regulatory maze the Obama Administration has imposed on employers, forcing many to offset increased labor expense by cutting costs elsewhere. In practice, this means reduced opportunities, bonuses, benefits, perks and promotions".[43] Under his tenture, CKE paid $20 million over class-action lawsuits due to various overtime rule violations.[44]

Puzder supports repealing the Affordable Care Act.[3] In an opinion editorial published in the Wall Street Journal in October 2016, Puzder referred to the law as the "Non-Affordable Care Act" and said that "the burden these increased health-care costs place on working and middle-class Americans is inexcusable".[45] He stated that rising premiums have created a "government-mandated restaurant recession" because people have less money to spend dining out.[45][3]

He has been critical of policies requiring paid sick leave for federal contractors.[3]

Speaking to Business Insider in 2016, Puzder said that increased automation could be a welcome development because machines were "always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, there's never a slip-and-fall or an age, sex, or race discrimination case."[3][46]

He backed comprehensive immigration reform in 2013.[47] At that time, Puzder stated "If we had immigration reform and were able to hire these people who really want to work, we’d have a more diverse, incentivized and productive workforce, you’d really reinforce this idea that the United States is the land of opportunity, the land of entrepreneurial vision — and that could use some reinforcing.”[48] In 2013, Puzder said "Immigrants appreciate what America offers. They are not taking jobs from Americans, because there are not sufficient Americans applying for jobs. Maybe they feel they have better options."[49]

Personal life[edit]

Puzder was married to Lisa Henning from 1973 until their divorce in 1987. They had two children.[11] Puzder married Deanna L. Descher in 1987. He has six children and six grandchildren. He lives in Franklin, Tennessee with his wife.[50][51] Puzder is Roman Catholic.[52]

Affiliations[edit]

Puzder is a member of:

In 2013, Puzder was elected as a director of the International Franchise Association.[56]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Jillian Berman (July 7, 2014). "Millionaire Fast-Food CEO: Higher Minimum Wage Hurts Us All". The Huffington Post. 
  2. ^ a b c d Raasch, Chuck (December 8, 2016). "Trump to nominate former St. Louis lawyer Puzder as labor secretary". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 
  3. ^ a b c d e Scheiber, Noam (December 8, 2016). "Trump's Labor Pick, Andrew Puzder, Is Critic of Minimum Wage Increases". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-12-09. 
  4. ^ "Andrew Frank Puzder's Obituary". The Plain Dealer. November 16, 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016. 
  5. ^ "Birth Record of Andrew Puzder Jr.". MooseRoots. Retrieved 8 December 2016. 
  6. ^ Pelzer, Jeremy (December 8, 2016). "Donald Trump picks Cleveland native Andy Puzder for labor secretary". Cleveland.com. 
  7. ^ a b c d e Bennett, Julie (October 1, 2009). "Finding His Blue Ocean". Franchise Times. 
  8. ^ Samavati, Shaheen (May 25, 2007). "Hardee's CEO's formula for success: no more 'bad service, dirty restaurants'". The Plain Dealer. 
  9. ^ "CKE Restaurants Bio: Andrew Puzder". CKE Restaurants. 
  10. ^ a b Lewin, Tamar (February 17, 1992). "In Bitter Abortion Debate, Opponents Learn to Reach for Common Ground". The New York Times. 
  11. ^ a b c d Fenske, Sarah (December 8, 2016). "Andrew Puzder, Trump's Pick for Labor Department, Was Accused of Abusing Wife". Riverfront Times. Retrieved December 8, 2016. 
  12. ^ Levintova, Hannah (December 8, 2016). "Trump's labor secretary pick tried to destroy Roe v. Wade. He almost succeeded.". Mother Jones. 
  13. ^ a b Holmes, Steven A. (August 18, 1995). "Abortion Foes Reach Accord On Adoption". The New York Times. 
  14. ^ Buie, Jordan (December 9, 2016). "Meet Andrew Puzder, Trump's Labor Secretary nominee". The Tennessean. 
  15. ^ Galante, Mary Ann (25 July 1989). "Karchers Settle Insider-Trading Case With Fine" – via LA Times. 
  16. ^ Hernandez, Greg (June 9, 1999). "Green Burrito Parent to Acquire La Salsa". Los Angeles Times. 
  17. ^ "Management Team: Andrew F. Puzder". CKE Restaurants. Retrieved December 8, 2016. 
  18. ^ Hernandez, Greg (June 15, 2000). "Puzder Assigned to Rescue Hardee's Hamburger Chain". Los Angeles Times. 
  19. ^ Finley, Allysia (June 14, 2013). "Andy Puzder: Of Burgers, Bikinis and ObamaCare". The Wall Street Journal. 
  20. ^ Levine, Greg (November 30, 2004). "Puzder: Hardee's Chief Lauds 'Decadent' Burger, Scoffs At Critics". Forbes Magazine. 
  21. ^ Jennings, Lisa (May 7, 2011). "Andrew Puzder on Hardee's turnaround". Nation's Restaurant News. 
  22. ^ Sniegowski, Don (February 7, 2012). "Engaged Franchisees Key to CKE Success". Blue Maumau. 
  23. ^ a b Hsu, Tiffany (November 19, 2013). "Carl's Jr. owner CKE to be sold to Cinnabon owner Roark". Los Angeles Times. 
  24. ^ "Andrew Puzder Named Spokesperson of the Year". 
  25. ^ "2008 Golden Chain". Nation's Restaurant News. 
  26. ^ "2009 Distinguished Alumni Recipients". Cleveland State University. Retrieved December 8, 2016. 
  27. ^ "Past Gold & Silver Plate Winners" (PDF). International Foodservice Manufacturers Association. Retrieved December 8, 2016. 
  28. ^ a b "2013 Distinguished Law Alumnus" (PDF). Washington University School of Law. Retrieved December 8, 2016. 
  29. ^ Lisa Baertlein (December 8, 2016). "Factbox: U.S. labor secretary nominee's book lays out his job creation theory". Reuters. 
  30. ^ "2012 Republican National Convention: California Delegates". Republican National Convention. 
  31. ^ "The Platform Committee". Republican National Committee. 
  32. ^ "Romney loyalists' divisions over Trump spill out into the open at Utah summit". Washington Post. 
  33. ^ Marte, Jonnelle (December 8, 2016). "Trump names Andrew Puzder, a fast-food CEO and critic of substantially raising the minimum wage, to head the Labor Department". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-12-09. 
  34. ^ "RNC And Donald J. Trump For President Announce 2016 State Victory Finance Chairs". GOP. 
  35. ^ Ross, Wilbur; Puzder, Andy; Navarro, Peter (October 30, 2016). "Donald Trump's Contract with the American Voter". RealClear Policy. 
  36. ^ "Republican Platform 2016" (PDF). Republican Platform Committee. 
  37. ^ a b LeVine, Marianne; Schneier, Cogan (December 8, 2016). "Trump chooses Puzder as labor secretary". Politico. Retrieved 2016-12-09. 
  38. ^ a b Marte, Jonnelle (December 8, 2016). "Trump names Andrew Puzder, a fast-food CEO and critic of substantially raising the minimum wage, to head the Labor Department". Washington Post. 
  39. ^ "Andy Puzder: Minimum Wage Hikes Can Kill Jobs". Fox News. November 6, 2016. 
  40. ^ https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-minimum-wage-movement-is-leaving-tipped-workers-behind/
  41. ^ a b "Could a minimum wage increase discourage workers?". Fox Business. May 27, 2016. 
  42. ^ a b Eric Morath (December 8, 2016). "What Andy Puzder, Donald Trump's Labor Pick, Says on the Issues". Wall Street Journal. 
  43. ^ Puzder, Andy (May 18, 2016). "The Harsh Reality Of Regulating Overtime Pay". Forbes Magazine. 
  44. ^ http://www.independent.com/news/2016/dec/14/trump-appoints-santa-barbarans-cabinet/
  45. ^ a b Puzder, Andy (October 30, 2016). "The Non-Affordable Care Act's Restaurant Recession". Wall Street Journal. 
  46. ^ Taylor, Kate (March 16, 2016). "Fast-food CEO says he's investing in machines because the government is making it difficult to afford employees". Business Insider. 
  47. ^ Reston, Maeve (June 8, 2013). "Republican donors, RNC push in different directions". Los Angeles Times. 
  48. ^ Goodwin, Liz (December 8, 2016). "Republican donors, RNC push in different directions". Yahoo News. 
  49. ^ Constable, Pamela (August 24, 2013). "Low-skilled immigrants: Economic burden or boon?". Washington Post. 
  50. ^ Puzder, Andrew (27 May 2011). "Bio". Andy Puzder's Blog. puzder.com. Retrieved 8 December 2016. 
  51. ^ Bryant, Tim (March 7, 2016). "Hardee's headquarters moving to Nashville". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 
  52. ^ Wong, Venesssa (July 25, 2012). "Which Fast-Food Chain Is the Most Religious?". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 26 January 2017. 
  53. ^ "National Council Members". Washington University School of Law. 
  54. ^ "American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Background". DESMOG. 
  55. ^ "Job Creators Network Applauds President-elect Trump's Selection of Andy Puzder for Labor Secretary". Job Creators Network. December 8, 2016. 
  56. ^ "IFA NAMES SEVEN FRANCHISE LEADERS TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS". International Franchise Association. 

External links[edit]

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