Dave Brandon

Brandon graduated with a bachelor's degree and teaching certificate from the University of Michigan in 1974. While in Ann Arbor, he was a back-up defensive end on the university's football team, under the leadership of Bo Schembechler.[http://www.regents.umich.edu/about/bios/brandon.html "University of Michigan Regent Emeritus David A. Brandon"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061012230224/http://www.regents.umich.edu/about/bios/brandon.html |date=2006-10-12 }}.

Brandon has honorary doctorate degrees from Walsh College,[http://www.walshcollege.edu/PDFDocuments/Journal-Aug07.pdf "Walsh Journal"]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Walsh College, Fall, 2007. Schoolcraft College, Lawrence Technological University, Cleary College, Central Michigan University,[http://www.davidbrandonforumregent.com/biography.php David Brandon for UM Regent] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060711081845/http://www.davidbrandonforumregent.com/biography.php |date=2006-07-11 }} and Albion College.

On May 9, 2009, David received his honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Albion College during the college's commencement ceremonies, in Albion, Michigan. He also delivered a commencement address to the 2009 graduating classWebber, Jake. [http://www.albion.edu/news/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=924 "Holocaust Survivor, Domino's CEO Address Grads at Albion College Commencement"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528125126/http://www.albion.edu/news/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=924 |date=2010-05-28 }}, Albion College - College News, May 1, 2009 and finished his address by giving a graduation present to each of the graduates. Taped to the bottom of each of their seats was a coupon for a free pizza and a soda.[http://www.albion.edu/news/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=929&Itemid=99999999 "Albion Celebrates Commencement 2009] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529085554/http://www.albion.edu/news/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=929&Itemid=99999999 |date=2010-05-29 }}, Albion College - College News, May 9, 2009.

Brandon began working for Valassis in 1979 at age 27. Brandon described moving from Procter & Gamble to Valassis, then a small, family-owned coupon company, as a "culture shock."{{Cite web|url = http://www.theceoadvantage.com/journal/2011/the-change-guy/|title = The Change Guy: A Conversation with David Brandon|date = 20 January 2011|accessdate = 13 May 2015|website = The CEO Advantage Journal|publisher = |last = |first = }} Over 20 years, Brandon rose in the company's ranks. He was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer of Valassis in 1986, then to chief executive officer in 1989.{{Cite web|url = https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=164340&ticker=DPZ|title = Executive Profile: David A. Brandon|date = |accessdate = 13 May 2015|website = Bloomberg Business|publisher = Bloomberg Media|last = |first = }}

During his tenure as CEO, Brandon organized Valassis's initial public offering in 1992 at $11.34 per share.{{Cite web|title = Valassis Investor - Investor FAQs|url = http://investors.valassis.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=119431&p=irol-faq#28363|website = investors.valassis.com|accessdate = 2015-05-14}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Fortune selected Valassis as one of the 100 best companies to work for in 1997, 1998, and 1999.{{Cite web|title = 1998 - Great Place to Work Institute|url = http://www.greatplacetowork.net/best-companies/north-america/united-states/fortunes-100-best-companies-to-work-forr/444-1998|website = www.greatplacetowork.net|accessdate = 2015-05-14|first = |last = }}{{Cite web|title = Valassis Investor - Press Releases|url = http://investors.valassis.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=119431&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=566582|website = investors.valassis.com|accessdate = 2015-05-14}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Brandon became the chief executive officer of Domino's Pizza in March 1999 after its founder, Thomas Monaghan, sold his shares of the pizza chain to Bain Capital in order to start Ave Maria University.{{Cite magazine|url = https://www.wired.com/2014/04/rawfile_0404_ave-maria/|title = Inside the Isolated Catholic Town Built by the Founder of Domino's|date = 4 April 2014|accessdate = 13 May 2015|magazine = WIRED|publisher = Conde Naste|last = Brook|first = Pete}}

Brandon led Domino's to its initial public offering in 2004 at $14 per share, raising $337 million.{{Cite web|url = http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2004-07-13-domino%27s-ipo_x.htm|title = Domino's IPO at $14 a share, below targets; stock falters|date = 13 July 2004|accessdate = 13 May 2015|website = USA TODAY|publisher = Associated Press|last = |first = }} Under Brandon's direction, Domino's introduced the first pizza tracker,{{Cite web|url = http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/media/2009-07-26-pizza-products-tracking_N.htm|title = Tracking deliveries of all kinds is on everyone's radar|date = 31 July 2009|accessdate = 13 May 2015|website = USA TODAY|publisher = Gannett Media|last = Horovitz|first = Bruce}} and added desserts{{Cite web|url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-dominos-cake-interview-idUSTRE5721Y220090803|title = Domino's Pizza adds chocolate cake to expand menu|date = 3 August 2009|accessdate = 13 May 2015|website = Reuters|publisher = |last = Sage|first = Alexandria}} and sub sandwiches{{Cite web|url = http://www.qsrmagazine.com/menu-innovations/many-acts-domino-s-pizza|title = The Many Acts of Domino's Pizza|date = August 2010|accessdate = 13 May 2015|website = QSR Magazine|publisher = Food News Media|last = Oches|first = Sam}} to its menu. To promote the new products, Brandon appeared on a national TV commercial to burn a cease-and-desist letter from Subway.{{Cite web|url = http://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2009/01/david_brandon_of_dominos_pizza.html|title = David Brandon of Domino's Pizza stars in TV commercial "burning" legal letter from Subway|date = 22 January 2009|accessdate = 13 May 2015|website = MLive.com|publisher = |last = Murray|first = Stefanie}} In 2009, Domino's changed its core pizza recipe in a move that Brandon called the "biggest product introduction we've done since… well, pizza."{{Cite web|url = http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/dominos-pizza-fundamentally-altering-core-pizza-recipe/|title = Ann Arbor's Domino's Pizza changes core pizza recipe|date = 16 December 2009|accessdate = 13 May 2015|website = The Ann Arbor News|publisher = Booth Newspapers|last = Bomey|first = Nathan}} Over the course of Brandon's tenure, Bain received a 500% return on its initial investment.{{Cite web|url = https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2012/01/29/domino-delivered-for-bain-capital/kyMA0fIwPYvg2pa0UK1UfI/story.html|title = Domino's delivered for Bain|date = 29 January 2012|accessdate = 13 May 2015|website =The Boston Globe|publisher = |last = Healy|first = Beth}} By December 31, 2009, around when Brandon left for the University of Michigan, the stock price had fallen to $8.38.{{Cite web|url = https://www.google.com/search?tbm=fin&q=NYSE:+DPZ&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgecRoyi3w8sc9YSmdSWtOXmNU4-IKzsgvd80rySypFJLgYoOy-KR4uLj0c_UNzKtyygwseAA_4HIwOgAAAA#scso=uid_EmSrWsmuO8uH0wLP87WwCQ_5:0|title = NYSE: DPZ|accessdate = 15 March 2018|website = Google Finance}}

Brandon was elected to the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan in 1998, as a member of the Republican Party. In the November 2006 election, he lost his reelection bid to Democrat Julia Donovan Darlow.{{cite web|url=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061109/SPORTS06/611090400/1122|title=Election changes stadium dynamic|work=Detroit Free Press|date=November 9, 2006}} His term expired December 31, 2006.

Brandon has donated to several Republican campaigns and conservative causes up until 2010.{{Cite web|url = https://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=David+Brandon&cycle=All&sort=R&state=MI&zip=&employ=&cand=&submit=Submit |title = Donor Lookup: David Brandon| publisher=OpenSecrets}}

On May 5, 2005, Brandon appeared on the third season of The Apprentice as part of the finale CEO interview panel.[http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Apprentice_3/episode_recaps/315_1.shtml "The Apprentice, Season 3, Episode 15 Recap"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090328150825/http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Apprentice_3/episode_recaps/315_1.shtml |date=2009-03-28 }}. NBC, May 5, 2005. In an advertisement that first aired on January 21, 2009, David starred by "oven baking" a cease and desist order from Subway. He was seen putting the letter in a pizza oven, and the letter caught on fire. Subway had sent the letter to Domino's to stop advertisements for their new oven baked sandwiches that noted a 2 to 1 advantage over Subway's subs in an independent taste test.Murray, Stefanie. [http://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2009/01/david_brandon_of_dominos_pizza.html "David Brandon of Domino's Pizza stars in TV commercial "burning" legal letter from Subway"], Ann Arbor News, January 22, 2009. [http://www.chainleader.com/article/CA6631473.html "Domino's Responds to Subway's Cease-and-Desist Letter"], Chain Leader, January 22, 2009.

On January 5, 2010, Brandon was named athletic director at the University of Michigan, succeeding Bill Martin.{{cite web|url=http://www.michigandaily.com/content/david-brandon-named-next-u-athletic-director|title=David Brandon officially introduced as University's next athletic director|work=The Michigan Daily|date=5 January 2010 }} University President Mary Sue Coleman said she chose Brandon because she believed his financial management experience would serve the department well as it grew larger and increasingly complex.{{Cite web|url = http://www.michigandaily.com/content/david-brandon-named-next-u-athletic-director|title = David Brandon officially introduced as University's next athletic director|date = 5 January 2010|accessdate = 13 May 2015|website = Michigan Daily|publisher = |last = Swanson|first = Kyle}} Soon after arriving, Brandon established a marketing department, which began investing in resources for athletes and established a student loyalty program. Within a few years, Brandon began returning surpluses in the hundreds of millions of dollars, which the university used for a number of major facilities improvements.{{Cite web|url = http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/2014/10/31/dave-brandon-michigan/18243343/|title = Dave Brandon out at U-M: What happened and what's next?|date = 31 October 2014|accessdate = 13 May 2015|website = Detroit Free Press|publisher = Gannett Company|last = Jesse|first = David}} An opinion editorial in the Detroit News credited Brandon with raising academic standards for athletes and bringing in more counseling and tutoring resources for athletes.{{Cite web|url = http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/editorials/2014/11/03/edit-dave-brandon-resigns-michigan/18261891/|title = Dave Brandon served the University of Michigan well|date = 3 November 2014|accessdate = 13 May 2015|website = The Detroit News|publisher = Digital First Media|last = |first = }}

Michigan Athletics, under Brandon's leadership, raised student season ticket prices amid a slump in student attendance nationally,{{cite web|url = http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2014/05/michigan_football_projecting_s.html|title = Michigan football projecting student attendance at 13-14,000 for 2014, down considerably from last season|work = MLive.com| date=29 May 2014 }} which drew scrutiny from student government officials after roughly a third fewer students bought season tickets.{{cite web|url = http://www.michigandaily.com/news/athletic-director-dave-brandon-discusses-ticket-policies-csg|title = Athletic Director Dave Brandon discusses ticket policies with CSG|work = The Michigan Daily| date=8 April 2014 }}

On September 30, 2014, a graduate student posted a petition on the website of the University's Central Student Government asking that Brandon be fired. By midnight of October 1, the petition had grown to over 10,000 signatures.{{cite web|url=https://csg.umich.edu/upetition/p/fire-brandon/|title=A Petition to Relieve Mr. David Brandon from his Duties as Athletic Director|publisher=UPetition|access-date=2014-09-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140930165538/https://csg.umich.edu/upetition/p/fire-brandon|archive-date=2014-09-30|url-status=dead}} After Brandon revealed that Michigan quarterback Shane Morris played after exhibiting symptoms of a concussion, hundreds of students gathered at the home of University President Mark Schlissel calling for changes in the leadership of Michigan Athletics. Brandon resigned from the position on October 31, 2014.{{cite web|last1=Jesse|first1=David|title=U-M students call for AD Dave Brandon's job at rally|url=http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2014/09/30/michigan-wolverines-students-rally-fire-dave-brandon/16511897/|website=Detroit Free Press|accessdate=October 1, 2014|date=October 1, 2014}}

USA Today described Brandon's tenure as the University of Michigan's athletic director as "peculiar and unsuccessful."{{cite news |last1=Bomey |first1=Nathan |title=Toys R Us liquidation marks bitter end for CEO David Brandon |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/03/15/david-brandon-toys-r-us/427347002/ |accessdate=6 June 2019 |work=USA Today |date=March 15, 2018}}

Toys "R" Us announced that Brandon would succeed Antonio Urcelay as CEO on June 2, 2015.{{Cite web|title = Toys"R"Us, Inc. Names David A. Brandon Chairman and CEO, Succeeding Antonio Urcelay upon His Retirement {{!}} Business Wire|url = http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150602006538/en/Toys%25E2%2580%259CR%25E2%2580%259DUs-Names-David-A.-Brandon-Chairman-CEO#.Vbf-wk1Vikr|website = www.businesswire.com| date=2 June 2015 |accessdate = 2015-07-28}} Brandon was chosen for his track record of leading two private companies to their IPOs.{{Cite web|url = http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20150603/BLOG003/150609933/why-bain-hired-david-brandon-to-run-toys-r-us-he-has-a-successful|title = Crain's Detroit Business|date = June 3, 2015|accessdate = |website = |publisher = Crain Communications|last = Shea|first = Bill}} In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Brandon acknowledged that the owners of Toys R Us (Bain Capital and Vornado Realty Trust) would seek to exit the business, but emphasized the necessity of improving the company's performance: "The focus now is on execution, performance and growth. … The company needs to put itself in a position where it can compete globally."

On May 14, 2018, Brandon resigned as CEO of Toys "R" Us. He earned $11.25 million in compensation with the company in 2017.{{cite news |last=Frank |first=Annalise |url=http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20180511/news/660471/ceo-david-brandon-executives-to-leave-toys-r-us-today |title=CEO David Brandon, executives to leave Toys 'R' Us today |work=Crain Communications |date=2018-05-11 |accessdate=2018-05-14 }}

On September 19, 2017, Toys "R" Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

In a U.S Bankruptcy Court filing on March 15, 2018, the company determined that the best way to maximize their recoveries would be to liquidate the existing inventory. In response to the decision, Brandon explained "Toys R Us found itself in serious default on our financing covenants." Earnings following Christmas 2017 were about half of what the company typically earns in a normal year.{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/03/15/toys-r-us-files-bankruptcy-liquidation/427129002/|title=Toys R Us files for liquidation, likely spelling its end in the U.S.|work=USA TODAY|access-date=2018-03-15|language=en}}

Brandon sits on the Board of Directors for Detroit Edison as the Finance, Organization & Compensation and Public Policy and Responsibility Committees.{{Cite web |title=Board of Directors {{!}} DTE Energy |url=https://www.dteenergy.com/us/en/residential/about-dte/corporate-governance/board-of-directors.html |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=www.dteenergy.com}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.mgoblue.com/genrel/brandon_dave00.html Michigan Wolverines profile]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060128122523/http://www.newsmeat.com/ceo_political_donations/David_Brandon.php David Brandon's campaign contributions]

{{s-start}}

{{s-bus}}

{{s-bef|before=Antonio Urcelay}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chairman & CEO of Toys "R" Us|years=July 2015 – May 2018}}

{{s-vac}}

{{s-bef|before=Tom Monaghan}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chairman & CEO of Domino's|years=March 1999 – present}}

{{s-inc}}

{{s-end}}

{{Michigan Wolverines athletic director navbox}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brandon, David}}

Category:1952 births

Category:20th-century American businesspeople

Category:21st-century American businesspeople

Category:American advertising executives

Category:American chairpersons of corporations

Category:American chief executives in the mass media industry

Category:American chief executives of food industry companies

Category:American retail chief executives

Category:Businesspeople from Ann Arbor, Michigan

Category:Living people

Category:Mass media people from Michigan

Category:Michigan Republicans

Category:Michigan Wolverines athletic directors

Category:Michigan Wolverines football players

Category:People from Dearborn, Michigan

Category:Regents of the University of Michigan