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Claudia San Pedro, president, Sonic Corp.
Claudia San Pedro has led Sonic Corp. as president for the past year, overseeing the drive-in brand’s $4.4 billion in systemwide sales and helping transition the company from publicly traded to private ownership under the Inspire Brands umbrella.
“Claudia’s focus on building relationships, business acumen and strategic mindset position the company well for future growth,” said J. Clifford Hudson, Sonic’s now-former CEO, when San Pedro was promoted from chief financial officer to president last January. “Claudia is a highly skilled leader with an eye for developing talent.”
Oklahoma City, Okla.-based Sonic Corp. has more than 3,600 drive-in restaurants in 45 states, with more than 3,400 of those owned and operated by franchisees. Inspire Brands, Atlanta-based parent company of Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings and Rusty Taco, closed on its $2.3 billion acquisition of Sonic in Dec. 7. Inspire is majority owned by Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private-equity firm.
San Pedro has been with Sonic more than a dozen years, joining it in 2006 as vice president of investor relations and treasurer, directing financial planning and serving as liaison to the investment community. She was promoted to executive vice president and chief financial officer in 2015.
Before joining Sonic, San Pedro was the director for the Oklahoma Office of State Finance, appointed by the governor to serve as the first woman and first Hispanic to serve in the position. She was born in Mexico City.
