Early Life
Tony Townley was born on June 13, 1960, in Statesboro, Georgia. Before his career in the fast-food industry, Townley held a position as the CEO and president of Southern Mortgage & Lending Corporation in Athens, Georgia.
Rise to Success
Townley's major success came from co-founding the chicken chain Zaxby's with Zach McLeroy in 1990. They each invested $8,000 to open the first restaurant in Statesboro, Georgia, near the Georgia Southern University campus. Zaxby's became a popular chain, expanding to over 970 locations. In 2020, Townley sold his stake in Zaxby's to Goldman Sachs for nearly $1 billion (pre-tax).
Key Business Strategies
The key business strategy for Zaxby's was offering fresh, made-to-order chicken fingers and wings. They also focused on targeting college campuses to grow their customer base and started franchising the business in 1994.
Philanthropy
Townley, along with his wife Elizabeth, has dedicated a portion of their earnings to preserve at least 35,000 acres of timberland and farmland around Georgia. In January 2024, the Townleys won a multi-million dollar tax refund from the U.S. government on a series of conservation easements they'd donated.
