Paulo Pena

Carrols Restaurant Group CEO, Paulo Pena, passed unexpectedly on New Year’s Eve 2022 at the age of 50. He was known for his passion for people, charismatic leadership, extensive business knowledge and the love he had for his family.

Before Pena joined the company in April 2022, he had an impressive career working with industry-leading brands such as McDonald’s, The Coca-Cola Co., Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Selina.

“We are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of our friend and colleague Paulo Pena,” David Harris, chairman of Carrols, said in a Carrols Restaurant Group press release. “While his time at Carrols was relatively short, his impact on the company and its business was undeniable. Paulo was a visionary leader who created a culture of operational excellence and put the customer at the forefront of everything we do. While Paulo’s drive, energy and strategic insights will be greatly missed, I am confident that Carrols will continue to build upon the progress we have made under his leadership as we seek to capture the immense opportunities ahead of us.”

During his time at Carrol’s, he had achieved in his challenge to increase profitability for the company that is obviously shown in its 2022 Q3 results.

Pena’s free time was spent with his wife and children. They enjoyed the outdoors, soccer, music and hiking.

Pena will be lived on by his wife, Corryn, two daughters, Jordana and Sadie, his son, Damon, his father, Julio, and his brother, Marcelo.

If you would like to make contributions in Paulo’s name, please make it out to ExpandEd Schools, the Heschel School and the Paulo Pena Fund for Innovation. n