Bryant Keil

In 1996, fueled by a powerful combination of intense taste buds and the desire to spread the love of growing Potbelly fans, Bryant Keil, acquired Potbelly Sandwich Works—a unique and wonderful neighborhood sandwich joint located on Chicago's Lincoln Avenue. Since 1996, Bryant has grown Potbelly from the one store on Lincoln Avenue, to include 152 stores in the Chicagoland area, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Dallas and Washington, D.C. While Potbelly's are popping up everywhere, Bryant is dedicated to preserving the individuality of each store in an attempt to keep Potbelly from becoming another fast food chain. Although Bryant takes a low-key approach to building the business, the outside world has taken notice of the success of Potbelly. Bryant was named the “2003 Illinois Restaurateur of the Year” by the Illinois Restaurant Association, Crain's Chicago Business tapped him as one of its "40 under 40" young business leaders, and Inc. magazine listed Potbelly as one of our nation's 500 fastest growing companies. Among his accomplishments are his involvement in investment and entrepreneurial ventures, primarily focused in the hospitality industry. Bryant is an active member of many community and volunteer organizations including the Economic Club of Chicago, The Young Presidents’ Organization, Kohl’s Children’s Museum, the 2016 Olympic Committee, and is a Board member of the Field Museum. He is a member of the 2007 class of Henry Crown Fellows at the Aspen Institute.