When Shawn Utke reflects on his path to becoming CEO of The Friendly Toast, he doesn’t describe a straight line. Instead, it’s a meandering career built on curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace change.
“Starting out, I didn’t say I wanted to be a CEO of a company,” Utke says. “You end up figuring out what you like. I like being a change agent and next thing you know, you keep changing, you get more responsibility, and then you wake up and go, ‘How did I get here?’”
Utke, who stepped into the role late last year at the Friendly Toast, managed by Goodwin Family Management, brings a background spanning analytics, consumer brands, and hospitality. But his path began with a practical decision to join the military.
“The military was a means to an end to get my education,” he says. Serving as a mechanic in the Air Force, Utke earned college credits through the Community College of the Air Force, which helped him attend the University of Connecticut. “That afforded me [the opportunity] to get to a state school with the GI Bill.”
While the military provided structure and opportunity, Utke credits an earlier experience with shaping his direction. Working part-time at a grocery store in high school, he discovered an affinity for food and people. “I loved food, I loved interacting with people,” he says.
That interest carried through a career that included roles at Pepperidge Farm, New Balance, and Panera Bread, where he spent 12 years building research, strategy, and operational functions. Across those roles, Utke developed a reputation for blending data-driven decision-making with team-focused leadership.
“I think about what the future is that we want to create and then I bring the team with me to create that,” Utke says. “It’s a very collaborative approach. Bringing the team together around a common cause is what’s most compelling.”
That mindset is already shaping his early priorities at The Friendly Toast, which has grown to 14 locations across New England. Utke says the focus is on three core areas: “operational excellence, quality of food and our culinary commitment, and really bringing the brand forward.”
The brand is known for its eclectic décor and playful identity. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously,” he says, “but we’re very serious about our
culinary commitments.”
Outside of work, Utke enjoys working on cars, as well as golfing and spending time with his family. “The job is so intellectual and people-driven,” he says. “In my off time, I like working with my hands. It helps me stay well-rounded.”
As he settles into his new role, Utke’s focus remains on aligning people, process, and purpose. “At the end of the day,” he says, “it’s about building something together.”
