Executive Search Firm Specializing in Restaurant, Franchise, Food Service, and Hospitality Leadership
Five decades of experience.
Deep industry insight.
Lasting partnerships.
A boutique executive search experience.
For more than 50 years, Wray Executive Search has operated as a trusted executive search firm for organizations navigating growth, complexity, and leadership transition.
Specialists in Restaurant, Franchise, Food Service, and Hospitality Executive Search
Each sector presents its own leadership challenges, but all share common demands: scale, operational complexity, people-intensive environments, and constant pressure to perform. As trusted executive recruiters, we know what successful leadership looks like in each of these contexts—and where to find it.
Our team is known for the ability to:
Identify leaders who perform under industry-specific pressure
Understand the operational realities of multi-unit and franchised models
Deliver executives who balance strategic vision with hands-on execution
From board-level appointments to senior functional leadership, we help organizations elevate performance through smart, strategic hires.
A Trusted Executive Search Firm for Industry-Leading Talent
Wray Executive Search is a executive search firm with over 50 years of experience placing high-impact leaders across the restaurant, franchise, food service, and hospitality industries. Our long-standing reputation is built on integrity, discretion, and results—earning the trust of leading brands that return to us year after year to build leadership teams that drive long-term success.
As a boutique firm, our distinction doesn’t lie in limiting our scope to one executive role—it lies in our deep specialization within specific industries. We understand the unique challenges, culture, and competitive landscape of the sectors we serve, and we bring that insight to every search engagement.
Whether you're hiring a CEO, CMO, COO, CFO, or another senior leader, our team of experienced executive recruiters delivers candidates who meet your technical needs and align with your vision, values, and long-term growth strategy.
The Wray Advantage
A Full-Service Executive Recruitment Firm
Wray Executive Search goes beyond filling roles. We help organizations build leadership teams that shape culture, improve performance, and support sustainable growth.
6 Points of Distinction
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Our Leadership
Our leading consultants bring substantial senior-level experience.
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Wide Scope
Wray Executive Search offers a wide scope of industry knowledge and experience. We provide a wide array of services and have an extensive network in these arenas.
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Impactful Expertise
The cross-functional, wide-reaching expertise our company provides can have a deep impact on your business. We serve client needs internationally, nationally, regionally and locally.
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Unique Guarantees
We offer a full one-year replacement guarantee ensuring that our candidates will bring value long term. If, for some reason, the hired candidate does not work out, we will find a replacement.
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Diverse Consultants
Our consultants bring varied experience from all segments of the industry. We offer broad-based, cross-functional expertise to enhance our partnership.
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Competitive, Comprehensive Rates
There are no surprises when it comes to our fees. We maintain highly competitive performance-based rates founded upon our robust executive search record.
Our Team
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Kevin Stockslager
Managing Partner
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Ray Kelley
Managing Partner
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Rebecca Patt
SVP & Partner
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Bob Gershberg
Executive Advisor
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Joe Radice
Advisor
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Monica da la Nuez
Vice President
A Proven, Disciplined Executive Search Process
Our approach to executive search is intentionally rigorous, discreet, and relationship-driven.
Every engagement begins with a deep discovery process to understand your organization’s goals, leadership gaps, and cultural dynamics. We assess not only what the role requires today, but what it will demand as the business evolves.
From there, we leverage our national network and long-standing industry relationships to identify and engage executives who are not actively seeking new roles, but who consistently deliver results in complex restaurant environments.
Throughout the search, clients benefit from clear communication, honest market insight, and guidance shaped by decades of industry specific experience. The outcome is leadership placements that create lasting value well beyond the initial hire.
Partner with an Executive Search Firm
That Knows Your Industry
Choosing the right executive search partner is one of the most important decisions an organization can make. With more than five decades of experience and deep specialization in restaurant, franchise, food service, and hospitality leadership, Wray Executive Search is a partner organizations trust.
If you’re looking for an executive search firm focused on outcomes—not just placements—we’re ready to help.
Partner with an Executive Search Firm That Knows Your Industry
Choosing the right executive search partner is one of the most important decisions an organization can make. With more than five decades of experience and deep specialization in restaurant, franchise, food service, and hospitality leadership, Wray Executive Search is a partner organizations trust.
If you’re looking for an executive search firm focused on outcomes, not just placements, we’re ready to help.
If you are looking to be considered for opportunities, go to our candidate page and submit your resume.