Andrew Puzder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrew Puzder
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|---|---|
 |
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| United States Ambassador to the European Union Nominee |
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| Assuming office TBD |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Succeeding | Mark Gitenstein |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Andrew Franklin Puzder
July 11, 1950 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Lisa Fierstein
(m. 1973; div. 1987)Deanna Descher
(m. 1987) |
| Children | 6 |
| Education | Cleveland State University (BA) Washington University in St. Louis (JD) |
Andrew Franklin Puzder (born July 11, 1950) is an American lawyer, author, and businessman. He used to be the chief executive officer (CEO) of CKE Restaurants. This company owns popular fast-food chains like Hardee's and Carl's Jr.. He led CKE from September 2000 to March 2017. Before that, he was a trial lawyer. In January 2025, President Donald Trump announced he would nominate Puzder to be the United States Ambassador to the European Union.
Puzder often shares his thoughts on money matters and politics. He has also written books about how jobs are created and the economy. In 2016, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Puzder to be the Secretary of Labor. However, Puzder withdrew his nomination in 2017 because he didn't have enough support to be approved.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Andrew Puzder was born on July 11, 1950, in Cleveland, Ohio. His father was a car salesman. Andrew grew up in Russell Township, Ohio, which was a working-class area.
He worked hard to pay for college and law school. He supported his family by doing jobs like construction, landscaping, and painting. He first went to Kent State University. In 1970, he left college to play guitar in bands.
Later, Puzder moved to Cleveland Heights. He managed a guitar studio while studying at Cleveland State University. He earned a bachelor's degree in history in 1975. Then, he went to Washington University School of Law. He was a senior editor for the Washington University Law Quarterly. He received his law degree in 1978. Andrew Puzder was the first person in his family to graduate from college.
Career in Business and Law
Starting as a Lawyer
From 1978 to 1991, Andrew Puzder worked as a commercial trial lawyer in St. Louis. He handled many important cases.
Leading CKE Restaurants
Puzder once represented Carl Karcher, who founded the Carl's Jr. restaurant chain. Karcher was facing a legal issue. Puzder helped Karcher deal with his financial problems. This allowed Karcher to keep a big part of his company, CKE Restaurants.
In 1991, Karcher asked Puzder to become his personal lawyer. Puzder moved to Orange County, California, to take the job. He worked at different law firms during this time.
In 1995, Puzder became an Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Fidelity. He managed a very large legal department. He also helped create the Santa Barbara Restaurant Group. This group combined several restaurant chains.
In 1997, CKE Restaurants bought the Hardee's fast-food brand. This deal left CKE with a lot of debt. The company was not doing well financially. In 2000, CKE's leaders chose Puzder to be the president and CEO of Hardee's. Later that year, he became the president and CEO of CKE Restaurants. Puzder is known for helping to turn around both the Hardee's brand and CKE. He helped the company become financially stable and start growing again.
Company Sales
In 2010, a company called Apollo Global Management bought CKE. In 2013, another company, Roark Capital Group, bought CKE. They kept Puzder as CEO until 2017.
Awards and Recognition
Andrew Puzder received several awards for his work in the food service industry.
- In 2005, he was named Spokesperson of the Year for representing Carl's Jr. and Hardee's.
- In 2008, he earned the Golden Chain Award for his achievements as a restaurant executive.
- In 2010, he received the Food Service Operator of the Year Silver Plate Award.
- In 2012, his law school, Washington University School of Law, named him Distinguished Alumni of the Year.
Advertising Campaigns
Under Puzder's leadership, CKE launched many memorable ad campaigns for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's. These ads often featured celebrities. Puzder said these ads helped save the company and many jobs. After Puzder left CKE in 2017, the company decided to change its advertising to focus more on the food itself.
Media and Books
Puzder often writes articles about economic and legal topics. His articles have appeared in well-known publications like The Wall Street Journal and Forbes. He has also been a guest on many business news TV shows.
In 2010, Puzder co-wrote a book called Job Creation: How It Really Works and Why Government Doesn't Understand It. In this book, Puzder and his co-author discuss how jobs are created. They suggest that reducing government rules and cutting taxes can help the economy.
In 2018, Puzder wrote another book, The Capitalist Comeback: The Trump Boom and the Left's Plot to Stop It. This book talks about how Donald Trump's time as president affected the U.S. economy.
Political Involvement
Working with Mitt Romney
In 2011, Puzder helped with Mitt Romney's plan for jobs and economic growth. He was an economic advisor and spokesperson for Romney's 2012 presidential campaign. Puzder also served as a delegate at the 2012 Republican National Convention. He helped lead a committee focused on the economy and job creation.
Working with Donald Trump
In 2016, Puzder helped raise money for Donald Trump's presidential campaign. He and his wife donated a lot of money to support Trump. Puzder was a senior economic advisor and spokesperson for the campaign. He also served as a delegate at the 2016 Republican National Convention. He helped lead a committee focused on the economy and job creation, similar to his role with Romney.
Nomination for Secretary of Labor
On December 8, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Puzder to be the United States Secretary of Labor. This job involves overseeing rules about workers and jobs in the U.S.
His approval hearing in the United States Senate was delayed several times. This was partly because of questions about how Puzder would avoid conflicts of interest. Puzder faced criticism from some groups. They said he had not treated his workers well and that he opposed raising the minimum wage. He was also criticized for hiring an undocumented worker as a housekeeper and not paying taxes for her services. On February 15, 2017, Puzder withdrew his nomination. It became clear that he did not have enough votes in the Senate to be approved for the job.
Political Views
Puzder has shared his views on several economic topics:
- Minimum Wage: He has been against raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour. He believes it could make things more expensive for customers and lead to more jobs being done by machines. He also opposes raising the minimum wage for workers who receive tips.
- Overtime Pay: Puzder was against a rule that would have required certain managers to get overtime pay if they worked more than 40 hours a week. He believed this rule would make businesses cut costs elsewhere, possibly reducing job opportunities.
- Healthcare: He supports getting rid of the Affordable Care Act. He believes that rising healthcare costs from this law hurt working families and businesses, especially restaurants.
- Automation: Puzder has said that increased use of machines could be good because machines are always polite and don't take vacations. However, he also believes that humans are still important in fast food for customer service.
- Immigration: In 2013, Puzder supported changes to immigration laws. He said that immigrants appreciate what America offers and are willing to work. He believed they were not taking jobs from Americans, but rather filling jobs that Americans were not applying for.
Personal Life
Andrew Puzder was married to Lisa Fierstein Henning from 1973 to 1987. They had two children together. He married Deanna L. Descher in 1987. He has six children and six grandchildren. He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife. Puzder is Roman Catholic.
Groups He Belongs To
Puzder is a member of several important groups:
- The National Advisory Board of Washington University School of Law
- The American Enterprise Institute, a research organization
- The Job Creators Network, a group that supports businesses
In 2013, Puzder was chosen to be a director of the International Franchise Association.
See also
- Unsuccessful nominations to the Cabinet of the United States
