Hubbry Logo
Andrew PuzderAndrew PuzderMain
Open search
Andrew Puzder
Community hub
Andrew Puzder
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Andrew Puzder
Andrew Puzder
Andrew Puzder
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Andrew Franklin Puzder (/ˈpʌzdər/; born July 11, 1950) is an American attorney, author, and businessman, now serving as United States Ambassador to the European Union.

Key Information

Puzder worked as a commercial trial lawyer in private practice from 1978 to 1995, handling many high-profile cases and being active in the anti-abortion movement. He was chief executive officer of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Hardee's and Carl's Jr., from September 2000 to March 2017.[2] While holding this position, he was nominated on December 8, 2016, by then-President-elect Donald Trump to serve as Secretary of Labor. After it came out that he had kept an illegal immigrant as his housekeeper, paying no taxes on her work,[3] Puzder, who also faced criticism for his company’s treatment of its workers, withdrew on February 15, 2017, for want of votes needed for his confirmation.[4]

On January 22, 2025, President Trump announced his nomination of Puzder to serve as United States Ambassador to the European Union in his second administration.[5] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 2, 2025.[6] He presented his credentials on September 11, 2025.

Puzder is a frequent commentator on economic and political issues. He co-authored a book entitled Job Creation: How It Really Works and Why Government Doesn't Understand It.[7] After withdrawing as Secretary of Labor nominee, Puzder published his second book, The Capitalist Comeback: The Trump Boom and the Left's Plot to Stop It, in 2018.[8]

Early life and education

[edit]

Puzder was born on July 11, 1950, in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Winifred M. (Franklin) and Andrew Frank Puzder, a car salesman.[9] He grew up in a working class community in Russell Township.

Earning his way through college and law school, while supporting his family by working construction, landscaping, and painting houses, he attended Kent State University, but later dropped out in 1970 to play guitar and perform in bands.[10]

Puzder would later move to Cleveland Heights where he managed a guitar studio[11] while attending Cleveland State University, receiving a BA in history in 1975. He then attended Washington University School of Law where he was the senior editor of the Washington University Law Quarterly, receiving his JD in 1978. Puzder would become the first in his family to graduate from college.[12][13][14]

Career

[edit]
[edit]

From 1978 to 1991, Puzder was a commercial trial lawyer in St. Louis at the law offices of famed attorney Morris Shenker, whom he represented in various matters from 1978 to 1984. In 1984 he moved to the Stolar Partnership where he worked with trial attorney Charles A. Seigel from 1984 to 1991.[15] During this time he also served as a trial lawyer in St. Louis and was involved in a number of high-profile cases until 1997.[16]

Anti-abortion movement

[edit]

During the 1980s and early 1990s, Puzder was considered Missouri's leading anti-abortion lawyer[16][17] and was active in the anti-abortion advocacy group Lawyers for Life.[18] In 1984, Puzder and another lawyer wrote an article for the Stetson Law Review[19] proposing a Missouri law that would define life as beginning at conception in the broad context of contract or property law. Working with St. Louis area Congresswoman Ann Wagner's mother-in-law, Puzder reasoned that if fetuses were recognized as having rights in other contexts, it would establish a foundation for challenging Roe v. Wade later on.[20]

It would also influence one section of Missouri House Bill 1596,[18] an abortion law prohibiting the use of state money for abortions and declaring that life begins at conception.[16] Following a challenge, the Supreme Court in 1989 upheld the law in Webster v. Reproductive Health Services.[21] The watershed decision opened the door for new state-level restrictions on abortion.[17]

Following the Webster decision in 1990, Puzder authored a commentary article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that "called on his colleagues and abortion-rights supporters to work together for new laws to help pregnant women and their children." BJ Isaacson Jones, the Director of Reproductive Health Services (the abortion clinic involved in the Webster case), contacted him and they began talking about areas where they could find common ground in an effort to help women and children.[13][14] Their common ground efforts grew into a national organization known as the Common Ground Network for Life and Choice with the objective of helping "activists get beyond their differences and, together, help pregnant women." The Network had an office in Washington DC and held two national conferences. In 1995, Puzder and Isaacson-Jones co-authored a pamphlet entitled Adoption as Common Ground and Isaacson Jones opened an adoption agency in the clinic.[22][23][24]

In July 1989, Puzder was appointed chair of the Task Force for Mothers and Unborn Children by Missouri Governor John Ashcroft. After The Riverfront Times published an article detailing allegations that he had abused his wife, he offered up his resignation to the Governor, which the Governor later rejected.

His former wife subsequently "fully" withdrew those allegations in 1990 and has been adamant that Puzder was "not abusive" and that she would "most definitely confirm to anyone who may ask that in no way was there abuse." In a letter dated Jan. 18, 2017 that she sent to Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Sen. Patty Murray, she stated: "Let me be clear. Andy is not and was not abusive or violent. He is a good, loving, kind man and a deeply committed and loving father." She acknowledged that she was "misled by faulty advice of someone I trusted" and noted that "[t]he fact that my attorney used 'adult abuse' as a vehicle to gain leverage in our divorce proceedings has haunted me as well as our children to this day.[25]"

Puzder left the task force a few months later due to workload according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch.[18][26]

CKE Restaurants

[edit]
Puzder speaking on a panel at FreedomFest in Las Vegas, Nevada in July 2016.

Puzder represented Carl Karcher, the founder of the Carl's Jr. quick-service restaurant chain, while practicing law in St. Louis.[27] Karcher was under investigation into insider trading by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC filed suit saying that Karcher had told several relatives to sell their stock ahead of a poor earnings report. In July 1989, Karcher paid $664,000 to settle the case.[28] Puzder organized a transaction in which Karcher would sell a stake in his company to William P. Foley, the chairman and CEO of Fidelity National Financial.[27] In 1991, Karcher asked Puzder to move to Orange County, California and become his personal attorney and Puzder did so.[27] Puzder has been credited with resolving Karcher's financial dilemma, allowing Karcher to avoid bankruptcy and retain a significant ownership interest in the company he founded, CKE Restaurants, Inc. (CKE).[27] Puzder was a partner in the Costa Mesa-based law firm Lewis, D'Amato, Brisbois & Bisgaard from September 1991 to March 1994, and a shareholder in Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth from March 1994 to 1995.

In 1993, Foley became chairman and CEO of CKE Restaurants and Karcher became chairman emeritus.[27] In January 1995, Puzder became executive vice president and general counsel for Fidelity, managing one of the largest corporate legal departments in the country until June 2000. Puzder also worked with Foley to create Santa Barbara Restaurant Group, a conglomerate of restaurant chains that was purchased by CKE in 2002. Puzder served as the company's CEO.[29]

In 1997, Puzder was also named executive vice president and general counsel for CKE and CKE purchased the Hardee's quick-service restaurant brand. The transaction burdened CKE with $700 million in debt. The company underperformed and its market capitalization dropped to about $200 million.[15] Faced with serious financial and operational issues, CKE's Board of Directors named Puzder as president and CEO of Hardee's Food Systems in June 2000 and named him president and CEO of CKE Restaurants, Inc. in September of that year.[30] Puzder is credited with turning around both the Hardee's brand and CKE, allowing the company to survive, become financially secure and return to growth.[31][32][33][34]

Sales to Apollo and Roark Capital

[edit]

In July 2010, Apollo Global Management, a private equity firm, acquired CKE for $700 million in a transaction valued at $1 billion and took the company private.[35] In December 2013, Roark Capital Group purchased CKE and retained CKE's management team including Puzder, who remained CEO until replaced in June 2017.[35]

Awards and honors in the food service industry

[edit]

PR News and CommCore Consulting named Puzder its 2005 Spokesperson of the Year for his work in representing the Carl's Jr. and Hardee's brands on television and radio.[36] Puzder earned the Golden Chain Award in 2008 from Nation's Restaurant News, in honor of his accomplishments and career achievements as a multi-unit foodservice executive.[37] In 2010, the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association awarded Puzder with the Food Service Operator of the Year Silver Plate Award in recognition of outstanding service and dedication to the foodservice industry.[38] In 2012, Washington University School of Law named Puzder Distinguished Alumni of the Year.[39]

Advertisements

[edit]

Under Puzder, CKE launched a long-running ad campaign for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's showing thin, scantily dressed female celebrities eating large hamburgers. They began with a 2005 ad featuring Paris Hilton eating a burger while wearing a bikini and washing a car. Other notable commercials included 2009 spots featuringTop Chef's Padma Lakshmi and Kim Kardashian. A 2012 ad starred Kate Upton stripping down while eating a burger in the back of a vintage car.[40] In 2016, Hardee's ran a suggestive ad for its "bacon three-way" burger, in which 3 women--models Genevieve Morton and Emily Sears, and Playboy Playmate Elena Belle--struck seductive poses as they fed bacon to one another.[41] Puzder defended the CKE advertisements saying "We saved the company with those ads, we saved a lot of jobs," and "I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis. I think it's very American. I used to hear, brands take on the personality of the CEO. And I rarely thought that was true, but I think this one, in this case, it kind of did take on my personality."[42] After Puzder left CKE in 2017, the corporation announced it was retiring its sexy ad campaign and replacing it with "food-centered" advertising.[43]

Media appearances

[edit]

Puzder is a frequent author on economic and legal issues in periodicals such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Real Clear Politics, CNBC online, National Review, The Hill, Politico, and the Orange County Register. He has been a guest on business news programs including Your World with Neil Cavuto, Varney & Co., Mornings with Maria, The O'Reilly Factor with Bill O'Reilly, Mad Money with Jim Cramer, Fast Money, Power Lunch, Lou Dobbs Tonight, and Squawk on the Street. He was the interviewee on Tucker Carlson Today's 2023 episode Burgers to Billions.[44] He has co-hosted both Varney & Co. and Squawk on the Street. He is also a frequent speaker at colleges, universities, and other venues on economic issues and the impact of government regulations on corporations.

In 2010, Puzder and David Newton co-wrote the book Job Creation: How It Really Works and Why Government Doesn't Understand It. In the book, Puzder and Newton sharply criticize trade unions and argue in favor of deregulation, tax cuts, government spending cuts, and an increase in domestic oil production.[45]

In 2018, Puzder wrote the book The Capitalist Comeback: The Trump Boom and the Left's Plot to Stop It. In the book, Puzder discusses how Donald Trump's presidency has impacted the U.S. economy.[46]

Political involvement

[edit]

Presidential campaign of Mitt Romney

[edit]

In 2011, Puzder contributed to Believe in America, Mitt Romney's Plan for Jobs and Economic Growth. He was an Economic Adviser and a spokesman for the Romney campaign for President.[47] Puzder also served as a Delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention[48] and as the Chairman of the Platform Committee's Sub-Committee on the Economy, Job Creation, and the Debt.[49]

Presidential campaign of Donald Trump

[edit]

In 2016, Puzder raised money for the Trump campaign for President,[50] and with his wife contributed $332,000 to Trump's campaign, joint fundraising committees, and the Republican National Committee, according to the Federal Election Commission.[51] He was a Trump Presidential Trustee, Victory Finance Chair for California,[52] spokesperson, and Senior Economic Advisor to the campaign.[53] Puzder also served as a Delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention and as the Chairman of the Platform Committee's "Restoring the American Dream" Sub-Committee on the economy, job creation, and the debt.[54]

Secretary of Labor nomination

[edit]

On December 8, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Puzder to be United States Secretary of Labor.[55][56]

Puzder's confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee was delayed several times due to the Office of Government Ethics not having finalized its review specifying how Puzder would avoid ethical conflicts.[57] A source close to Puzder, speaking on condition of anonymity, accused Democrats of stalling the process: "With regards to Andy's paperwork, the Democrats and the Committee have been moving the goal post," the source said via email. Sources close to Puzder insist that he had maintained transparency and provided an enormous amount of detail in order to streamline the confirmation process.[58]

Puzder had "come under intense fire from Democrats and liberal groups who accused him of mistreating his workers, opposing the minimum wage and supporting automation in the workplace."[59] Labor Department investigators had discovered that franchisees of the Hardee’s chain, whose parent company he ran, had violated federal wage-and-hour regulations in many instances of wage theft, entitling workers to thousands of dollars in back pay.[60][61] Puzder was also found to have employed an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper, paying no taxes on her services till after he was chosen by Donald Trump to lead the Labor Department.[62]

On February 15, 2017, the eve of his scheduled confirmation hearing, Puzder withdrew his nomination, after "it became clear to Republican Senate leaders that they did not have the votes to confirm him" in the Senate confirmation.[63][64]

Political views

[edit]

Puzder has been critical of raising the federal minimum wage, claiming that a $15 per hour minimum wage would increase costs for consumers and increase automation, leading to fewer jobs.[65][66][55] He also opposes raising the $2.13 per hour minimum wage for tipped workers.[67] In an interview published by Fox Business in May 2016, Puzder said: "There are solutions to this problem, and increasing the minimum wage is not the best solution. If we are going to increase the minimum wage at all, we've got to keep a lower minimum wage for entry-level workers, or these people are just going to be shut out of the workforce….The Congressional Budget Office came out with a report last year that said you could raise the minimum wage to about $9 without much impact on jobs, and you probably could do that".[68][69] He said that protesters who are demanding a $15/hour minimum wage "should really think about what they're doing".[68][69]

Puzder opposed a never-enacted rule that would have required time and a half overtime pay to certain salaried managers when they worked more than 40 hours per week. In an editorial published by Forbes Magazine in 2016, Puzder wrote: "This new rule will simply add to the extensive regulatory maze the Obama Administration has imposed on employers, forcing many to offset increased labor expense by cutting costs elsewhere. In practice, this means reduced opportunities, bonuses, benefits, perks and promotions".[70] Under his tenure, CKE paid $20 million over class-action lawsuits due to various overtime rule violations.[71]

Puzder supports repealing the Affordable Care Act.[72] In an opinion editorial published in The Wall Street Journal in October 2016, Puzder referred to the law as the "Non-Affordable Care Act" and said that "the burden these increased health-care costs place on working and middle-class Americans is inexcusable".[73] He stated that rising premiums have created a "government-mandated restaurant recession" because people have less money to spend dining out.[73][72]

Speaking to Business Insider in 2016, Puzder said that increased automation could be a welcome development because machines were "always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, there's never a slip-and-fall or an age, sex, or race discrimination case."[72][74] However, Puzder does not advocate completely removing humans from the "fast food equation", and has mentioned several drawbacks to increased automation, including detrimental effects on customer service and difficulty in building company culture.[75]

He backed comprehensive immigration reform in 2013.[76] At that time, Puzder stated "If we had immigration reform and were able to hire these people who really want to work, we'd have a more diverse, incentivized and productive workforce, you'd really reinforce this idea that the United States is the land of opportunity, the land of entrepreneurial vision — and that could use some reinforcing."[77] In 2013, Puzder said "Immigrants appreciate what America offers. They are not taking jobs from Americans, because there are not sufficient Americans applying for jobs. Maybe they feel they have better options."[78]

Personal life

[edit]

Puzder was married to Lisa Fierstein Henning from 1973 until their divorce in 1987, and they had two children together.[79] During the divorce trial, his ex-wife alleged that Puzder had abused her. She later retracted the allegations.[80][81] Puzder married Deanna L. Descher in 1987. He has six children and six grandchildren. He lives in Franklin, Tennessee with his wife.[82][83] Puzder is Roman Catholic.[84]

Affiliations

[edit]

Puzder is a member of:

In 2013, Puzder was elected as a director of the International Franchise Association.[88]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Andrew Puzder

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Andrew F. Puzder is an American attorney, business executive, author, and diplomat serving as the Ambassador to the since August 2025. After earning his law degree from in 1978, he practiced commercial law in before joining in 1986 as personal counsel to founder . Puzder ascended to CEO in 2000, steering the company through financial distress to expand its and brands into an international chain of over 3,800 locations during his nearly 17-year tenure ending in 2017. In December 2016, President-elect nominated him for Secretary of Labor, a position he withdrew from in February 2017 after it became clear he lacked sufficient support amid scrutiny of his business practices and personal life by opponents of . Puzder has authored several books advocating free-market principles and critiquing government overreach, including Job Creation: How It Really Works and Why Government Doesn't Understand It (2010), The Capitalist Comeback (2018), and A Tyranny for the Good of its Victims (2025). His career emphasizes for profit-driven job growth and skepticism toward regulatory interventions that he argues hinder economic vitality, positions informed by direct experience managing large-scale operations in a competitive industry.

Early Life and Education

Childhood and Family Background

Andrew Puzder was born on July 11, 1950, in , , to Andrew Frank Puzder, a car salesman, and Winifred M. Franklin. As the eldest of five children, he was raised in a working-class household in the Russell Township area near . Puzder's paternal grandparents immigrated to the from in the early 1900s, seeking economic opportunities, a pattern reflective of broader immigrant waves during that era. His family's modest circumstances instilled values of hard work and , shaped by his father's sales career in an industry marked by competitive pressures and variable income. These early experiences in a blue-collar community influenced Puzder's later perspectives on labor markets and , though he has not detailed specific childhood anecdotes in public records beyond this foundational context.

Academic Achievements

Puzder earned a degree in history from in 1975. He subsequently obtained a degree from in 1978. In recognition of his professional accomplishments, named Puzder its Distinguished Alumni of the Year in 2009. Similarly, honored him with its Distinguished Law Alumni Award in 2013, citing his career as a model for students and alumni. No records indicate additional academic honors such as summa cum laude distinctions or scholarly publications during his studies.

Private Practice and Early Advocacy

After graduating from Washington University School of Law in 1978, Puzder joined the St. Louis law offices of Morris A. Shenker as a commercial trial lawyer, practicing there from 1978 to 1984. Shenker, a prominent attorney known for representing Teamsters leader and other high-profile clients with alleged ties, mentored Puzder, who handled various commercial matters and defended Shenker in litigation, including a U.S. Department of Labor case stemming from Shenker's management of casino pension funds that resulted in a $34 million judgment against him in the early . In 1984, Puzder moved to the Stolar Partnership in , where he continued commercial trial work alongside attorney Charles A. Seigel until approximately 1991, handling high-profile cases in a firm focused on business litigation. During this period, his practice emphasized defending business interests, including opposition to federal labor enforcement actions, as evidenced by his early involvement in challenging Department of Labor claims on behalf of employers. Puzder's early advocacy centered on the anti- movement, where he volunteered legal services starting in the early , including representing protesters accused of trespassing and arguing that such actions did not violate criminal laws due to the to protect fetal life. Affiliated with the pro-life group Lawyers for Life, he shifted public and legal discourse by authoring writings that framed as the intentional killing of a human being from conception, influencing policymakers and contributing to state legislative efforts to restrict the procedure. These efforts, conducted alongside his private practice, positioned him as a key figure in 's pro-life legal community during the , predating his more direct role in specific legislation.

Role in Anti-Abortion Legislation

During the 1980s, Andrew Puzder, practicing as a commercial trial lawyer in , , emerged as a prominent advocate in the state's anti-abortion movement, volunteering his legal expertise to advance restrictive legislation and defend activists. He collaborated with figures like Samuel Lee, a key anti-abortion lobbyist, to reframe the from women's to the moral and legal equivalence of fetal life with born persons. Puzder argued that existing laws, including (1973), were constitutionally flawed, asserting that states could recognize fetal personhood without directly contradicting federal precedents. Puzder co-authored a 1984 article in the Stetson Law Review proposing model legislation for Missouri to declare that "the life of each human being begins at conception," positioning this as a factual and legal preamble rather than an enforceable mandate. Working with Lee and state legislators, he helped draft similar language into Missouri's 1986 abortion regulation statute (House Bill 370), which included this definitional provision alongside bans on elective abortions at public hospitals and facilities, prohibitions on public funding or employee involvement in non-therapeutic abortions, and a requirement for physicians to perform viability tests on fetuses estimated at 20 weeks or more gestation. These elements aimed to assert state authority over fetal protection while testing the boundaries of Roe. The statute faced immediate legal challenges from abortion providers, culminating in Webster v. Reproductive Health Services (1989), where the U.S. upheld the preamble declaring life at conception (as non-justiciable opinion), the public funding restrictions, and the viability testing mandate in a 5-4 decision. This ruling, influenced by Missouri's law, permitted states greater leeway to regulate abortions pre-viability without requiring under Roe, marking a significant erosion of the earlier precedent's absolutism on state restrictions. Puzder viewed the outcome as a strategic success in prompting judicial reconsideration of abortion's legal framing. Beyond , Puzder represented anti- protesters arrested for trespassing at clinics, invoking a "necessity defense" that their actions were justified to prevent imminent harm to fetuses, akin to rescuing someone from a . He affiliated with groups like Lawyers for Life, solidifying his role as one of Missouri's leading anti-abortion attorneys through the early 1990s, though his focus shifted to business after 1991. These efforts prioritized causal arguments about and state sovereignty over empirical critiques of abortion's impacts, aligning with a legal to incrementally challenge federal abortion rights.

Business Career

Leadership at CKE Restaurants

Andrew Puzder served as president and chief executive officer of CKE Restaurants, Inc., the parent company of the Carl's Jr. and Hardee's fast-food chains, from September 2000 until March 2017. Prior to his CEO role, Puzder had joined CKE in the late 1990s as a key advisor to founder Carl Karcher, assisting in negotiations that prevented bankruptcy and preserved Karcher's ownership stake amid financial pressures from investors like Fidelity National Financial. In June 2000, he was appointed president and CEO of Hardee's Food Systems, a subsidiary, before assuming leadership of the broader CKE entity three months later. Upon taking the helm, Puzder inherited a company facing severe financial difficulties, including declining sales and operational inefficiencies following acquisitions like in 1997. He implemented strategies focused on cost control, menu innovation, and franchise expansion, leading CKE out of distress to profitability and growth. By 2017, under his tenure, CKE operated or franchised more than 3,800 restaurants across the and 40 other countries, up from a smaller domestic base at the start of his leadership. Financial performance improved markedly; system-wide revenues reached approximately $4.3 billion by 2016, reflecting robust same-store sales growth and . Puzder emphasized and franchisee partnerships, culminating in the 2013 sale of CKE to Roark Capital Group for $1.7 billion, which he described as affirming the company's strengthened position. His exit in 2017 coincided with his nomination for U.S. Secretary of Labor, after which he transitioned to advisory roles. During Puzder's leadership, CKE faced legal challenges, including multimillion-dollar settlements for alleged wage and hour violations under law, though these were attributed by the company to complex franchise operations rather than systemic policy failures. Puzder maintained that such issues were resolved through compliance enhancements, prioritizing business viability in a competitive industry.

Strategies for Company Turnaround and Growth

Upon assuming the role of CEO of in September 2000, Andrew Puzder inherited a company burdened by approximately $700 million in debt and a brand described as in "freefall," with expectations that it would require preparation for sale or . To address these challenges, Puzder implemented operational discipline, including scripting employee-customer interactions to standardize service, emphasizing cleanliness protocols, and enforcing strict appearance standards such as requiring visible teeth for counter staff to project professionalism. These measures aimed to elevate execution at the store level, where inconsistencies had contributed to declining performance. A core turnaround tactic involved menu simplification and innovation to differentiate CKE's offerings from competitors emphasizing healthier or smaller portions. Puzder streamlined Hardee's menu to align more closely with the successful Carl's Jr. model, focusing on charbroiled, indulgent burgers rather than expanding variety. In April 2003, the introduction of the Thickburger line—featuring larger patties on bakery buns—drove same-store sales increases at Hardee's locations. This was followed in 2004 by the Monster Thickburger, a 1,420-calorie sandwich that exceeded sales expectations and reinforced the brand's positioning toward "young, hungry guys" seeking hearty meals, contributing to a sales rebound across the 2,067-restaurant Hardee's chain. For growth, Puzder pursued aggressive refranchising to leverage operator expertise and reduce corporate overhead. In April 2007, CKE announced a program to refranchise over 200 underperforming restaurants, prioritizing experienced multi-unit operators to enhance local and expansion potential. Complementing this, marketing campaigns featuring models in bikinis promoting Thickburgers boosted brand visibility and appealed to a core demographic, aiding differentiation in a competitive market. controls, including a shift toward part-time labor to mitigate expenses like those from the , supported scalability. These efforts yielded substantial results: CKE's systemwide revenue expanded from about $1.8 billion in 2000 to $4.3 billion by , while the company grew to operate over 3,700 locations employing more than 75,000 workers.

Innovative Marketing and Advertising

Under Puzder's leadership as CEO of CKE Restaurants from 2000 to 2017, the company pursued a marketing strategy for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's that emphasized bold, attention-grabbing advertisements featuring attractive women in revealing attire consuming oversized burgers, targeting young male consumers aged 18 to 35 described as "young, hungry guys." This approach diverged from competitors' family-oriented or product-centric campaigns by leveraging sex appeal to evoke appetite and desire, positioning the brands as providers of indulgent, substantial food for men with larger appetites. A landmark example was the 2005 Carl's Jr. commercial starring in a low-cut top and denim shorts, seductively washing a while biting into a Spicy BBQ Six Dollar Burger, which aired during and sparked widespread media coverage despite limited paid airtime. Subsequent ads featured celebrities and models such as and in similar provocative scenarios, extending the format to after its full integration into CKE's portfolio. Puzder defended the tactic by arguing that generates free publicity and tests effectiveness—if ads elicited no complaints, they failed to cut through advertising clutter. Puzder attributed the strategy's success to reversing CKE's fortunes, claiming it prevented collapse amid $700 million in debt upon his arrival and sustained 75,000 jobs, with the company achieving unit volume growth in 2014 alongside only among major chains. By emphasizing authentic burger consumption—requiring models who could convincingly eat large portions—the ads reinforced product quality over mere aesthetics, contributing to menu innovations like the Six Dollar Burger line launched in the mid-2000s. However, Puzder later acknowledged in 2017 that such ads had diminishing impact amid shifting cultural norms, prompting a pivot toward food-focused messaging after his departure.

Ownership Transitions and Industry Recognition

In July 2010, , under Puzder's leadership as CEO, was acquired by an affiliate of (Columbia Lake Acquisition Holdings Inc.) in a transaction valued at approximately $1 billion, transitioning the company from public to private ownership. This deal followed an initial agreement with that was superseded, with Puzder retaining his position as CEO post-acquisition and noting the strategic benefits for operational flexibility. By November 2013, CKE was sold to , another , in an undisclosed transaction, with Puzder expected to continue leading the company alongside its management team and franchisees. This shift marked the second major ownership change during his tenure, enabling further focus on brand growth for and without public market pressures. Puzder personally benefited from these transitions, realizing approximately $25.6 million from his equity stake in the 2010 sale. Puzder's contributions to CKE's turnaround and expansion earned him notable industry accolades. In 2008, he received the Golden Chain Award from Nation's Restaurant News, recognizing his outstanding career achievements in the restaurant sector, including revitalizing and driving CKE's profitability. In 2010, the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association presented him with the Silver Plate Award for Food Service Operator of the Year, honoring his leadership in operational recovery and sales growth at CKE. These honors reflected empirical successes, such as restoring CKE to profitability after earlier financial struggles and expanding its market presence through targeted acquisitions and marketing.

Political Involvement

Support for Republican Presidential Campaigns

Puzder served as an economic adviser to during the 2012 presidential campaign and was described as a major financier for the Republican nominee. He contributed $2,500 directly to Romney's campaign committee on April 26, 2012, and $10,000 to the pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future on July 25, 2012. These contributions aligned with Puzder's broader pattern of supporting Republican candidates viewed as viable winners, as he emphasized electability in donor discussions. In the cycle, Puzder initially donated to several Republican primary contenders, including $2,500 to on October 13, 2011; $2,700 to on June 30, 2015 (later refunded); and $5,400 to Scott Walker on September 15, 2015 (partially refunded). He shifted support to , contributing over $300,000 alongside his wife to Trump's campaign and the during the election cycle. This backing reflected Puzder's pragmatic approach, prioritizing candidates likely to succeed against Democrats, and positioned him for Trump's subsequent nomination as Secretary of Labor.

Nominations in the Trump Administrations

On December 8, 2016, President-elect selected Andrew Puzder, then CEO of , as his nominee for , citing Puzder's business experience in advocating for reduced regulations and opposing hikes as qualifications to reform the Department of Labor. The formal nomination occurred on January 20, 2017, Trump's first day in office, positioning Puzder to oversee enforcement of , , and laws amid his public criticisms of such mandates as barriers to employment. Puzder's confirmation faced opposition from labor unions, who highlighted his preference for automation over low-wage workers and his company's history of wage disputes, alongside conservative concerns over his support for certain immigration reforms. Scrutiny intensified over personal matters, including a 1990 television appearance by his ex-wife, Lisa Puzder (then Fierstein), who alleged while disguised on ; she recanted these claims months later in a custody agreement letter, stating, "You were not abusive... in no way was there abuse. We had a heated argument," and reaffirmed this defense during the 2017 process. Additional issues involved Puzder's employment of an undocumented housekeeper from 1985 to 1990, for which he paid cash wages without Social Security taxes (later settling approximately $30,000 in back taxes), and incomplete financial disclosures tied to his company's operations. By February 15, 2017, Senate Republicans informed the that Puzder lacked sufficient votes for , prompting his withdrawal to avoid a protracted fight; he cited exhaustion from the scrutiny but maintained the allegations lacked merit. groups praised the decision as principled, while critics from labor advocates viewed it as validation of ethical lapses unfit for the role. Trump subsequently nominated , who was confirmed. In his second term, Trump nominated Puzder on January 22, 2025, to serve as the Representative to the with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, emphasizing his private-sector expertise for trade and economic negotiations amid EU tensions. The confirmed the nomination (PN26-39) on August 2, 2025, by a 53-44 vote, with Republicans arguing his suited addressing regulatory barriers in transatlantic , despite resurfaced 2017 allegations receiving less emphasis than in the prior process. Puzder was sworn in and assumed duties in later that month, marking a successful outcome contrasting his earlier withdrawal.

Economic and Labor Policy Positions

Puzder has advocated for economic policies emphasizing , tax reductions, and market-driven job growth over government mandates. In testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on April 29, 2021, he credited the 2017 , combined with broad and domestic energy production, for fostering business investment and the strongest labor market in decades, particularly benefiting low-wage and minority workers. He argues that such measures enable employers to compete for labor by increasing wages organically, rather than through regulatory impositions that he contends distort markets and reduce employment opportunities. Regarding minimum wage policies, Puzder opposes substantial increases, such as to $15 per hour, asserting they lead to job losses, business closures, staff reductions, and accelerated as firms seek cost efficiencies. In a 2017 , he cited a study indicating that higher mandated wages disproportionately harm young and low-skilled workers by pricing them out of entry-level positions. While not against modest, "rational" adjustments, he favors alternatives like expanding the to supplement incomes without disrupting hiring decisions. On labor regulations, including overtime eligibility rules, Puzder has criticized expansions like the Obama administration's update, which aimed to extend pay to millions more salaried workers earning up to approximately $47,000 annually. He contended that reclassifying managers as overtime-eligible would diminish their , effectively turning them into "glorified crew members" and increasing operational costs without commensurate productivity gains. Puzder supports rolling back such rules to levels akin to those in , arguing they impose undue burdens on businesses and hinder flexibility in a competitive . In the context of immigration and the labor market, Puzder has endorsed comprehensive reform to facilitate legal hiring of foreign workers, particularly in low-wage sectors facing shortages, while opposing visa programs that undercut American wages. He has advocated for guest worker reforms that enforce rule compliance and prioritize domestic labor opportunities, stating in 2016 that he would "fiercely defend American workers" by preventing exploitation through lax enforcement. His position aligns with increasing legal immigration pathways to fill gaps, as evidenced by his past support for status adjustments for undocumented workers already employed, though he has emphasized wage protection for U.S. citizens.

Public Commentary and Media Presence

Television, Radio, and Public Speaking Engagements

Puzder has frequently appeared as a business and economic commentator on Network, providing analysis on labor markets, taxation, and consumer trends. For instance, he discussed corporate hiring practices influenced by ESG criteria and quotas on in February 2023. He has also critiqued fiscal policies on The Evening Edit, arguing in December 2024 that U.S. fiscal challenges stem from excessive spending rather than insufficient , citing revenue gains from the 2017 Trump tax cuts. Additional segments include interviews with in August 2017 on presidential leadership and multiple 2024 appearances addressing , middle-class burdens, and post-election economic outlooks. His television commentary extends to other networks, such as a 2021 Fox Business segment with Representative on declining economic approval ratings under the Biden administration. Puzder has also featured in C-SPAN coverage of congressional testimonies, including his 2011 appearance as CKE Restaurants CEO before a House committee on business operations. These engagements position him as a proponent of free-market policies, often contrasting empirical data on job growth and wage stagnation against regulatory expansions. On radio and podcasts, Puzder has addressed ideological influences in , such as in a 2023 episode of The Kevin Roberts Show, where he described as "socialism in sheep's clothing" and linked it to elite-driven stakeholder capitalism eroding national priorities. He has appeared in audio discussions critiquing coordinated opposition to fossil fuels via ESG frameworks. Puzder's public speaking includes keynotes at industry and policy forums, such as his 2016 luncheon address as CKE CEO on restaurant sector strategies and a November 2023 keynote at the Job Creators Network Summit emphasizing entrepreneurial challenges. In October 2024, he spoke at a Forum in on and the , highlighting data-driven critiques of incumbent policies. As U.S. to the since August 2025, his engagements have shifted to , including a fireside chat on October 6, 2025, at a summit outlining U.S.-EU priorities and a October 2, 2025, address at the Transatlantic Forum on Geoeconomics advocating regulatory alignment on digital services. He further commented on geopolitical in a October 22, 2025, CNBC interview, urging intensified pressure on to resolve the conflict.

Authorship and Opinion Writing

Puzder co-authored the book Job Creation: How It Really Works and Why Government Doesn't Understand It with Wayne H. Winegarden, critiquing government interventions in labor markets and advocating for private-sector-driven employment growth. He later authored The Capitalist Comeback: The Trump Boom and the Left's Plot to Stop It, published in 2018, which attributes post-2016 to and tax reforms while attributing opposition to ideological resistance. In 2025, Puzder released A Tyranny for the Good of Its Victims: The Ugly Truth about Stakeholder Capitalism, arguing that prioritizing non-shareholder interests undermines corporate efficiency and . Beyond books, Puzder maintains an active presence in opinion writing, contributing columns on economic policy, labor regulations, and free-market principles to outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Fox News. His pieces often challenge expansive government roles in business, as seen in a 2016 Wall Street Journal column opposing a Labor Department regulation on joint employers that he contended would stifle franchise operations and job creation. Puzder also publishes on his personal blog, andy.puzder.com, where he has critiqued Democratic economic narratives, such as in an August 2024 post highlighting voter frustration with inflation as a key electoral liability. These writings consistently emphasize empirical outcomes of policy, drawing from his experience in the restaurant industry to argue against minimum wage hikes and overtime expansions that, in his view, reduce hiring flexibility.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Puzder married Lisa Fierstein Henning in 1973; the couple divorced in 1987 and had two children together. During the divorce proceedings in 1986–1987, Henning alleged domestic abuse by Puzder, including incidents where police were called twice without resulting charges or convictions; these claims were detailed in a 1989 Riverfront Times article and her 1990 appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where she stated Puzder threatened retribution. Henning retracted the allegations shortly after the Oprah episode as part of a child custody settlement and, in February 2017, informed U.S. senators that she had erred in making them, defending Puzder amid scrutiny over his Labor Secretary nomination. Puzder married Deanna L. Descher (commonly known as Dee) in 1987, and the couple resides in . He has six children in total from his two marriages and six grandchildren. No further public details on additional relationships or family dynamics have been reported in primary sources.

Philanthropy and Professional Affiliations

Puzder serves as a senior fellow at Pepperdine's , where he contributes to and commentary on economic and labor issues. He is also a member of the Board of Advisors at , his , supporting initiatives. Additionally, Puzder holds a position on the Board of Advisors for Young America's Foundation's Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise, focusing on promoting free-market principles among students. In 2021, Puzder joined as a visiting fellow in its business and economics program, providing expertise on regulatory and workforce policies. He has directed efforts at , an organization dedicated to advancing Objectivist philosophy inspired by , including participation in events and governance. Regarding , Puzder has supported Dream Foundation, a nonprofit granting final wishes to terminally ill adults, as a long-time donor and advocate; under his leadership at , the company contributed $100,000 to the foundation's Dreams for Kids initiative in 2014. Personal contributions include a $150 donation with his spouse to Kappa Sigma's No Shave November campaign for men's around 2018. His charitable activities appear primarily tied to corporate during his tenure as CEO, with limited public details on extensive personal giving beyond targeted causes.

References

  1. https://useu.usmission.gov/ambassador-andrew-puzder/
  2. https://www.voanews.com/a/who-is-andrew-puzder/3629452.html
  3. https://www.andy.puzder.com/bio
  4. https://www.state.gov/puzder-andrew-european-union-april-2025
  5. https://ballotpedia.org/Andrew_Puzder
  6. https://www.independent.org/author/andrew-f-puzder/
  7. https://www.geni.com/people/Andrew-Puzder/6000000050946614099
  8. http://www.allgov.com/news/appointments-and-resignations/secretary-of-labor-who-was-andrew-puzder-170217?news=860084
  9. https://kids.kiddle.co/Andrew_Puzder
  10. https://www.banking.senate.gov/download/puzder-testimony-4-29-21
  11. https://www.constangy.com/employment-labor-insider/trump-to-nominate-fast-food-exec-andy-puzder-as-secretary-of-labor
  12. https://law.washu.edu/alumni-friends-and-philanthropy/distinguished-alumni-awards/2013-distinguished-law-alumni-awards/
  13. https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/andrew-puzder-mob-lawyer-trump-labor-pick-234302
  14. https://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/feb/04/labor-nominees-fight-owners-began-early-las-vegas/
  15. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/16/andrew-puzder-abortion-author-of-controversy
  16. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/magazine/1989/04/09/taking-aim-at-roe-v-wade/1c876e77-ca2b-4689-816b-a25e343a59ba/
  17. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/12/trumps-labor-secretary-pick-has-long-anti-abortion-history/
  18. https://www.oyez.org/cases/1988/88-605
  19. https://fedsoc.org/bio/andrew-puzder-1
  20. https://www.businessinsider.com/puzders-business-methods-raise-questions-2017-1
  21. https://www.roarkcapital.com/files/CKE%2520Release%2520FINAL.pdf
  22. https://publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/newsroom/articles/andy-puzder-former-ceo-cke-restaurants-named-senior-fellow-pepperdine-school.htm
  23. https://nwlc.org/resource/andrew-puzders-record-whats-at-stake-for-women/
  24. https://www.forbes.com/sites/vickyvalet/2017/01/26/where-secretary-of-labor-nominee-andy-puzder-stands-on-employment-and-jobs/
  25. https://www.nrn.com/restaurant-operations/andrew-puzder-on-hardee-s-turnaround
  26. https://www.nrn.com/mergers-acquisitions/the-future-for-cke-continuity
  27. https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2004/12/07/take-heart-and-attack-monster-thickburger/30767257007/
  28. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna6661977
  29. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-02-09/trump-s-labor-pick-loves-burgers-bikinis-and-free-markets
  30. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/cke-announces-refranchising-program/
  31. https://cei.org/blog/hardees-and-carls-jr-employees-set-record-straight-on-working-for-andy-puzder/
  32. https://www.nrn.com/marketing-branding/carl-s-jr-hardee-s-ads-move-away-from-bikini-wearing-women
  33. https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/the-ceo-of-carls-jr-doesnt-care-if-youre-offended-by/246487
  34. https://labusinessjournal.com/news/big-buzz-but-little-bite-from-those-paris-hilton/
  35. https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/andrew-puzder-carls-jr-racy-ads-saved-the-company
  36. https://www.nrn.com/restaurant-segments/2008-golden-chain-andrew-f-puzder
  37. https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/andy-puzder-on-the-end-of-carls-jr-s-racy-ads-young-guys-care-more-about-beef-than-sex
  38. https://www.franchisorpipeline.com/cke-restaurants-inc-announces-completion-of-acquisition-by-an-affiliate-of-apollo-management/
  39. https://archive.nytimes.com/dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/02/26/cke-restaurants-to-sell-itself-to-thl-for-928-million/
  40. https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/print-edition/2010/12/17/going-private-a-premium-as-cke-sells.html
  41. https://www.cfala.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3848
  42. https://ogletree.com/insights-resources/blog-posts/president-elect-trump-announces-the-new-secretary-of-labor/
  43. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/andy-puzder-labor-trump
  44. https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/233023-top-gop-donors-be-like-bush-on-immigration/
  45. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=andrew+puzder
  46. https://maplightarchive.org/story/trumps-pick-for-labor-secretary-a-major-political-donor-finds-support-in-restaurant-industry/
  47. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/08/us/politics/andrew-puzder-labor-secretary-trump.html
  48. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/15/andrew-puzder-withdraws-labor-secretary-nomination
  49. https://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2016/12/andrew-puzder-labor-secretary-trump-232368
  50. https://www.epi.org/policywatch/trump-nominated-andrew-puzder-for-secretary-of-labor/
  51. https://aflcio.org/2016/12/19/9-reasons-why-trumps-secretary-labor-pick-andy-puzder-no-friend-working-people
  52. https://www.govexec.com/management/2017/02/gop-leaders-reportedly-press-trump-withdraw-labor-secretary-pick/135459/
  53. https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/andrew-puzder-ex-wife-abuse-allegations-recanted-labor-secretary/
  54. https://www.cnn.com/2017/02/07/politics/andy-puzder-ex-wife-labor-nominee-abuse-allegations
  55. https://www.cnn.com/2017/02/08/news/puzder-confirmation-issues
  56. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38987930
  57. https://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/senate-republicans-tell-white-house-to-withdraw-puzder-nomination-235062
  58. https://www.npr.org/2017/02/15/515447105/andrew-puzder-withdraws-nomination-for-labor-secretary
  59. http://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2017/02/business-groups-puzder-withdrawal-example-of-his-character-083822
  60. http://schakowsky.house.gov/media/press-releases/schakowsky-statement-andrew-puzder-withdrawing-his-nomination-secretary-labor
  61. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/22/trump-names-department-labor-nominee-eu-ambassador-00200127
  62. https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00486.htm
  63. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/10/puzder-gets-a-softer-treatment-in-second-senate-confirmation-process-00398042
  64. https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/andy-puzder-raise-wages-via-growth-not-mandates/
  65. https://reason.com/podcast/2017/09/27/puzder-trump-labor-minimum-wage/
  66. https://yaf.org/news/the-unintended-consequences-of-a-15-minimum-wage-an-interview-with-andy-puzder/
  67. https://www.epi.org/blog/romney-economic-advisor-andy-puzder-overtime/
  68. https://ogletree.com/insights-resources/blog-posts/back-to-1981-more-reasonable-salary-levels-for-the-overtime-regulations/
  69. https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/press-release-icymi-puzder-i-will-fiercely-defend-american-workers-secretary-labor
  70. https://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/09/andrew-puzder-trumps-labor-pick-has-been-a-big-immigration-advocate.html
  71. https://www.foxnews.com/video/6320059675112
  72. https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6366207887112
  73. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vz51pDv5xY
  74. https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6360836520112
  75. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtCr9mkSl9o
  76. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyIWbgEIt44
  77. https://www.c-span.org/person/?67023
  78. https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/andy-puzder-the-elites-behind-esg-and-dei/id1609468507?i=1000685057455
  79. https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2023/03/22/esg-investing-fossil-fuels
  80. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6FoW1s7ARk
  81. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0jFrIrDOf8
  82. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPdVEsW1K0I
  83. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdpX2kxhM4c
  84. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPUglnZiZ_e/
  85. https://www.cnbc.com/video/2025/10/23/we-need-to-step-up-pressure-on-putin-to-end-ukraine-andrew-puzder.html
  86. https://www.amazon.com/Books-Andrew-Puzder/s?rh=n%253A283155%252Cp_27%253AAndrew%252BPuzder
  87. https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/andrew-puzder/1623435/
  88. https://www.encounterbooks.com/authors/andrew-f-puzder/
  89. https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-cabinet-picks-signal-deregulation-moves-are-coming-1481243006
  90. https://www.andy.puzder.com/post/op-ed-one-sentiment-is-the-greatest-threat-to-the-democrats-election-hopes
  91. https://www.andy.puzder.com/
  92. https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/556184/Andrew_Franklin_Puzder.html
  93. https://time.com/4596633/labor-secretary-andrew-puzder-donald-trump/
  94. https://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/puzder-oprah-winfrey-labor-235030
  95. https://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/andrew-puzder-labor-abuse-allegations-235895
  96. https://yaf.org/people/andrew-f-puzder/
  97. https://www.heritage.org/press/ceo-and-economic-expert-andrew-puzder-joins-heritage-visiting-fellow
  98. https://www.dreamfoundation.org/page/18/?press
  99. https://www.gofundme.com/charity/restorative-justice-movement
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.