Founders

Richard Melman is Founder and Chairman of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, a Chicago-based corporation that owns over 125 restaurants nationwide.

The restaurant business has been Melman’s life work, beginning with his early days in a family owned restaurant, and later as a teenager working in fast food eateries, at a soda fountain, and selling restaurant supplies. After realizing that he wasn’t cut out to be a college student, and failing to convince his father that he should be made a partner in the family business, Melman met Jerry A. Orzoff, a man who immediately and unconditionally believed in Melman’s ability to create and run restaurants. In 1971 the two opened R.J. Grunts, a hip burger joint that soon became one of the hottest restaurants in Chicago. Here Melman and Orzoff presented food differently and with a sense of humor, creating the youthful and fun restaurant which was a forerunner in the trend towards dining out as entertainment that swept this country in the early 1970’s.

Melman and Orzoff continued to develop restaurant concepts together until Orzoff’s death in 1981. Through his relationship with Orzoff, Melman formulated a philosophy based on the importance of partners, of sharing responsibilities and profits with them, and of developing and growing together. Today, Melman has 70 working partners, most of whom have come up through the organization.

To operate so many restaurants well, Lettuce has needed to hire, train and develop people, and then keep them happy and focused on excellence. Melman’s guiding philosophy is that he is not interested in being the biggest, the richest or the most well-known restaurateur. He has always just wanted to be the best he can be. He places enormous value on the over 7,000 people who work for Lettuce Entertain You, and feels tremendous responsibility for their continued success. Melman’s commitment now is to develop the young leaders of Lettuce to ensure that the company will be around for another 46 years.

Melman’s personal life revolves around his family. He and his wife Martha have been married for forty-one years and have three children who are successful restaurateurs themselves.

Gerard Vincent Centioli is Founder of ICON LLC, Founder, President & CEO of ICON INC (ICON) and Senior Partner & Senior VP of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. (LEYE).

Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Centioli spent his childhood employed in all segments of a KFC franchise (41 units) owned by Gil’s Enterprises, Inc., his family business. He worked after school, weekends and holidays learning about restaurant operations, finance, marketing, purchasing, distribution, real estate, construction and every other aspect of the company. After receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration degree with majors in public accounting and marketing from Gonzaga University in Washington, Centioli went on to hold the posts of Assistant to the President and Vice President for Gil’s Enterprises, Inc.

Gil’s Enterprises, Inc. merged into Collins Food International, Inc. (NYSE: CF) in July, 1983 at which time Centioli was named Regional Vice President of the Kentucky Fried Chicken Division of CF. In March 1984, he was named Vice President of Administration of the Kentucky Fried Chicken Division of CF. His affiliation with Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. began in 1984, through a joint venture with CF to develop the Ed Debevic’s concept. The joint venture between CF and LEYE named Centioli Vice President of Ed Debevic’s, Inc. He was named President & CEO of Ed Debevic’s, Inc. in 1988. He was named President & CEO of the Tucci Division of LEYE in 1992. He was named a member of the LEYE Executive Committee in 1993. Centioli was named President & CEO of the Maggiano’s / Corner Bakery Division of LEYE in 1993.

Maggiano’s and Corner Bakery were preparing for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of the company’s stock in 1995. In anticipation of the IPO, the individual Maggiano’s and Corner Bakery entities were merged into a single corporation – Maggiano’s / Corner Bakery, Inc. and Centioli was named President and CEO. Maggiano’s / Corner Bakery, Inc. ultimately merged into Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT) in August 1995. Centioli was named Senior Vice President of EAT and President and CEO of the Maggiano’s / Corner Bakery Division. In October 1995 he was elected to the Board of Directors of EAT. In January 1996 EAT formed the Italian Concepts Division which included Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Maggiano’s Little Italy and Corner Bakery, at which time Centioli was named President and CEO of the Division. While under Centioli’s direction, Romano’s Macaroni Grill grew from 62 to 94 units, Maggiano’s Little Italy grew from inception to 10 units and the Corner Bakery grew from inception to 42 units. In April 1997 EAT formed the Emerging Concepts Division and named Centioli President and CEO. The Emerging Concepts Division was comprised of Maggiano’s Little Italy, Corner Bakery, Big Bowl and Wildfire.

On March 8, 1999, Gerard Centioli, Richard Melman and Michael Fox founded ICON LLC. ICON was formed to establish partnerships with bona fide icons for the expressed purpose of multi-unit development.

The first ICON partnership was established with Joe’s Stone Crab, Inc. of Miami Beach, Florida. This famous restaurant, opened by Joe and Jennie Weiss in Miami Beach in 1913, began serving Florida Stone Crab in 1921. In 1999, ICON and the Weiss Family formed Joe’s Stone Crab Development Company to develop the brand beyond Miami. The first ICONcept, Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, opened on October 19, 2000 in Chicago at The Shops at North Bridge. A poll of Chicago Magazine readers promptly named it “Best New Restaurant of the Year.” A second Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab opened on October 22, 2004 in Las Vegas at The Forum Shops at Caesars. A third Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab opened on January 31, 2014 in The White House neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

The second ICON partnership was established with Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. [NYSE: KKD] of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Vernon Rudolph opened the first store in Winston-Salem on July 13, 1937 making America’s best-loved doughnuts. In 2000, ICON and KKD formed KremeWorks LLC to develop the brand in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Hawaii and British Columbia. The first ICONcept, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts & Coffee, opened in Issaquah, Washington on October 30, 2001. KremeWorks developed a dozen and operates ten Krispy Kreme Doughnuts & Coffee shops in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii.

The third ICON partnership was established with PICK-QUICK Drive In, Inc. of Fife, Washington. This classic drive in was opened by Jay Adolph and Henrietta Olsen in 1949. PICK-QUICK is owned today by Joe and Betty Burgi. In 2007, ICON founder Gerard Centioli and Joe Burgi formed PICK-QUICK Development Company LLC to develop the concept beyond Fife. The first ICONcept, the PICK-QUICK Drive In Flagship, broke ground in Auburn, Washington on September 27, 2010. On October 1, 2010 USA Today named PICK-QUICK Drive In the “Best Burger Joint in the State of Washington” in its list of “51 Great Burger Joints in America.” On March 8, 2011, the 12th Anniversary of ICON LLC, the PICK-QUICK Drive In Flagship opened. On October 18, 2016 the first PICK-QUICK Walk Up and Drive Thru opened in Seattle, Washington.

The fourth ICON partnership was established with Tadich Grill, Inc. of San Francisco, CA. Three Croatian immigrants began this legendary business in 1849 during the California Gold Rush. Tadich Grill is owned today by Michael Buich. In 2009, ICON founder Gerard Centioli and Michael Buich formed Tadich Grill Development Company LLC to develop the brand beyond San Francisco. Forbes named Tadich Grill “One of the World’s 10 Great Classic Restaurants Well Worth Visiting” on July 9, 2012. The first ICONcept opened on October 7, 2015 at 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., between The White House and Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C. On October 24, 2015, seventeen (17) days after the restaurant opened to critical acclaim, a scandalous story appeared in The Washington Post regarding the Buich family. The impact on the restaurant was immediate and fatal, resulting in closure of the restaurant and dissolution of the partnership.

ICON entered into a consulting relationship with The Musso & Frank Grill on October 20, 2009. After ten (10) years, and the one-hundredth (100th) Anniversary of The Musso & Frank Grill on September 27, 2019, ICON Founder Gerard Centioli and the Echeverria, Jones and Kohlmeyer families are considering prospective locations for their first ICONcept.

Centioli was a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) from 1989 – 2004 and served as an officer of the Chicago Chapter from 1994 – 1996.

Crain’s Chicago Business named Centioli one of the 40 Players Under 40 in 1994. Nation’s Restaurant News named Centioli one of the Top 50 New Players in 1997.

Centioli was elected to the Board of Regents of Gonzaga University in April 1999 where he continues to serve.

In June 1999, Centioli was elected to the Board of Directors of Lawry’s Restaurants, Inc. where he continues to serve and Chair the Strategic Planning Committee.

Centioli was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Italian American Foundation in March 2000.

In March 2002, Centioli was elected to the Board of Directors of the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) where he served as Chair of the Quality Assurance Committee.

Centioli was elected to the Board of Directors of the Italian American Chamber of Commerce – Pacific Northwest in January 2011.

In September 2012, Festa Italiana presented him the Gill A. Centioli Memorial Award.

Centioli has a passion for college football that he acquired attending University of Washington games with his father Gill, a season ticket holder since 1951. He is now a University of Washington and University of Notre Dame season ticket holder and attends games with his children and grandchildren.

Centioli also enjoys celebrating his children’s avocations by flying with his son Lauren Vincent, a pilot and attending opera with his daughter Cicilia Rose, an opera singer.

Michael E. Fox is a Chicago native and corporate attorney. He and his law firm – Fox, Swibel, Levin & Carroll – have represented Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. and their restaurants throughout Melman’s business career, Gerard Centioli since 1984, and ICON since its establishment in 1999.

Mr. Fox lettered in basketball in high school, and graduated with high honors in Accounting from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. He became a C.P.A. In 1959, and graduated from Harvard Law School and passed the Illinois Bar Exam in 1962.

With the exception of 1965-68 when he was a staff attorney on the Congressional Joint Tax Committee in Washington, D.C., Mr. Fox has spent his entire business career practicing tax, corporate, transactional and restaurant law in Chicago.

Mr. Fox first met Mr. Melman in 1979 at a business meeting, after which Mr. Melman asked Mr. Fox if he would represent him in a plan to open a restaurant. Their business and personal relationship has continued uninterrupted ever since.

Mr. Fox first met Mr. Centioli in 1984 while representing LEYE in its Ed Debevic’s joint venture with Collins Food International. They worked together in that venture and others, including Maggiano’s, Corner Bakery, and finally ICON.

Mr. Fox has two children.