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| Inducted: |
2009 |
| Region: |
U.S. |
| Industry: |
Hospitality
Food |
|
Partners Tim Gannon, Bob Basham and Chris Sullivan founded the popular Outback Steakhouse restaurant chain in 1987 and the first Outback Restaurant opened in Tampa in 1988. Since then, the company has opened 1,479 restaurants, including Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Fleming's, Roy's, LeeRoy Selmon's, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Blue Coral, and Outback International.
Chris T. Sullivan played the role of concept development and evolution while focusing on real estate and marketing for Outback. He graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1972 and began his career with Steak & Ale Restaurants, a company founded by his mentor Norman Brinker. A general manager at Steak & Ale a year later, he was promoted through the organization, eventually becoming president of the company's Bennigan's chain in 1980. Following their 1983 departure from Bennigan's, Sullivan and Bob Basham developed the Chili's restaurant concept. In 1987, they sold Chili's, emerging with enough capital to develop their own restaurant concept.
Chris has a passion for golf and, along with Bob Basham and Bob Merritt, a new golf club was created in 1997, Old Memorial Golf Club.
Sullivan is involved in numerous organizations, including serving as chairman of the Flight 93 National Memorial Campaign, chairman of Scripps Florida Funding Corporation, executive committee member of the Outback Steakhouse Pro- Am, and a board member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, the National Parks Foundation, and Mary Lee's House. |
