Chris T. Sullivan

Chairman of the Board
Outback Steakhouse, Inc.

Chris T. Sullivan

Chris Sullivan was born on February 15, 1948, to William A. and Mary T. Sullivan in Lake City, Florida. His father entered the FBI that same year. The second oldest of seven children, Sullivan was raised in Detroit, Michigan, and Silver Spring, Maryland, before moving to Butte, Montana, for his senior year in high school.

Being a member of a large family required Sullivan to work early on to earn his spending money. Mowing lawns, shoveling snow, maintaining a newspaper route, caddying, washing dishes and working as a camp counselor were just some of the odd jobs he held growing up. Sullivan completed his education by putting himself through his last two years of college, during which time he entered the management training program for Steak and Ale Restaurants—a company founded by his mentor Norman Brinker. He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a BA in Business and Economics in 1972—the same year he started at Steak and Ale. A year later, he became a general manager at Steak and Ale. He rose through the organization and became the president of the Bennigan’s chain in 1980.

Sullivan followed Norman Brinker to Chili’s restaurants in 1983 as a joint venture partner and franchisee. Sullivan, along with his partners, opened 17 restaurants in three years and sold their interest in 1987 to Brinker International.

In March 1988, Sullivan, along with his partners, Bob Basham and Tim Gannon, opened the first Outback Steakhouse in Tampa, Florida. What began as a casual conversation about America’s fascination with all things “Down Under” turned into an opportunity to differentiate their restaurant from the routine casual western-themed steakhouse. Today there are over 800 Outback Steakhouses worldwide. Outback also operates over 150 Carrabba’s Italian Grills, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Roy’s, Lee Roy Selmon’s, Bonefish Grill, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Paul Lee’s Chinese Kitchen and several other hospitality related businesses.

Sullivan became the chairman & CEO and they took the company public in 1991. The company has grown to over $4 billion in revenues and now operates over 1,200 restaurants in the United States and abroad. Sullivan continues to serve as the chairman of the board of OSI Restaurant Partners, Inc.

The father of two children, Alex and Ashley, Sullivan has been generous in giving back to his community. Children and educational organizations are the focus of his charitable contributions. Along with his partners, Sullivan has been very involved in building a company culture of “giving back.” OSI Restaurants Partners, Inc. contributes millions of dollars annually to their communities through the corporation and the thousands of volunteers from their restaurants.

Organizations in which Sullivan has taken on a leadership role include his work as chairman of the Flight 93 National Memorial Campaign; former chairman of Florida Council of 100; the Committee of 100 and the Employment Policies Institute; Board of Directors of Florida Council on Economic Education; Lowry Park Zoological Endowment Foundation and the Kentucky Speedway; Chairman’s Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America; and vice chairman of Scripps Florida Funding Corporation.

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