Jim Mizes
President and CEO, Blaze Pizza at UCLA Anderson School of Management
Schools
- UCLA Anderson School of Management
Links
Biography
UCLA Anderson School of Management
Jim Mizes is the founder/entrepreneur’s best friend and partner, as he has spent the last 20-plus years working to scale and build new brands. After an initial career in finance, Mizes moved to operations in the late 1980s with Taco Bell. At Taco Bell, he pioneered the 59/79/99-cent menu of the early 1990s that changed the value equation for fast food. In the early 1990s, he shifted to working with founders, first with Noah’s Bagels for four years as the chain grew from 10 to 130 restaurants. He later moved to Jamba Juice and supported growth from 50 to 450 locations over five years. After helping to build a regional health club company with its founders for over eight years, he joined Blaze Pizza and founders Rick and Elise Wetzel to help build the leading fast-casual artisanal pizza brand. Since joining Blaze Pizza in June 2013, the company has grown from two restaurants to over 300. He now has sights on a unicorn IPO in the next few years. Blaze Pizza is the fastest-growing company in the history of food service.
Mizes earned his B.A. in economics from Dartmouth College and his MBA from the UCLA Graduate School of Management (pre-Anderson).
Videos
Fast Casual Summit - Interview with Jim Mizes, Blaze Pizza
Read about executive education
Other experts
Popular Courses
The Positive Leader: Deep Change and Organizational Transformation
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Jun 23
Leading People and Teams
ESMT
Berlin, Germany
May 28
Leading Strategic Growth and Change
Columbia Business School
New York, New York, United States
Jun 10
The Manchester Leadership Development Programme
Alliance Manchester Business School
Manchester, United Kingdom
Jul 1
Leading Digital Transformation
ESMT
Berlin, Germany
May 28
Private Equity: Investing and Creating Value
The Wharton School
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Sep 8
Looking for an expert?
Contact us and we'll find the best option for you.