David Barr began his career in Atlanta with Pricewaterhouse Coopers and then joined Pizza Hut, Inc.’s finance department in 1991. From 1994 to 1998, Barr was the CFO and then the CEO of the Great American Cookie Company, a franchisor and operator of 367 mall-based cookie stores. In 1998, on behalf of the shareholders, Barr sold Great American Cookies to Mrs. Fields. Barr was previously the Chairman of Rita Restaurants Corp. from 2007 to 2014 and Samuels Jewelers, Inc. from 2000 to 2006, when he led the company’s sale to Gitanjali Gems.
In connection with IFA, Barr has met with the White House, senators, congressmen, and their staff to discuss the impact of ACA on restaurant jobs. In addition, Barr has spoken about healthcare on Fox News, Fox & Friends, and CNN Online. His experiences have been written about by New York Times, International Business Times, and the Washington Examiner.
Some notable accolades include Chairman of Your Pie (franchisor of fast-casual pizza concept), Board of Directors of Del Frisco Restaurant Group, Board of Directors of Charles & Colvard, Inc., Board of Directors of Mrs. Fields Famous Brands LLC, Board of Directors of BrightStar Care, Board of Directors of International Franchise Association, Chairman of PMTD.