Meet Our Investors

Who among us isn’t proud to call Wake County home?  A center of innovation, a vibrant commercial and cultural hub, a beautiful natural environment with well managed urban areas, and of course – a great public school system.

For the past 15 years, Wake County has been one of the fastest growing communities in the country. The word is out. Wake County is a great place to live. Our historical commitment to excellent education is no small part of this success.

At Golden Corral, we have long believed that education is the key to opportunity. Our company’s story has been intertwined with educators from the beginning. Our co-founder, James Maynard, married a school teacher. Connie Maynard’s teaching position provided support for James to get the business under way. Many early investors in Golden Corral were teachers, principals, or other school administrators.  The people who formed the backbone of our company from day one understood the importance of a high quality education for all children, and have remained committed to that vision ever since.

Golden Corral has been a proud partner with Wake Education Partnership for over 20 years.  Emphasizing the importance of our public school system with business leaders and community members, Wake Education Partnership has been a crucial voice in the ongoing conversation about our schools, our students, and our teachers.

On January 1, 2015, Golden Corral welcomed a new CEO, Lance Trenary.  Trenary has been with Golden Corral for 30 years, and like Wake County, he has grown and thrived. His commitment to education continues the tradition of his predecessors, Ted Fowler and James Maynard. With growth comes change. As Trenary’s tenure begins, Golden Corral is poised to introduce exciting new concepts to our customers. Wake Education Partnership has done the same. As the education climate has evolved in our state and our county, Wake Education Partnership is changing and innovating to ensure the continued success of Wake County students and teachers.

Wake Education Partnership’s recent focus on early childhood as a crucial part of the educational experience is a great example of strategic growth based on evidence. Golden Corral has shifted its community investment strategy to similarly incorporate evidence based practices. Our investment in Wake Education Partnership is based on our shared values of strong public schools that allow students to graduate with the skills required to succeed in the global economy.  Golden Corral is pleased to continue a long standing partnership that is focused on providing relevant and compelling support for our public school system.