Wingstop’s Senior Vice President and Chief Brand and People Officer Donnie Upshaw is leaving the company, with his departure coming as the fast-casual chicken chain continues to expand its marketing, loyalty and international growth strategy.
Upshaw will resign from Wingstop effective September 10, 2026, to pursue another opportunity, the company disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Wingstop said his departure is not related to any disagreement with the company or its operations, policies or practices.
Upshaw joined Wingstop in April 2018 as vice president of human resources and spent more than eight years moving through increasingly senior roles. He subsequently became senior vice president of people, chief people officer, and chief people officer and senior vice president of corporate restaurants before being named Chief Brand and People Officer in January 2026.
The combined role placed Upshaw at the intersection of two increasingly important priorities for Wingstop: brand building and talent strategy. His responsibilities included leading the company’s brand, culture and talent initiatives at a time when Wingstop was attempting to broaden its cultural relevance while scaling rapidly across markets.
Among his recent marketing initiatives was House of Flavor, a Wingstop platform created around the FIFA Men’s World Cup, as well as the launch of Club Wingstop, the chain’s loyalty program. The company has been putting greater emphasis on building direct relationships with consumers as its restaurant footprint expands.
That loyalty push was highlighted by CEO Michael Skipworth in Wingstop’s latest earnings announcement. He described the national launch of Club Wingstop as an important milestone in developing deeper guest relationships, alongside investments in value, flavor innovation and the company’s Smart Kitchen technology.
