Aaron Kennedy
Entrepreneur in Residence
WH 480B
Aaron Kennedy is the Titletown Tech Entrepreneur in Residence at UW-Green Bay.
Prior to starting Noodles & Company in 1995, Kennedy worked at a New York brand design firm where he directed projects on some of the largest and most recognized consumer brands in the world including Coca-Cola, Burger King, Sears, Swiss Army Products, The Limited family of stores and the PGA (World Golf Hall of Fame). Prior to that, he was brand manager at Pepsi Cola and market research manager at Oscar Mayer Foods. When Kennedy concluded his 15 years of building Noodles & Company as Founder/CEO/Chairman in 2008, the company had 170 locations in 15 states. He has spent the last 11 years as a board member for Sartori Cheese (Plymouth, Wis.), Sterling Rice Group, and Modern Market Eatery, and served as an advisor to Silver Oak Winery, Mad Greens, Larkburger, Maria Empanada, Napa Valley Vintners Association and 34° Crackers, as well as a mentor/advisor for Colorado business accelerators like Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network, Boomtown and MergeLane. He also served as chief marketing officer for the State of Colorado from 2012-2014.
Kennedy serves on the board of the University of Wisconsin Business School, has been named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, and is a guest lecturer at several universities including the University of Colorado, University of Denver, Harvard University and the University of Wisconsin.
Mr. Kennedy earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism and English at Augustana College (’85) and his MBA from University of Wisconsin-Madison (’89).
Prior to starting Noodles & Company in 1995, Kennedy worked at a New York brand design firm where he directed projects on some of the largest and most recognized consumer brands in the world including Coca-Cola, Burger King, Sears, Swiss Army Products, The Limited family of stores and the PGA (World Golf Hall of Fame). Prior to that, he was brand manager at Pepsi Cola and market research manager at Oscar Mayer Foods. When Kennedy concluded his 15 years of building Noodles & Company as Founder/CEO/Chairman in 2008, the company had 170 locations in 15 states. He has spent the last 11 years as a board member for Sartori Cheese (Plymouth, Wis.), Sterling Rice Group, and Modern Market Eatery, and served as an advisor to Silver Oak Winery, Mad Greens, Larkburger, Maria Empanada, Napa Valley Vintners Association and 34° Crackers, as well as a mentor/advisor for Colorado business accelerators like Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network, Boomtown and MergeLane. He also served as chief marketing officer for the State of Colorado from 2012-2014.
Kennedy serves on the board of the University of Wisconsin Business School, has been named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, and is a guest lecturer at several universities including the University of Colorado, University of Denver, Harvard University and the University of Wisconsin.
Mr. Kennedy earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism and English at Augustana College (’85) and his MBA from University of Wisconsin-Madison (’89).