Earl Ellis

Captain
DISC Type : DS

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Panera Bread

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area, United States

Overview

Earl Ellis is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Panera Bread, described by peers as a proven and outstanding financial leader. With a background at global brands like ABM Industries, Best Buy, and Coca-Cola, he specializes in M&A, enterprise transformation, and driving organic growth. He is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a degree from the University of Guelph.

Outside of finance, Earl is passionate about purpose-driven work. He is a champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, reflected in his membership with The Executive Leadership Council. He also serves on the board of Xylem, a global water technology company, focusing on solving critical water issues.

He has been named one of the Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America.

Personality Overview

Consummate Professional

Output-Driven

Decisive But Calm

They exhibit a rare combination of being result-oriented but patient at the same time.  They are very professional in their approach and can weigh multiple perspectives together. They might take some time to make their mind up but once they do, they don't change it easily.

Topics They Care About

Enterprise Transformation
He has a proven record of leading large-scale change initiatives, including ERP system implementations and cost structure optimizations at major corporations.
M&A and Growth
His career focus is on driving business expansion through strategic M&A activities and fostering organic growth to enhance revenue and profitability.
Diversity in Leadership
As a member of The Executive Leadership Council, he actively works to ensure Black representation in C-suites and on corporate boards across America.

Media Appearances

Panera Bread Names Earl Ellis Chief Financial Officer. Featured in Panera Bread

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Panera Bread hires CFO. Featured in Restaurant Dive

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Earl R. Ellis – Board of Directors Profile. Featured in Xylem

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Work History

10-2025
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Panera Bread
3-2023
Member Board of Directors; Audit Committee Chair at Xylem
11-2020 - 9-2025
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at ABM Industries
1-2018 - 11-2020
Senior Vice President Finance at Best Buy
5-2016 - 12-2017
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Best Buy Canada

Education

Hons B.A. from University of Guelph

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 9 Location : Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area, United States Job Level : Leadership Designation : Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Panera Bread
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Insights For Selling To Earl

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Come across as a trustworthy professional and be respectful, they usually know their game
  • Let them know of potential risks but suggest mitigation methods alongside
  • You can spend time on BANT (or other qualification methodology) but keep it to the point

DONT's

  • Don't take their patience for granted, avoid long-winding sermons
  • Don't shy away from asking hard questions, but be extra polite
  • Don't focus too much on mutual contacts or bother about other stakeholders, focus on them

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Earl is

  • Strong proof of impact and their conviction will matter the most, but they wouldn't want to act unilaterally either
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Earl

  • They will say no if they are not convinced but you will have to prompt them.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Earl move?

  • They will want to understand things well but can move fast once they have a clear picture.
  • Can Earl take some risk or not?

  • They have good risk tolerance but are likely to think it through once or twice.

You And Earl

Personality Compatibility


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