On March 21st, Papa John's International, Inc. announced
that it was appointing NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal to its board
of directors. Papa John's also announced that O'Neal would
invest in nine Papa John's restaurants in the Atlanta-area and
enter into a three-year endorsement agreement with the company.
Before the announcement, Papa John's had experienced slowing
sales and was recovering from a public relations crisis, resulting
from actions by its founder and former chairman of the board. To
rebound, Papa John's is partnering with O'Neal, a
successful brand ambassador with substantial business experience in
the franchise-restaurant industry, and the first African American
to join the Papa John's board.