# Clay Dover

> Clay Dover is CEO of Savory, overseeing strategy, growth and performance across founder-led restaurant brands. A restaurant operator and marketing executive with more than 30 years of experience, he previously led Velvet Taco’s expansion from four to 54 restaurants and held leadership roles at Raising Cane’s, Pei Wei and Metromedia Restaurant Group. His career began bussing tables at 15 and includes an emphasis on restaurant training, employee advancement and preserving brand identity during expansion.

- **Role:** Chief Executive Officer at Savory
- **Organizations:** Savory Fund, Velvet Taco, Raising Cane’s, Pei Wei, Metromedia Restaurant Group, Apex Restaurant Group, Houlihan’s, Chili’s, Texas Restaurant Association, National Restaurant Association Fast Casual Industry Council
- **Education:** Brigham Young University
- **Known for:** Led Velvet Taco’s growth from four to 54 restaurants during his tenure., Guided Velvet Taco’s 2021 sale from L Catterton to Leonard Green & Partners., Received the 2012 Dallas CMO of the Year award from the American Marketing Association.

## Career timeline

- **Age 15** — Began bussing tables at Bob’s Big Boy to earn money for his own clothes.
- **College years** — Worked as a server while attending Brigham Young University, including at Prestwich Farms in Spanish Fork.
- **1998** — Moved from managing a Chili’s into the corporate side of the restaurant business.
- **2008** — Joined Raising Cane’s; served as president and chief marketing officer.
- **2015** — Became chief marketing officer of Pei Wei Asian Diner.
- **2017-03** — Named president of Velvet Taco.
- **2019-08** — Promoted to the newly created CEO position at Velvet Taco.
- **2021** — Led Velvet Taco through its sale from L Catterton to Leonard Green & Partners.
- **2025-11** — Stepped down from Velvet Taco.
- **2026-01** — Appointment as Savory CEO announced January 7; Shauna Smith moved to managing director.

## Achievements

- Led Velvet Taco’s growth from four to 54 restaurants during his tenure.
- Guided Velvet Taco’s 2021 sale from L Catterton to Leonard Green & Partners.
- Received the 2012 Dallas CMO of the Year award from the American Marketing Association.
- Led Velvet Taco when it was recognized by QSR Magazine as a Best Place to Work in 2023.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — Welcomed Zao to Savory’s portfolio in a public LinkedIn post following Savory’s August 4 investment announcement.
- **2026-01** — Named CEO of Savory in the January 7 leadership announcement.

## Links

- Website: https://savoryfund.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claydover/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/velvettacoceo/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/clay-dover
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-09