GrowthFactor Appoints Veteran Retail Executive Rick Vanzura as President
Seasoned operator who scaled Wahlburgers and led strategy for Panera Bread, GameStop, and Borders Group joins AI-powered commercial real estate platform
25+
Years C-level leadership
$100M
Brand built at Wahlburgers
100+
Locations scaled
Harvard
MBA, Business School
Cambridge, MA — April 23, 2026 — GrowthFactor, the AI-powered operating system for commercial real estate, today announced the appointment of Rick Vanzura as President. Vanzura brings more than 25 years of C-level leadership across retail, foodservice, and technology — including roles as CEO of Wahlburgers, CEO of Freight Farms, and Executive Vice President & Co-COO of Panera Bread — to help accelerate the company’s growth and expand its market presence.
The appointment follows GrowthFactor’s $5.2 million seed round and rapid early traction, crossing $1M in recurring revenue in their first year. As President, Vanzura will lead go-to-market strategy, customer expansion, and operational scaling as GrowthFactor deepens its position as the essential platform for retail site selection, reporting into Co-founder and CEO Clyde Christian Anderson.
Rick has spent his career at the intersection of retail strategy, real estate, and technology — which is exactly where GrowthFactor operates. He's built brands from a single location into national powerhouses, and he's done it by combining operational rigor with strategic vision. Having him lead our growth efforts is a significant milestone for the company.
Vanzura’s career spans some of the most recognizable names in American retail and foodservice. As CEO of Wahlburgers, he built the celebrity-backed concept from a single restaurant into a $100 million brand and one of America’s fastest-growing restaurant chains over seven years. At Panera Bread, he served as Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer, overseeing marketing, real estate, and business development during a period of significant national expansion. He also led strategy at GameStop and ran Borders Group’s nearly $1 billion international business.
Every great retail or restaurant brand lives or dies by its real estate decisions — I've seen it firsthand across every concept I've led. What GrowthFactor has built is exactly the kind of platform I wish existed when I was opening hundreds of locations. The combination of AI-powered forecasting, deep analytics, and streamlined deal management gives retailers a decisive edge.
Background
25 years building America’s retail brands
Wahlburgers
Chief Executive Officer
Built the celebrity-backed restaurant concept from a single location into a $100 million brand and one of America's fastest-growing restaurant chains over seven years, scaling to 100+ locations.
Panera Bread
Executive Vice President & Co-Chief Operating Officer
Oversaw marketing, real estate, and business development during a period of significant national expansion, helping Panera scale into one of the country's largest fast-casual chains.
GameStop
Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer
Led strategic planning and business development across one of the world's largest specialty retail chains, with thousands of locations across North America and Europe.
Borders Group
President, Multiple Divisions
Ran the company's nearly $1 billion international business across multiple divisions, overseeing a global portfolio of retail locations.
Freight Farms
Chief Executive Officer
Most recently led the pioneer in modular container farming technology, and subsequently founded Nourish V2 and Thrive Advisors.
About Rick Vanzura
Rick Vanzura is a globally recognized retail and foodservice executive with over 25 years of experience in President and C-level roles. His career includes serving as CEO of Wahlburgers (scaling from 1 to 100+ locations), Executive Vice President & Co-COO of Panera Bread, Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer at GameStop, President of multiple divisions at Borders Group, and CEO of Freight Farms. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s of science from Santa Clara University.
About GrowthFactor
GrowthFactor is the AI-powered operating system for commercial real estate. The company helps retail businesses de-risk their expansion by combining AI-powered forecasting, deal flow management, and stakeholder collaboration into a single platform, enabling retail teams to make better expansion decisions with speed and confidence. GrowthFactor is backed by private and institutional investors including Teamworthy Ventures.
Learn more at growthfactor.ai
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