As Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, Elena Kraus balances both risk and opportunity to guide Whataburger in all aspects of its business.
Ms. Kraus, a seasoned executive who joined the Whataburger Family in April 2022, leads a team of professionals responsible for the many elements of legal governance for the 14-state brand, a regional chain with the highest AUV in the QSR burger segment. With more than 51,000 employees, Whataburger has been a Top Workplace award winner for the last two years.
She is also a member of the Whataburger Strategy Council and Strategic Leadership Team. Together, these leaders drive the business forward by focusing on key decisions and identifying innovative opportunities.
Prior to joining Whataburger, Ms. Kraus served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Walgreens, a subsidiary of Walgreens Boots Alliance, the nation’s second largest retail pharmacy chain.
She spent more than three decades at Walgreens, overseeing the strategy and delivery of legal services to the organization during a time of innovation and record expansion – an experience that informs her role with Whataburger as the brand enters its most ambitious period of growth in its 72-year history.
Ms. Kraus earned her undergraduate degree in Government at the University of Texas at Austin and her Law degree from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. She resides in San Antonio, Texas
