In Trump era, progressive CEO does a delicate dance

Business leaders tread lightly around the topic of politics.

in addition to photos of his wife, who is a doctor, and two sons, a picture of him with former President Bill Clinton, who appointed him chairman of the board of the Securities Investor Protection Corp.

But he noted at a recent conference in New York that nearly 95 percent of Sonic’s roughly 3,600 locations, largely concentrated in the south central United States, are run by franchisees who have varying political views. He also referred to a report that came out during the presidential campaign suggesting that people who ate at Sonic supported Trump. OKLAHOMA CITY — One of the most formative expe- riences of J. Clifford Hudson’s life happened about

20 minutes away from the glass-walled office he now occupies as chief executive of Sonic Drive-In, the burg- er-and-milkshake chain.

It happened in 1969, Hudson’s freshman year of high school and the first year of court-ordered desegregation for his school district.

“You had school board members really inciting hatred. You had parents And he is aware that peoshowing up at public meet- ple who are drawn to Sonic ings screaming, ‘You betbecause they like the food ter frisk those kids before — or are fans of the compathey go to school with my ny’s popular commercials daughter,’ ” Hudson, now featuring two male improv 63, recounted in a recent comedians in a car — may not interview. But his parents want a side of political talk did not protest the desegrefrom the chief executive. In gation or remove him from today’s fractured political clithe school. mate, it does not take much

“My parents had become to end up on the wrong side strong believers that our of a boycott. country had a real problem,” “I do feel one of my chief he said, “and that we needed responsibilities is to work to to embrace it and confront ensure the success of our it, not run from it.” brand and our franchisees’

The experience, he said, opportunities,” Hudson said “helped me with some sen- in an interview last month. sitivity to the richness and “Our franchisees make big breadth of our society, and bets on us doing the right that the more you limited thing with the brand — and yourself, as in the white by big bets, I mean they bet males only chumming with their futures, homes, mortwhite males, the more you gages, hopes and aspirations cut yourself off from that for their kids.” richness.” That means, he said,

That lesson has helped “you’ve got to be careful shape Hudson’s worldwhere you step.” view and his management “I’m very aware that Cliff approach at Sonic, which is very socially conscious and he has led for more than 20 does a lot of things to demonyears. During that time, he strate that,” said one of Sonhas cultivated something of ic’s franchisees, Max Gelwix, a rarity in corporate Amer- who operates restaurants in ica — a management team California. “But we’ve never that is mostly women and talked politics.” minorities and a board that Navigating such terrain is is close to that. tricky for most business lead

And in choosing to speak ers, who have traditionally publicly about his personal chosen to steer well clear of views in recent months, these topics because of the Hudson has joined other very real risks of alienating corporate executives, nor- consumers and damaging mally as tight-lipped a bunch their brands. For all the execas can be found, who are utives who have proactively commenting on social and used Twitter, there are plenty political issues like never of cautionary tales of combefore. Many have forcefully panies getting ensnared in denounced policy proposals social media maelstroms split from Washington or actions along partisan lines based on by President Donald Trump comments from their celebthat they think threaten to rity representatives or where harm society, the environ- their ads show up online. ment and their employees. “Sonic has not, nor do I

That Hudson would speak think it’s appropriate, for its for diversity and inclu- brand to make political statesion is not surprising. He ments,” said Susan Thronis a longtime Democratic son, a board member at Sonic donor whose office features, since 2015.

‘Doing the right thing’