In Memoriam

Mike Nahkunst

Mike Nahkunst

Pal Club 4, J.C.A. 4, P.R.H.S. 4, Band 1,2,3, Deceased 2014

The following is from Mike Nahkunst's blog at this link:  http://mikenahkunst.wordpress.com/

1950-2014

Mike Nahkunst

 

 

With family at his side, Mike passed away peacefully on Friday May 16, 2014 in Austin, Texas.

Michael A. Nahkunst (“Mike”), age 63, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 16, 2014 in Austin, Texas. He was born August 6, 1950, in Dallas, Texas, to Tony and Sue Nahkunst. Mike graduated in 1969 from Richardson High School and then graduated from The University of Texas in Austin in 1972 with a degree in Business. Mike married Susan Hensarling in 1994 and together they shared a life adventure raising and blending together their four wonderful children calling themselves “The Nahkunst Bunch” in Highland Park, Dallas, Texas.

Mike had a natural ability to reach people in a deep and positive way as a leader, team builder, mentor and as a good friend. As one of the all stars that helped create the multi-billion dollar casual dining sector, Mike impacted thousands of people that work in the restaurant industry; from hourly employees through CEO’s at many of the leading national restaurant chains. Starting with his first restaurant job in 1972 at Pelican’s Wharf in Austin, Mike enjoyed a very successful career in the restaurant industry. Most notably, as one of the first seven employees of Chili’s Restaurants. From the first restaurant in Dallas, Mike rose from Store Management to Senior Vice President of Chili’s over a 17-year career with Dallas-based Brinker International. After leaving Brinker International in 1994, he accepted the Chief Operating Officer position at The Cheesecake Factory in Calabasas, California moving his ” Nahkunst Bunch” with him. A few years later he accepted the position as the Chief Operating Officer at BJ’s Restaurant Inc. in Huntington Beach continuing to build strong restaurant teams for the industry. In 2011, Mike accepted the top spot as CEO of Kona Grill, Inc based in Scottsdale, AZ before returning to Austin to found Austin Restaurant Partners, closing the loop from where he started in the restaurant business.

While Mike was a hard working restaurateur and executive, he also loved life with an Aloha spirit. Mike loved visiting Hawaii, sharing vacation time with his family and even marrying his best friend and wife, Susan, on the beach in Maui. Mike visited the Grand Wailea hotel so frequently in the 1980′s, staff members welcomed him with a “welcome home Mr. Nahkunst” greeting each visit. Mike was a true leader and restaurant business visionary.

He is survived by his wife, Susan Hensarling Nahkunst; his children, Brooke Allen, Brad Nahkunst, Alison Allen, Chris Nahkunst; his sister, Carol Nahkunst; his sister- in- law and brother- in-law, Georgia and Beyrl Armstrong and his mother- in- law, Doris Middleton.

 

From the Dallas Morning News, May 27,2014 http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2014/05/early-chilis-employee-mike-nahkunst-recalled-for-hard-work-love-of-industry.html/

Early Chili’s employee Mike Nahkunst recalled for hard work, love of industry

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Chili’s founder Larry Lavine, recalled Mike Nahkunst as an employee who, literally, worked his way from the ground up in the then-neophyte restaurant company.
Nahkunst, one of the first few employees of the company, died Friday at age 63.

Nahkunst had little seniority when it came time to pull the wiring for the telephone system under the remodeled house that would serve as the early corporate office, Lavine said.
So he agreed to crawl under the house at Park Lane and Greenville, toting the wiring, to help move the process along.

That was part of the pitch-in culture of the restaurant chain that grew into Brinker International, where Nahkunst spent 17 years.
He started as an assistant manager and later served as international senior vice president.
After leaving Brinker, Nahkunst became chief operating officer at The Cheesecake Factory. He later served as chief operating officer of BJ’s Restaurants.

In 2011, he became CEO of Kona Grill based in Scottsdale. Nahkunst and his wife, Susan later returned to Austin when he co-founded Austin Restaurant Partners.

“He understood hospitality and that guest satisfaction is the most important driver of a restaurant’s success,”  said Creed Ford, CEO of Fired Up Inc., and another early Chili-head,  in a statement.

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05/21/14 04:06 PM #1    

David Cordell

The following is Mike's mini-auto-bio at the AustinRestaurantPartners.com site.

Mike Nahkunst – Co-Founder | Partner. I had no idea that my first restaurant job at Pelican’s Wharf in 1972 in Austin would turn into such a memorable and rewarding life-long career path in the restaurant industry. Living in Austin…..working at Pelican’s Wharf and going to school at The University of Texas during the 70’s…Wow! How was life ever going to get any better? Well it did! Leaving Austin, by way of Hawaii,  I joined a small group of guys selling gourmet hamburgers….in my hometown of Dallas….named Chili’s. Joining Chili’s during it’s early inception allowed me the opportunity to be an integral part of management in that leading edge privately held burger chain. Being at Chili’s during the formative years was an experience quite special and unique and little did I know at the time but going public in 1984 with Norman Brinker at the helm was soon to catapult my experience and opportunities to even greater heights.

During my 17-year career stint with Chili’s and Brinker International, I was fortunate to work in several operational management levels from Store Management thru Senior Vice-President of Operations for Chili’s, New Concept Development for Brinker International and be a part of a newly minted Billion$$ restaurant company. Truly amazing! After leaving Chili’s and Brinker, my entrepreneur desires came true when I founded Wildfire Enterprises in the mid-90’s.  Wildfire opened up opportunities to co-own and operate several casual upscale restaurant concepts on both coasts as well as become a Board member of Kelsey’s, a large Canadian restaurant company based in Toronto.

The following years provided me tremendous opportunities to work in some key C-level positions with the likes of The Cheesecake Factory and BJ’s Restaurants in S. California and Kona Grill in Scottsdale. The nurturing, guiding and directing of early stage growth-oriented restaurants has always and continues to be the “sweet spot” in my heart for this industry.

Upon returning to Austin, I continue to co-own and operate several restaurants in different locales and have become more involved with Michael at Bailiwick Capital Partners as partner and strategic advisor as well as an Advisory Board member to FOHBOH, Inc. a leading social web technology company for the foodservice industry. And looking back now after our successful merger with Bailiwick and Austin Restaurant Partners I feel like I have finally come back home to the roots of my restaurant passion…Austin!!

Career Highlights

  • Joined Chili’s and managed the original restaurant in Dallas in it’s early inception and continued to grow the private company brand to approximately 23 restaurants in 1983
  • Chili’s became a public company in 1984 and was an integral part of the management team as Senior Vice-President of Operations during the following historic growth years
  • Senior Vice-President of New Concept Development and member of Brinker International’s Executive Committee
  • Founder/President of Wildfire Enterprises, LLC. a restaurant investment and advisory firm
  • Co-owner/operator & Board member of Southend Brewery & Smokehouse, Inc. restaurants based in Charleston, S.C
  • Member of the Board of Directors for Kelsey’s International, Inc. a Canadian restaurant company based in Toronto
  • Executive Vice-President & COO for The Cheesecake Factory, Inc. based in Calabasas, California
  • COO for BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. based in Huntington, Beach, California
  • Co-founder Michael Bros. Steakhouse in Reno, Nevada
  • Executive Vice-President & COO for Max & Erma’s of Columbus, Ohio as a key member of turn-around team in taking the company private
  • Partner Bailiwick Capital Partners
  • Advisory Board member to FohBoh, Inc. (fohboh.com)
  • President/CEO & Board Member of Kona Grill, Inc. based in Scottsdale, Arizona
  • Co-created and founded Austin Restaurant Partners after merger with Bailiwick Capital Partners

07/29/14 08:30 PM #2    

Jerry May

Mike was a great guy I really got to know from our RSI football team. After that we were friends...period!

He was that kind of a guy who could light up a room and be everyone's best friend.

And he was one of those guys (to me anyway) who never let success bother him. He was the "same ole' Mike.

We lost a a super RHS brother when we lost Mike.....and Lance is right.

My ex MIL used to always say: "Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not promised. There is ONLY today"


11/27/14 05:50 PM #3    

Lane Freeman (Threadgill)

Mike was my very best guy friend.  I went away to college my first year & whenever I came home for holidays Mike would come with my parents to pick me up at Lovefield.  Of course Braniff was alway late & by the time I landed, I had to drive everyone home.  Mike had the best laugh & I miss him very much.


11/04/21 10:52 PM #4    

Jim Bedwell

Knew him only at RHS - GREAT guy, always a smile on his face. A loss to the world when he died obviously.


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