10 Sonic Drive-In operations leaders
Tommy Deeley, Chief Operating Officer - Sonic at Inspire, is the most senior of these Sonic Drive-In operations leaders, a set that also includes vice presidents and directors of operations, training and franchise operations. A reader can learn how operations leaders work at Sonic Drive-In from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Chaz Wester
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operation Services · SONIC
Chaz Wester has been Director of Operation Services at SONIC since November 2014, and the listing places them in Oklahoma City. The profile also lists Sr. Manager Operation Execution at SONIC from 2010, and they were Multi Unit Supervising Partner (2008–2010) and Project Manager - Sonic Restaurants Inc. (2007–2008).
Jesse Billinghurst
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Operations - Franchise · SONIC
Jesse Billinghurst is a former Vice President Operations - Franchise at SONIC, holding the role from May 2022 to December 2025 in Buffalo, New York. They were Director Of Operations at SONIC from 2019 to 2022, and since 2026 they have been Director of New Stand Openings at Brewtopia 7 Brew Coffee.
Julie Sloan
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Operations Execution · SONIC
Julie Sloan has been Senior Director of Operations Execution at SONIC since November 2015, and the profile places the role in Oklahoma City. They were Senior Director of Product Development (Culinary Innovation) at Kahala Brands (2003–2015) and Director of Marketing at Papa Johns (1994–2002).
Keith O.
LinkedInExperience: Director, Sonic Restaurants Operations · SONIC
Keith O. has been Director, Sonic Restaurants Operations at SONIC since July 2016, and the headline reads RVP, Sonic Restaurants Operations, with the listing placing them in Knoxville, Tennessee. They were Multi-Unit Supervisor, Sonic Restaurants Inc. at SONIC (2004–2016), and the profile describes overseeing recruiting, training, compliance and overall operations of Sonic Drive-in restaurants.
Kent Dawdy
LinkedInExperience: Director Of Operations - Sonic · Inspire
Kent Dawdy is a former Director Of Operations - Sonic at Inspire, holding the role from April 2022 to February 2024, and the profile also lists a Region Vice President row at Inspire from April 2022 to July 2026. Since March 2026 they have been Region Vice President at Soar QSR - Sonic, and they were Vice President of Operations at GPS Hospitality (2018–2020).
Kevin Knutson
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Training and Operations · SONIC
Kevin Knutson has been Vice President Training and Operations at SONIC since October 2021, and the listing places them in Edmond, Oklahoma. At SONIC they were also VP of Training (2020–2021), Sr Director Operations Readiness and Learning & Development (2017–2020) and Director Operations Execution (2016–2017).
Randy Quesenberry
LinkedInExperience: Director of Franchise Operations · SONIC
Randy Quesenberry has been Director of Franchise Operations at SONIC since March 2025, and the listing places them in Radford, Virginia. They were RVP, ICR Sonic Operations at SONIC from 2020 to 2025 and Vice President at SD Holdings, LLC from 2017 to 2020.
Tanishia Beacham
LinkedInExperience: Chief Operating Officer · SONIC
Tanishia Beacham is a former Chief Operating Officer at SONIC, holding the role from October 2022 to March 2025. At SONIC they were also SVP Franchise Operations and Operating Systems (2020–2023), SVP Franchise Operations & Marketing Implementation (2017–2020) and Vice President - Franchise Operations (2015–2017).
Todd Wekenborg
LinkedInExperience: Vice President - Franchise Operations (East Region) · SONIC
Todd Wekenborg is a former Vice President - Franchise Operations (East Region) at SONIC, holding the role from August 2017 to August 2024. They were Regional Vice President (Operations) at SONIC from 2013 to 2017, and since 2025 they have been Chief Marketing Officer at Merritt Restaurant Group - Sonic.
Tommy Deeley
LinkedInExperience: Chief Operating Officer - Sonic · Inspire
Tommy Deeley has been Chief Operating Officer - Sonic at Inspire since December 2025. At Inspire they were also Senior Vice President, Operations at Sonic, Jimmy John's, and Dunkin’ (2024–2025), VP - Sonic Operations (2022–2024) and Vice President, Training and Operation Services - Arby’s (2020–2022).
Choose the right perspective
Match each person's scope, whether franchise operations, a region or operations support, to the decision you face. Weigh current against former leaders by the years they held the role, since practices change over time.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you change first when you took on your operations role, and why?
- 02How do you decide which restaurant problems need your own attention and which to hand to others?
- 03What from your earlier field or training roles still shapes how you approach operations?
Reaching Sonic Drive-In operations leaders
How can I contact one of these Sonic Drive-In operations leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 2 companies: SONIC and Inspire, based on profile data retrieved on October 24, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Sonic Drive-In operations leaders?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these Sonic Drive-In operations leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
Request a correction or removal