Shawn A. Taylor
Noodles & Company (NDLS) Board of Directors, Memorial Hermann Foundation Board of Directors & Audit Committee Healthcare System, Former Limited Partner of World Series Champion Houston Astros

The Texas Black Expo is pleased to highlight Shawn A. Taylor as one of our most valued community partners. Taylor, a former Taco Bell and Zaxby's franchisee and Houston Astros limited partner, has served as the honorary chairman of the 2019 Texas Black Expo, served as an expert panelist at TBE’s CEO Roundtable and has remained a strong advocate for the organization and its mission.

Widely respected and highly regarded for his business acumen and achievements in the community, this veteran business leader’s favorite saying is, “Excuses are for Losers.”

After a successful corporate career at Arthur Andersen & Co. as a manager and at American Express as a personal investment advisor, he founded Family EATS L.P. (FELP) in 1996. FELP became the largest African American Taco Bell franchise based in Houston, Texas. He grew FELP to 33 units and ultimately sold it in 2007. In 2013, he became the president and operating partner of Zaxby’s, selling the franchise in 2019.

Taylor joined the Houston Baseball Partners, LLC in 2011, becoming a limited partner of the Houston Astros. He sold his interest in the Astros in 2017 and remained an advisor to the organization.

In addition to a varied corporate and entrepreneurial career, Taylor has consistently remained an active contributor to the community. He currently serves on the board of Noodles & Company (NDLS, a publicly traded company) and on the board of the Memorial Hermann Foundation. He has also served on the board of the Houston Astros Foundation, the Houston Zoo, the Boys and Girls Club of Houston, the YMCA of Greater Houston, and The University of Texas’ McCombs School of Business, among others, and has served as an officer and advisor for various corporations and institutions of higher education in the Houston community.

For his countless contributions to the community, Taylor has received numerous awards and accolades. He has received every type of honor, from Entrepreneur of the Year by Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management to the Think Outside the Bun Award by Taco Bell Corporation in recognition of his community service during the Gulf Coast hurricanes.

The Texas Black Expo appreciates its relationship with Shawn A. Taylor, one of Texas’ most distinguished corporate and community leaders. We look forward to a lasting and productive relationship with Mr. Taylor as we seek to strengthen business, inspire youth and build better lives.