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Top 100: People – Steve Ells, Chipotle

Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle, is number 3 on our list of the 2014 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers: People.

November 11, 2014

Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle, is number 3 on our list of the 2014 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers: People.

Under Steve Ells' direction, Chipotle Mexican Grill continues to be a leader in the industry. In 2013, the company's net income topped $327 million, an increase of 17.8 percent from 2012. In addition, the chain opened 185 new restaurants. This impressive growth is largely because of the vision of Ells, the brand's founder, chairman and co-CEO.

"We are very proud of our accomplishments during 2013. Over the past 20 years, we have created a very unique and special restaurant company," he said. "Chipotle is a place that appeals to a diverse customer base throughout the country and beyond."

Over the last two decades, Ells developed an interest in sustainably and ethically raised food and has shifted Chipotle's purchasing habits accordingly. Early this year, his team released a marketing campaign on Hulu, a four-episode Web series called "Farmed and Dangerous," featuring that mission.

This nontraditional advertising is just one more way that Ells continues to step outside the box to continue Chipotle's tradition of leading the industry.