Joining Eagle Ranch as Executive Director in July 2021, John Shackelford is responsible for oversight of the Ranch’s business operations. Prior to Eagle Ranch, John spent 10 years at Chick-fil-A in the corporate Marketing department. In his most recent role, he led Chick-fil-A’s Brand Planning team, responsible for the communications planning and marketing of new products, among other duties. He was previously Team Leader for the Sponsorships and Events marketing team, leading national partnerships with ESPN, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame. Additionally, John helped start the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy program and Chick-fil-A’s fleet of food trucks.
Originally from Orlando, Florida, John attended Wheaton College in Illinois with a double-major in Business and Theological Studies. For the past 10 years, John and his wife Stephanie, along with their two children, have lived in the Grant Park neighborhood of downtown Atlanta. In the community, John served on the Board of Directors of Beloved Atlanta and as a community group leader at City Church Eastside.
Shackelford is the first Executive Director to be appointed to the position previously held by Founder Eddie Staub for over 36 years.