Dr. Valerie Daniels-Carter

Dr. Valerie Daniels-Carter is one of the most preeminent business owners in the United States. In addition to auspiciously commandeering several restaurants branded operations in the United States, she has been widely recognized for her adroit business ingenuity. She is the President and CEO of V&J Foods, Holding Companies, Inc. (V&J Holdings), a multi-brand/multi-state operation. It is recognized as the largest female owned franchise organization in the country. Dr. Daniels-Carter’s quick-service restaurant empire operations are comprised of Auntie Anne’s Soft Pretzels, Burger King, Coffee Beanery, Nino’s Southern Sides, MyYoMy Frozen Yogurt, Pizza Hut and Captain D’s Seafood along with numerous Real Estate ventures. Prior to establishing V&J Holding Companies, Inc., she worked in banking and finance.

Valerie Daniels-Carter graduated from Lincoln University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. In 1984, she earned a Master’s degree in Business Management from Cardinal Stritch University. Dr. Daniels-Carter received Honorary Doctors of Humane Letters from Cardinal Stritch University in 2008 and Lincoln University in 2016. In 2019, she was inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame joining an elite group of successful African-Americans honored recipients.

Dr. Daniels-Carter serves on an array of community and corporate boards. She is currently a board member of the Green Bay Packers and a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks Basketball Team. She has also chaired a cluster of boards spanning a multifarious arc of civic, corporate and non-profit organizations. Believing in her ability to drive the association to improved platforms, in the spring of 2017, the Automobile Association of America (AAA) appointed her as the First African-American Female Board Chairperson. AAA is an organization comprised of over 60 million members.

She has been recognized by Essence magazine as one of the 50 most inspiring African-Americans in the U.S. In 2020, Black Enterprise Magazine awarded Dr. Daniels-Carter the Legacy Award and recognized her as being a part of the 50 most Inspiring Women in Business. Also in 2020, in her home State of Wisconsin, Biz Times Media honored and presented to her the “Bravo! Entrepreneur Award of Lifetime Achievement.”

Dr. Daniels-Carter is an outstanding life coach and a generous humanitarian. Her business accomplishments can only be matched by her philanthropic efforts. This CEO stays grounded by engaging in local and international philanthropic projects. She has been the catalyst for many causes, several which included hosting multiple health and wellness clinics in small African villages. She created an initiative in conjunction with the Minority Franchise Association to build an “Educational Complex” for an orphanage in Kenya, Africa at Jubilee Orphanage Center. She created and built COGIC Medical Clinics in Bondo and Nairobi Kenya, where she tirelessly discovers ways to bring “state of the art” medical equipment to the communities in East Africa. Dr. Daniels-Carter started the Empowerment Initiative for Africa, Inc. where she acquired ninety-nine (99) acres of land in Accra, Ghana. In addition, she initiated 12 women into a program to start their own businesses whereby they would become self – sufficient. In four (4) years, this Female Entrepreneurship Program has grown to an astounding 910 women business owners. Dr. Daniels-Carter was instrumental in the drilling of a water well in Kenya, East Africa and surrounding communities which serves over 28,000 families. She has supported and mentored several entrepreneurs in the United States in the launching and/or expansion of their businesses.