Karen Ickes, Senior Vice President Human Resources, Wendy’s International Inc.

Karen is the Senior Vice President Human Resources for Wendy’s International Inc. Wendy’s International, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc. and one of the world’s largest restaurant operating and franchising companies with more than 6,700 restaurants with over 40,000 company employees and 200,000 system wide employees.

She has extensive experience in Human Resources and is a member of the senior leadership team for Wendy’s. Karen has been actively involved in numerous mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures and has experience on both the corporate and operating division levels within retailing, manufacturing and banking organizations.  In January 2005, Wendy’s became one of the first national employers to introduce a full replacement consumer directed health plan with health savings accounts. Karen was responsible for creating the consumer driven health care strategy, as well as provide leadership and direction to the formulation of the plan designs and implementation strategies.

She holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from The Ohio State University, majoring in Human Resources and Labor Relations. Karen serves on the Board of Directors for WorldatWork and has received her Certified Benefits Professional (CBP) designation through WorldatWork. She served for three years on the WorldatWork Benefits Advisory Board, two years as chair. She has been a guest speaker at the number of conferences and seminars during the past few years on the topic of HSA’s and consumer driven health care. Karen also sits on the Board of Directors of the National Business Group on Health.