Jose Costa

Jose R. Costa is the CEO of For Eyes by GrandVision. He has a background steeped in marketing, franchising, multi-unit retailing and enhancing customer experience amongst some of the most recognized brands in the world. He currently serves as CEO of For Eyes, which is part of GrandVision, a global leader in optical retail with more than 7,000 stores worldwide, of which 120 are in the U.S. Previous to his current role, he served as Group President of Driven Brands where he led MAACO®, CARSTAR® and Drive N Style®. Collectively, these brands operate more than 1,400 body shops across North America, generate more than $1.8 billion in annual system sales and further establish Driven Brands as a leader in the automotive aftermarket space. Previously, he was President of MAACO®, where he was responsible for managing and developing 500 automotive body shops across the U.S. and Canada. During his tenure, he improved MAACO®'s procedures and training practices, raised consistency among franchises, revamped operations and enhanced the look and feel of its advertising. Before joining Driven Brands, Costa was Vice President of Marketing, R&D and Supply Chain at BURGER KING® where he grew Latin America's EBITDA from $50 million to $80 million in 26 months. Costa also served as President of COSTA IMC, a branding and interactive marketing firm focused on the U.S. Hispanic and Latin American segments. Costa has over 20 years of experience both on the client and agency side, working for companies like Young & Rubicam, Bank of America, PepsiCo and YUM Brands. He also has extensive experience in restructuring portfolio companies for private equity firms like 3G Capital, Harvest Partners, Roark Capital and HAL Investments. In 2017, Costa was a Gold Winner in the Executive of the Year category of the CEO World Awards. In 2016, he earned the Executive of the Year Gold Award in the Golden Bridge Awards®, an annual industry and peer recognition program honoring best companies in every major industry. He also won the Executive of the Year Bronze Stevie Award in the automotive and transport equipment industry in 2016. The Stevie Awards recognize outstanding performance in the workplace. Costa was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Discovery Place for 2017-2020. He is also a National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Fellow, a credential that recognizes those committed to excellence in the boardroom, and a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), the world's leading peer network of chief executives and business leaders. In April 2016, Costa was inducted as the chapter leader of the Charlotte chapter of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, the world's oldest and most prestigious food society. He also pursues social work with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami, through which he has mentored a child in Miami for several years. Costa has a Master's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Chicago.