Entrepreneurs of the Year | Rick Silva

Why we chose him:
When Rick Silva took over Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc. as its CEO in 2007, business was sliding.

After 15 years of public trading, a Wellspring Capital Management affiliate had just taken Checkers private. But not before the company posted its lowest revenues since 2002, along with a waning profit.

Silva -- a 13-year veteran of the much larger Burger King fast food chain -- turned not toward rapid expansion of Checkers and Rally's 800 restaurants, but instead toward an overhaul, beginning with the menu.