High-end steakhouse president leads by taking others with her

In a 25-year restaurant career, Sheilina Henry has spent considerable time helping others rise to new positions and promotions — a source of pride. 

“When you meet people in the role they're in, they may or may not be in their sweet spot,” Henry says. “And helping someone realize this is what I love. This is what gives me energy. This is what makes me want to jump out of bed in the morning.”

Henry has risen in her career as well, to now holding a key leadership spot in one of the region’s largest companies: Henry is president of Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, a unit of Tampa-based Bloomin’ Brands. Henry was named to lead the brand in summer 2023 after a decade of other Bloomin’ leadership posts, starting in 2012 as a joint venture partner overseeing Outback Steakhouse locations in her native Chicago and Wisconsin. Her role right before Fleming’s was Bloomin’ senior vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion and off-premise dining, which she held from 2021-2023. (Brands under publicly-traded Bloomin’ include Outback, Bonefish Grill, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Aussie Grill. The company posted $4.67 billion in revenue in 2023.)