Presented by ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Rick Fossali is a seasoned executive with a dynamic career spanning the restaurant, retail, and consumer packaged goods (CPG) industries. As Vice President and General Manager of the iconic Fannie May brand at Ferrero, Fossali leads a team of over 400 employees, driving innovation and growth across the organization. He also spearheaded the launch of the first-ever Nutella Café in Chicago, blending brand storytelling with experiential retail.
Before joining Ferrero, Fossali served as Senior Director of Franchising at Potbelly Sandwich Shops, where he played a pivotal role in expanding the brand’s footprint and strengthening its franchise operations. Rick’s career foundation was built during his 30-year tenure at McDonald’s, where he held leadership roles across advertising, training, product innovation, and operations, culminating in his role as Director of Operations.
Beyond his corporate achievements, Fossali is deeply committed to philanthropy. Since 2019, he has supported St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® for the Northern Illinois/Wisconsin and Ohio regions for ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude. More recently, he has become involved with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a cause close to his heart following his youngest grandson’s diagnosis.
How were you first introduced to the mission of St. Jude? What is your why for supporting St. Jude?
I was first introduced to St. Jude by my daughter, Jordan Fossali Grimm, who was a member of the St. Jude Chicago Area Young Professionals Committee. As she became more involved in planning events, she invited me to get Fannie May involved through donations, but she also encouraged me to get involved individually, and that’s where it all started. Initially, my support was modest purchasing of auction items, making donations, and supporting events. However, as my visibility of the organization grew, I became more intrigued by the mission: Finding cures. Saving children.® and soon, St. Jude started to become a big part of my giving life. This includes my journey along with our Fannie May family as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility and Core Value of Work, Donate, Create.
I strongly believe in the vision of Danny Thomas that “No child should die in the dawn of life” and we should all do whatever we can to support that vision. St. Jude cares for some of the world’s sickest children regardless of their race, ethnicity, beliefs, or ability to pay. Beyond that, families never receive a bill from St. Jude, for treatment, travel, housing, or food. It’s a simple concept for a complex problem, but St. Jude has done amazing work in bringing the vision to life and ensures that every dollar donated is used to advance lifesaving treatments, innovative research and the development of cures for childhood cancer and other catastrophic pediatric diseases.
How has partnering with St. Jude benefited Fannie May’s business, engaged employees, and engaged consumers?
We started a culture committee back in 2019, and the committee is really who pursued finding the right charity to be our partner for Fannie May. The initial charter was to find an organization that offered us the opportunity to get our employees engaged through volunteering, personal donations, and then creating an even larger commitment through our retail stores. We have people who just want to volunteer, and others who donate during specific fundraising times like walks, runs, or personally through our employee donation portal. Each employee can be as involved as they would like or not – it’s up to them, and we know that St. Jude is welcoming for all to participate as they see fit.
Each November and December, Fannie May participates in the St. Jude Thanks and Giving® campaign by asking Fannie May customers if they would like to donate to St. Jude at the register to be a part of our shared mission during the holiday season. During this campaign, we work on storytelling with our retail staff, so that they can spread the message and get as many donations as possible. Additionally, we offer a product promotion through the purchase of co-branded St. Jude and Fannie May products, with a portion of the sales going back to St. Jude. This campaign engages all Fannie May employees and rallies them to get behind a cause they are passionate about – truly making the employees feel like they are a part of the St. Jude family and something bigger than themselves. In the past three years, Fannie May has contributed more than $650,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and we are aiming to surpass $1 million in total donations this year.
What does impactful philanthropy mean to you?
It means finding the best way to contribute where you can give as much as you can through multiple ways. I chose to support St. Jude because of the vision of Danny Thomas and the mission that the St. Jude team lives each day. Hearing the stories from survivors and from families who lost their children brought me to the reality of the impact of St. Jude. Whether it’s organizing a St. Jude Walk team, finding ways to sponsor events, speaking with my leadership or others outside of our company about St. Jude, running a half-marathon and raising funds, or helping our retail team tell the story – there is so much that we can do to move this mission forward.
What are some highlights of how you, and Fannie May are engaging with St. Jude in 2025?
I was honored to be the recipient of the St. Jude Executive Champion Award this past June. I was nominated for the ways I engage with the mission on an individual corporate level. As mentioned before, St. Jude meets people where they are, and there is something for everyone to engage with in a meaningful way.
Our company Ferrero purchased a table for the 1st St. Jude Legacy of Equity dinner and fundraiser in June in downtown Chicago. This event is hyper-focused on the African American community and raising awareness for sickle cell disease, an underserved condition that St. Jude continues to research and fight.
I will walk with our Ferrero/Fannie May team for the St. Jude Walk in September at the Brookfield Zoo, taking place during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. You can follow my journey on LinkedIn and support my fundraising efforts as I run as a St. Jude Hero during the St. Jude Memphis Marathon® Weekend in December.
Fannie May will participate in its fourth St. Jude Thanks and Giving® campaign starting in November, and we are hoping to raise our total contributions and donations to over $1 million in those 4 years.
I am a member of the Northern Illinois / Wisconsin ALSAC Advisory Council.
What are ways that leaders in the Chicagoland community can do to engage with St. Jude, whether it be via their company or at an individual level?
Your company doesn’t need to be as deeply involved as mine to make a meaningful impact—support can begin with just one small step. For Fannie May, it all started with a simple product donation, and over time, that commitment deepened into a lasting partnership.
There are so many ways to get started. One great option is to form a team for the St. Jude Walk at Brookfield Zoo on September 27—it’s a fun, free way to engage employees and support a great cause. Or consider attending the St. Jude Dream Chicago foodie event on October 25 at the Old Post Office for an unforgettable evening in support of the mission. You can also form a corporate team for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Memphis Weekend® on December 6.
When it comes to employee engagement, St. Jude offers a wide range of opportunities, from volunteering and payroll deductions to matching gifts, local committees, advisory boards, and workplace fundraisers. The possibilities are truly endless and can be tailored to fit your organization’s goals.
Even as an individual, there are countless impactful ways to give back. Whether you’re looking to get involved personally or through your company, the local ALSAC team, or I, would be happy to help you explore the best way to get started today! Visit stjude.org/chicago to learn more.