T ony Townley is the co-founder of Zaxby's, a popular American fast-food chain specializing in chicken fingers and wings. He started the business in 1990 in Statesboro, Georgia, with his childhood friend Zach McLeroy. The duo pooled $16,000 to open their first restaurant, aiming to offer a higher quality chicken alternative to existing fast-food options. Zaxby's grew from a college town favorite into a regional powerhouse with over 900 locations across the southern United States.

Townley served as the company's Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for three decades before selling his stake to Goldman Sachs in 2020 for an estimated $2 billion. Following the sale, he has focused on managing his investments and extensive land holdings; he and his wife are among the largest landowners in Georgia, with vast timberland and farmland properties.