HL | Milestone Series – Honors Chipotle Mexican Grill
he HL | Milestone Series recognizes organizations whose leadership, innovation, and commitment to community continue to shape culture, business, and influence across industries.
Founded in 1993, Chipotle Mexican Grill has grown into one of the most recognized fast-casual restaurant brands in the world, known for its focus on real ingredients, responsible sourcing, and a mission to cultivate a better world through food. With thousands of locations across the United States and internationally, Chipotle has consistently redefined the dining experience by emphasizing transparency, quality, and sustainability.
Chipotle Mexican Grill will be recognized during the HL | Milestone Series — Orange County, taking place on April 30, 2026. This invitation-only reception brings together a curated audience of executives, entrepreneurs, and community leaders for an evening of connection, conversation, and recognition.
Wells Fargo is the funding partner of the 2026 HL Milestone Series.
Milestone Moments | Chipotle Mexican Grill
Connecting career advancement, homeownership and the opportunities that shape stronger communities.
ORANGE COUNTY, CA — When Chipotle Mexican Grill was recognized during the HL | Milestone Series — Orange County on April 30, 2026, the company’s acceptance remarks reflected one of the evening’s central themes: the relationship between professional opportunity, financial stability and homeownership.
Laurie Schalow, Chief Corporate Affairs and Food Safety Officer at Chipotle Mexican Grill, accepted the recognition alongside Matthew Foley, the company’s Head of Government Relations, during the event held at Orange Hill Restaurant.
Speaking to attendees, Schalow reflected on Chipotle’s growth since its founding more than three decades ago in Denver, Colorado, and the company’s decision to relocate its headquarters to Orange County in 2018.
However, it was her comments about employees and career advancement that connected directly with an earlier discussion during the program.
Connecting the Conversation
The evening included a leadership panel titled The Future of Wealth: Real Estate, Lending & AI, moderated by Chantal Camarillo, Vice President, Customer Growth Segments at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.
The discussion brought together financial and real estate professionals, including Wells Fargo Private Mortgage Banker Melissa M. Velasquez, to explore opportunities and challenges surrounding homeownership, wealth building and financial advancement.
During her acceptance remarks, Schalow acknowledged the panel discussion and connected its themes with experiences she and her colleague had witnessed through Chipotle’s workforce.
She described how employees can advance into leadership positions, manage multimillion-dollar restaurant operations and earn incomes that allow them to pursue homeownership, higher education and family goals.
“You don’t have to have a college degree, you can get into our business,” Schalow shared.
Her remarks offered a real-world perspective on an important theme of the evening: how employment and career advancement can create pathways toward financial opportunity.
Schalow also expressed appreciation for Chipotle’s community partnerships and the organizations helping create stronger communities.
The moment demonstrated how a conversation about wealth and homeownership can connect with the everyday experiences of businesses and their employees.
Watch the Milestone Moment
Watch Laurie Schalow’s acceptance remarks on behalf of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 2026 HL | Milestone Series — Orange County.
Laurie Schalow, Chief Corporate Affairs and Food Safety Officer at Chipotle Mexican Grill, shares her acceptance remarks during the HL | Milestone Series — Orange County on April 30, 2026. Schalow highlighted the company’s commitment to career advancement, homeownership opportunities and community partnerships.
A MILESTONE HONOREE
Beyond its business success, Chipotle has demonstrated a meaningful commitment to being a strong community partner. Through local restaurant engagement, nonprofit collaborations, and national initiatives, the company actively supports education, food accessibility, and youth-focused programs. Their ongoing investment in community-driven efforts reflects a broader philosophy one that understands the role businesses play in supporting the neighborhoods they serve.
Chipotle’s dedication to responsibly sourced ingredients, environmental sustainability, and ethical business practices further underscores its leadership in the industry. From supporting farmers to reducing environmental impact, the company continues to align its growth with purpose.
As a brand with deep cultural relevance and a strong connection to diverse communities, Chipotle represents a model of how national organizations can maintain local impact while operating at scale.
About the HL | Milestone Series
The HL | Milestone Series is an original HL Media Network program recognizing individuals, businesses and organizations whose leadership, achievements and community contributions reflect meaningful progress.
Through curated experiences and conversations, the series brings together business executives, entrepreneurs, financial professionals and community leaders to explore ideas and opportunities shaping our communities.
The 2026 series included events in Orange County, New York and Silicon Valley, celebrating Leadership • Influence • Legacy.
These events couldn’t have been possible without the funding partnership of Wells Fargo. Through its support and the participation of its representatives, Wells Fargo helped make possible meaningful conversations connecting business leadership, financial opportunity and community prosperity.