- Fred Turner, McDonald's executive and former CEO Frederick Leo Turner (January 6, 1933 – January 7, 2013) - who liked to be known simply as Fred. - was a restaurant industry executive, chair who served as CEO of McDonald's. He is credited with helping to massively expand McDonald's, introducing new meals and setting service standards for the company and its employees. In 1961, Fred helped co-establish Hamburger University, a training ground for McDonald's restaurant employees, with McDonald's CEO and corporation founder Ray Kroc. Today, there are seven Hamburger Universities globally, including one at the company's home office in Oak Brook, Illinois, renamed the Fred L. Turner Training Center upon his retirement in 2004.