Buddy McClain

Buddy McClain began his Sonic career as a Manager in Training. McClain worked his way up through the management ranks until he was the owner-operator of the Selma, AL, Sonic in 1978. What followed was the beginnings of the MVP Sonic Group.  Store-by-store and market-by-market, under McClain’s leadership, MVP grew to own and operate 101 Sonic locations in the Alabama, Florida and Mississippi markets by the end of 2017. In October 2020 Buddy decided to scale back and sell the stores that were in Alabama and Florida, and keep pursuing the MVP Sonics in his home state of Mississippi. In 2021 he became chairman, of the Board of Directors where he counsels and leads the MVP Sonic Team that now owns 39 stores in the state of Mississippi.

At MVP, McClain instills a focus on the people. He built a corporate office in Ridgeland in 2001. McClain wanted to show that you can make a career at Sonic, that there is a management path and that there is even a path to be a partner. Managers at MVP make an average 20 percent more money than people in similar positions with other restaurant chains. McClain understands the value that high-operating managers and teams contribute to customer satisfaction, operational excellence and profit growth.

Buddy McClain has won numerous Sonic national awards starting with the Turn Around Operator of the Year Award in 2000, Chain Leader/Multi-Unit Operator of the Year in 2003, and the Mason Development Award in 2005.  Also in 2005, he was recognized with the Distinguished Entrepreneur Award given by the University of Southern Mississippi’s College of Business. McClain has also been a member of the prestigious Sonic Executive Advisory Council since 1994, and in 2016 was asked to be the Chairman.

In 2014 Buddy was awarded the Troy Smith Award. Named after Sonic’s founder, the Troy Smith Award is Sonic’s most prestigious award given to a franchisee that has worked with SONIC for a noteworthy duration. It is given to an individual that has made a significant contribution in terms of leadership, growth, influence, and who has made an impact on the Sonic brand.

When McClain tells his story, he is always sure to mention how Sonic Drive-Ins give back to the community because the community has been very good to the MVP Sonics. Each of the MVP restaurants are involved in their hometowns and are grateful to play a part in their community growth and success. McClain has also been an active member of the Metro-Jackson Chamber of Commerce since 1999.

McClain is an active member of First Baptist Church of Fannin. He is married to Joni McClain and has two children, Stefanie McClain Fairly and Mallory McClain. He has three grandchildren, Knox McClain Fairly, Jane Graham Fairly, and Charles Herndon Wilkins. He can often be found enjoying life on his boat, Life is a Journey.