Online Extra: Burger King's Brenneman: "Why Not?"

Gregory D. Brenneman isn't your average CEO. When he took over at ailing hamburger chain Burger King in July he was just 42. Most of his mornings begin with a Bible reading. He hopscotched through different industries -- accounting, consulting, and airlines -- before landing in fast food. And he has a penchant for plainspoken adages such as "the fastest way to make money is to stop doing things that lose it."

All this has made Brenneman a hot commodity. He was named president of Continental Airlines (CAL )at the tender age of 33 and is widely considered one of Corporate America's up-and-coming CEOSs. At privately held Burger King, however, he may face his toughest challenge yet. Thanks to stiff competition from McDonald's (MCD ) and Wendy's (WEN ), plus debt-ridden franchisees and a ho-hum menu, Burger King's profits and market share slipped dramatically in recent years.