Executive News: Page 2

  • Qdoba chief development officer Jeremy Vitaro
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    Courtesy of Qdoba
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    Qdoba hires Little Caesars exec as chief development officer

    Jeremy Vitaro joins the 750-unit chain as it tries to double its store count to 1,500 units in a decade. 

    By • March 18, 2024
  • 7-Eleven
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    Retrieved from 7-Eleven.
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    7-Eleven taps former McDonald’s and Wendy’s exec to lead restaurant operations

    William Armstrong, who spent over a decade with both fast food brands, will spearhead the division that includes Laredo Taco Company and Raise the Roost Chicken & Biscuits.

    By Brett Dworski • March 18, 2024
  • A photos of &pizza CEO Mike Burns
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    Permission granted by &pizza
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    How &pizza’s new CEO is transforming the chain’s loyalty program, operations

    Burns, who has held the position for over two months, is leading a major tech overhaul at the chain, including a new rewards scheme, app and website.

    By • March 14, 2024
  • Popeyes signage
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    Courtesy of Popeyes
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    RBI names CFO, shakes up leadership

    The company named Sami Siddiqui as its CFO while Jeff Klein will fill Siddiqui’s previous role as president of Popeyes U.S. Thiago Santelmo was also promoted to president of international. 

    By • March 14, 2024
  • Noodles & Company cauliflower gnocchi
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    Permission granted by Noodles & Company
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    Noodles & Company names Drew Madsen CEO, preps for menu overhaul

    After three quarters of sliding sales, Madsen will oversee menu changes and digital strategies to woo lapsed and new customers after a tough year.

    By • March 8, 2024
  • A photograph of Chili's chicken crisper combo.
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    Permission granted by Chili's
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    Brinker appoints new CIO, CFO

    The company is replacing its outgoing financial chief with in-house talent, and hired a long-serving KFC exec to lead its technological upgrades as it battles sliding traffic. 

    By • Feb. 27, 2024
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Shake Shack promotes Michael Kark to expanded global licensing role

    Kark, who has been with the chain for nearly 12 years, will focus on expanding its international footprint and partnering with more licensed operators.

    By • Feb. 15, 2024
  • Whataburger's incoming CMO, Scott Hudler
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    Permission granted by Whataburger
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    Whataburger hires CMO

    Scott Hudler joins the chain effective Feb. 21 and has significant experience leading restaurant marketing at Torchy’s Tacos and Dunkin’.

    By • Feb. 15, 2024
  • El Pollo Loco's first LA Mex restaurants, which emphasize off-premise, opened in 2021.
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    Courtesy of El Pollo Loco
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    El Pollo Loco appoints former Taco Bell exec as CEO

    Liz Williams, who served in various leadership positions at Taco Bell, including international president, will take over for interim CEO Maria Hollandsworth.

    By • Updated Feb. 13, 2024
  • An image of Toni Ronayne, Perkins president, and Steven Roach, CTO of Ascent Hospitality
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    Permission granted by Ascent Hospitality Management
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    Ascent Hospitality bolsters C-suite with CTO, Perkins president hires

    Toni Ronayne will lead Perkins after serving as managing director, Canada at Little Caesars, while Steven Roach becomes chief technology officer after working at Focus Brands.

    By • Feb. 5, 2024
  • Sweetgreen opened a location at World Trade Center Tower 3 in NYC in October 2021.
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    Permission granted by Sweetgreen
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    Sweetgreen hires former Starbucks exec Rossann Williams as COO

    Williams, who left Starbucks in 2022 following a corporate reshuffle, will oversee operations, real estate and development and supply chain.

    By • Feb. 5, 2024
  • Jason Maceda, Inspire Brands' new chief development officer, smiles in front of some branded items.
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    Courtesy of Inspire Brands
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    Inspire Brands promotes Jason Maceda to development chief

    Maceda will oversee the restaurant company’s franchise growth as part of a reorganization of its corporate structure.

    By • Jan. 31, 2024
  • An image of Amanda Clark, COO, international of Papa Johns
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    Permission granted by Papa Johns
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    Papa Johns international COO resigns

    Amanda Clark, who has been with the company since 2020, will leave the chain on March 1 to become CEO of another franchise. 

    By • Jan. 29, 2024
  • A photograph of Scott Gladstone, Dine Brands international president and chief development officer
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    Courtesy of Dine Brands
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    Dine Brands creates chief development officer role

    Scott Gladstone, who was promoted to international president in January 2023, gains the role of CDO and will focus on global franchise development.

    By • Jan. 19, 2024
  • Incoming Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner smiles in a portrait photograph from his previous role at Pepsi
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    Courtesy of PepsiCo
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    Wendy’s names PepsiCo exec as CEO

    Todd Penegor is stepping down as Wendy’s president and CEO, a post he’s held since 2016, and will be replaced by Kirk Tanner, effective Feb. 5.

    By • Updated Jan. 18, 2024
  • A portrait photograph of Tatiana Lambert, Wendy's new U.S. chief development officer.
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    Courtesy of Wendy's
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    Wendy’s hires Yum exec to lead US development

    Tatiana Lambert will lead the company’s domestic expansion as it looks to grow its franchisee base and build new restaurant formats.

    By • Jan. 17, 2024
  • Thuthuka Nxumalo, KFC U.S. COO, effective Feb. 5, and Christophe Poirier, KFC U.S. chief new concept officer, effective Feb. 1.
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    Courtesy of KFC
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    KFC appoints US operations chief and new concept officer

    Thuthuka Nxumalo and Christophe Poirier will join the brand’s American C-suite from other divisions of Yum Brands as KFC looks to modernize its concept.

    By • Jan. 17, 2024
  • A portrait photo of Suzie Tsai, Bonchon U.S.'s new chief growth officer.
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    Courtesy of Bonchon
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    Bonchon names US CEO

    Suzie Tsai, who joined the chain as chief growth officer in August, becomes the Korean fried chicken chain’s U.S. CEO as it plans to double its presence in the country within five years. 

    By • Jan. 16, 2024
  • Blue and purple Taco Bell sauce packets are inscribed with messages against a metaverse-themed backdrop.
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    Retrieved from Taco Bell Corp. on August 25, 2022
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    Yum names Pizza Hut exec as chief digital and technology officer

    Joe Park, who directed the rollout of Pizza Hut’s managerial tool HutBot and early deployments of Dragontail AI, assumes his role on March 1.

    By • Jan. 11, 2024
  • 7-Eleven
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    Courtesy of 7-Eleven
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    7-Eleven’s top foodservice executive departs

    Jack Stout, who before last summer was the retailer’s chief merchandising officer for nearly five years, left the company at the end of 2023.

    By Brett Dworski • Jan. 8, 2024
  • Beth Scott, Mod Pizza CEO
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    Courtesy of Mod Pizza
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    Mod Pizza hires Cooper’s Hawk exec as CEO

    Beth Scott assumes the fast casual pizza chain’s top post and co-founder Scott Svenson steps down after 15 years to serve as executive chairman. 

    By • Updated Jan. 8, 2024
  • Dutch Bros Coffee's president, Christine Barone will replace Joth Ricci as CEO. Pictured is a Dutch Bros unit.
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    Permission granted by Dutch Bros
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    Dutch Bros brings on 3 C-suite execs

    Joshua Guenser, previously of Mod Pizza, becomes CFO while Sumitro Ghosh, previously from Nike, will take the president of operations post and Jess Elmquist, previously of Phenom People, becomes chief people officer. 

    By • Jan. 8, 2024
  • The prize center inside a Dave & Buster's restaurant
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    Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic via Getty Images
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    Dave & Buster’s CFO retires

    Michael Quartieri, who led the chain’s financial operations through its acquisition of Main Event, will depart on April 30, 2024.

    By • Dec. 21, 2023
  • A portrait photo of Rick Brown, CFO of Brix Holdings
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    Permission granted by Brix Holdings
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    Brix hires TGI Fridays alum as CFO

    Rick Brown, who previously served in leadership roles at TGI Fridays for 14 years, joins Brix as the company plans rapid growth across all of its brands.

    By • Dec. 19, 2023
  • An exterior image of a restaurant with glass windows and a sign that says sweetgreen.
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    Retrieved from Sweetgreen/BusinessWire on August 10, 2022
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    Sweetgreen chief development officer will step down

    Jim McPhail will leave the company on Dec. 31 after working as CDO for four years, and Timothy Noonan has been promoted to SVP of development and will assume McPhail’s development responsibilities.

    By • Dec. 18, 2023