Name: Ashlee Weisser
New title: Chief financial officer, First Watch
Previous title: Senior vice president, financial planning and analysis, First Watch
Ashlee Weisser was promoted to CFO on June 8, succeeding Mel Hope, who is retiring. Hope will shift to an advisory role, according to a press release.
Weisser originally joined First Watch in 2023 and has more than 15 years of experience with financial strategy. She has previously worked with other restaurant brands, including as CFO of Maple Street Biscuit Company. She has also worked at Bloomin’ Brands, Red Robin and Darden in various financial roles with increased responsibility.
“[Weisser] has strengthened our financial foundation, advanced key growth initiatives and built a high-performing team to support our continued growth and evolution,” Chris Tomasso, CEO and president of First Watch, said in a statement. “This promotion reflects both her track record and her leadership, and we’re confident she will continue to play a critical role in driving our long-term success and shareholder value.”
The promotion follows a restructuring at First Watch’s operations leadership, which included terminating COO Dan Jones. The chain’s operations team now reports to Tomasso.
First Watch continues to be among the strongest-performing casual chains, with consistent unit count growth and positive same-store sales increases during the last five quarters. The company expects to open between 59 and 63 net new restaurants this year, according to an earnings release. The chain has over 640 restaurants.
