Name: Jamie Richardson
New title: Chief marketing officer, White Castle
Previous title: Vice president, marketing and public relations, White Castle
Richardson succeeds Lynn Blashford, who is retiring after working at White Castle for 15 years, including the past six years as CMO, according to a press release emailed to Restaurant Dive. Richardson has worked at the fast food chain for more than 27 years in various marketing roles with increased responsibility, according to his LinkedIn profile. He will report to White Castle President Anthony Joseph.
Prior to his promotion, Richardson served as vice president of marketing and public relations, which included leading a team focused on growing White Castle’s brand relevance and awareness. He held that position for about six years. Before that role, he was vice president of corporate relations and communications and was responsible for shareholder relations, government relations, philanthropy and internal communications.
Richardson started working at White Castle in 1998 as a regional marketing supervisor.
“Jamie brings a deep knowledge of our brand, strong relationships across our communities and an unwavering belief in what makes White Castle special,” Lisa Ingram, CEO of White Castle, said in a statement. “I have full confidence that Jamie will carry forward the strong foundation Lynn has built while continuing to bring fresh ideas and energy to the team.”
White Castle has been expanding its reach in new locations, including a kiosk in Boston Logan International Airport. It also plans to open its first restaurant in Texas this year.
In October, it opened a new store prototype in Columbus, Ohio, called “Castle of Tomorrow” to increase efficiency and boost the consumer experience. This prototype includes interior design upgrades and technologies, such as the newest version of Flippy, a robotic fry station assistant, a drive-thru artificial intelligence ordering system and self-order kiosks.
