Executive News: Page 2


  • 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 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
  • 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 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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’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
  • 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 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Wingstop names CIO

    Chris Fallon joins the wing brand as it prepares to roll out a $50 million in-house technology platform built to allow it to leave Olo’s system.

    By Dec. 15, 2023
  • TGI Fridays hires COO, CFO

    Ray Risley becomes U.S. president and COO while Nik Rupp joins the chain as CFO and president of international markets, less than two months after Weldon Spangler was hired as CEO.

    By Dec. 13, 2023
  • Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti to retire in 2024

    Garutti, who became the chain’s CEO in 2011, will depart the company as it prepares to open 80 units next year and expand its drive-thru footprint. 

    By Dec. 11, 2023
  • Rock N Roll Sushi hires experienced franchise exec as CEO

    Craig LeMieux, who has decades of franchising experience, will lead the chain as its top executive. Terri Jessen was appointed VP of operations. 

    By Dec. 7, 2023
  • Red Robin appoints chief people officer

    Meghan Spuler joins the casual chain in the midst of its ongoing North Star Plan transformation, which includes a new staffing model.

    By Dec. 7, 2023
  • Huddle House hires former Long John Silver’s CEO as brand president

    Blain Shortreed, who has over 30 years of restaurant experience, will oversee company operations, franchising, marketing and culinary innovation.

    By Dec. 4, 2023
  • Sprinkles promotes new COO

    Justin Murakami will lead operations as the company prepares to expand its network of production and pantry bakeries, as well as its cupcake “ATMs.”

    By Dec. 1, 2023
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