Executive Movements February 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — MIKE CORTINO has resigned as senior vice president of domestic operations for PAPA JOHN'S INTERNATIONAL INC., franchisor or operator of 3,015 Papa John's Pizza outlets worldwide. No reasons were given. Papa John's said Cortino's responsibilities have been assumed temporarily by the company's U.S. president, BILL VAN EPPS. Full Press Release
HEATHROW, Fla. — TONY LAVELY has resigned as senior vice president of marketing and business development for RUTH'S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE INC., the company said. Lavely left the chain Monday “to pursue other business and personal interests,” the operator or franchisor of more than 100 namesake restaurants said , adding that a search for his replacement had begun. Lavely joined the chain in August 2004 after working for Burger King, Long John Silver's and Domino's Pizza. 
CARLSBAD, Calif. — FREDRICA THODE, who was president and chief executive of the 100-plus-unit HOT DOG ON A STICK chain, based here, died Jan. 13 after a long battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, company officials said Friday. She was 64. DAN SMITH, formerly chief operating officer, was named Thode's successor as president. He joined the chain in 2000 as a franchise compliance manager, became director of operations in 2002, and was promoted to COO in 2004. Thode, a 27-year veteran of the chain, was named president in 2001 and CEO in 2005. She is survived by her husband, Jimmie, two children and three grandchildren. Full Press Release
DUBLIN, Ohio — KERRII ANDERSON, chief executive of WENDY'S INTERNATIONAL INC., will collect $950,000 in salary and $2.7 million in equity-based long-term compensation during 2007 under an employment contract signed Jan. 22, Wendy's said in a securities filing Thursday. She will also be eligible for a bonus equal to her annual salary, the filing said. It noted that Anderson will collect at least $900,000 in bonuses for 2006, based on her performance as Wendy's chief financial officer for 3.5 months last year before her promotion to the CEO post for the remainder of the year. She was paid at her new salary rate after Nov. 9, when she was named CEO after serving in that post on an interim basis for about seven months.
SAN DIEGO — Three veterans of the PAT & OSCAR'S fastcasual chain have been promoted in a restructuring that aims to set the 17-unit system on a growth track. Chief executive JOHN WRIGHT has added the duties of chairman but relinquished the title of president. GEORGE HUNTER, previously a market partner for San Diego, is now the chain's chief operating officer. BRENT DUNKIN, formerly chief financial officer, was named executive vice president and CFO. The company is scheduled to open two more Pat & Oscar's restaurants in Southern California by May. Another four to six company-owned units are planned for the fiscal year beginning in April, during which the chain would begin franchising. The San Diego-based chain sold or closed four lowperforming units last year. While posting nine straight quarters of same-store sales increases, the company has also increased margins by about 3 percentage points, raised customer satisfaction levels, and introduced a trans-fat-free menu, Wright indicated. The Australian-based PACIFIC EQUITY PARTNERS owns Pat & Oscar's and the Sizzler grill-buffet brand. Full Press Release
LAKE FOREST, Calif. — DEL TACO, the 485-unit quick-service chain based here, named Yum! Brands veteran BARRY BARNHART vice president of franchise operation, in which capacity he will focus on such new Del Taco markets as Seattle, Detroit and Chicago. He spent eight years at Yum, parent of the Taco Bell chain, and most recently was a regional vice president. Full Press Release
CULVER CITY, Calif. — SIZZLER, the 226-unit grill-buffet chain based here, has eliminated the position of vice president of company operations, which was held by DAVID HIXENBAUGH, and accepted the resignation of DUDLEY MCMAHON, who left his post as vice president of product development “to pursue other opportunities.” Sizzler president and chief executive KEN COLE said Hixenbaugh will be replaced by a director of operations, which better fits the company's strategy of growth through franchising. As part of that strategy, Sizzler has pared back its number of corporate-owned restaurants to 36, in part by selling outlets to franchisees in an effort to seed growth in new markets. However, the vacated product development post will be filed, and an executive search has begun, Cole said.
PLANO, Texas — METROMEDIA RESTAURANT GROUP here has tapped VINCE RUNCO to replace JEFF MOODY as chief executive of the 800-restaurant company and president of its casual-dining division. Runco was chief operating officer and executive vice president of the division, which operates MRG's Bennigan's and Steak and Ale chains. The company said Moody resigned to pursue other opportunities. Replacing Runco in his former posts is JOHN SALING, who was senior VP of operations. Runco's promotion also puts him in charge of MRG's mostly franchised budget-steakhouse chains, Ponderosa and Bonanza. Runco also was president of worldwide franchising for Bennigan's. A successor was not named for that post. In addition, Metromedia promoted ERIC TAYLOR to senior VP of its worldwide franchise operations. He was Bennigan's VP of franchising. Full Press Release
MONCTON, New Brunswick — Former Olive Garden and Cracker Barrel president RON MAGRUDER has been named president and chief executive of PIZZA DELIGHT CORP.LTD. here, operator or franchisor of the Pizza Delight, Mikes, Scores and Baton Rouge casual and family restaurants in Canada. He most recently was a group president at Cara Operations Ltd., a diversified Canadian company whose more than 540 Swiss Chalet and Harvey's restaurants he oversaw. The bulk of his career was at General Mills Restaurants and its successor, Darden Restaurants, where he oversaw the rapid development of Olive Garden. He later headed Cracker Barrel and was CEO of the Hops brew-pub chain. Magruder is also a past chairman of the National Restaurant Association, which he still serves as a director. At Pizza Delight he succeeds BERNARD IMBEAULT, who called Magruder's “one of the most prominent restaurant executives in North America.” Full Press Release
CALABASAS HILLS, Calif. — PETER D'AMELIO has resigned as president and chief operating officer of THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC.'s restaurant division, effective Feb. 2, because of personal family reasons, the company said Tuesday. Cheesecake Factory said it will launch a search for his replacement. D'Amelio started with the company 17 years ago as a restaurant manager. Based here, Cheesecake Factory operates 123 namesake restaurants, eight upscale-casual Grand Lux Café units, and one Cheesecake Factory Express. Two Cheesecake Factory Bakery Cafe units are licensed to other operators. Full Press Release
CARPINTERIA, Calif. — CKE RESTAURANTS has named former Jack in the Box executive ANNE BLUMENSTEIN vice president of regional marketing and media for the CARL'S JR. brand. Blumenstein replaces Renae Scott, who left last year, and will oversee local marketing, media planning and placement for Carl's Jr. advertising, and beverage and consumer promotions. Full Press Release
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS INC., the chain of more than 345 casual-dining restaurants, has hired industry veteran WES GARNETT as vice president of team member resources. Garnett, who has more than 25 years of human resources experience, will oversee Red Robin's recruitment, retention and succession planning efforts. He also will be responsible for diversity training, compensation, benefits, risk management and overall team member relations. Before joining Red Robin, Garnett was senior vice president of Buca Di Beppo. He previously was vice president of human resources and training at Taco John's, vice president of human resources and training at Denny's franchisee DenAmerica Restaurants, and vice president of human resources at Black-eyed Pea. Garnett received his master's and bachelor's degrees in education from Utah State University. Full Press Release
DALLAS — The 48-unit DAVE & BUSTER'S INC. on Monday named BRIAN JENKINS chief financial officer. Chief executive STEVE KING had been acting CFO since the resignation last year of W.C. Hammett, following the chain's goingprivate acquisition by Wellspring Capital Management. Jenkins is a former senior vice president of finance for Six Flags Inc.
WILBRAHAM, Mass. — FRIENDLY ICE CREAM CORP. named DUNKIN' DONUT'S veteran GEORGE M. CONDOS president and chief executive officer. He filled the post that was left vacant when JOHN L. CUTTER resigned as Friendly CEO in September 2006. Condos also will serve on the Friendly board of directors, the company said. Condos, 51, most recently served as brand officer for Dunkin' Donuts, a company he had been with since 1987. Friendly operates or franchises 514 Friendly's family-dining restaurants throughout the Northeast. The company also manufactures ice cream, which is distributed through more than 4,500 retail locations. Full Press Release
DENVER — QUIZNOS has appointed former BURGER KING chief executive GREG BRENNEMAN as its president and chief executive, simultaneous with his private-equity firm's purchase of an undisclosed stake in the sandwich-shop franchisor. Brenneman had returned to managing that firm, TURNWORKS INC., after surrendering the helm of Burger King Holdings in April, right before the burger giant's initial public offering. TurnWorks is as much of a turnaround company as a financier, typically re-engineering one of its purchases before selling it either to the public or another private-equity buyer. In announcing Brenneman's appointment, the 5,000-unit Quiznos noted that its new CEO will continue to be involved with TurnWorks as well. Brenneman assumes his new posts at Quiznos from RICK SCHADEN, whose family owned the sandwich concern until it sold an undisclosed stake last May to J.P. MORGAN PARTNERS, a private equity division of JP MORGAN CHASE & CO. J.P. Morgan has apparently retained that stake. Full Press Release
ORLANDO, Fla. — MICHAEL GRODI, former operations and development senior vice president for Denver-based Quiznos Sub, was named president and chief executive of the six-unit EARL OF SANDWICH chain here, succeeding GARY DAVIS who returned to the United Kingdom in early January. Full Press Release