Executive Movements September 2007
Caldeira to leave leadership institute to take Dunkin’ post
CANTON , Mass. (Aug. 31) Stephen Caldeira, co-founder, president and chief executive of the Elliot Leadership Institute, is stepping down from the nonprofit organization to become executive vice president of global communications and chief public affairs officer for Dunkin’ Brands Inc.
Succeeding him at the helm of the institute is Joleen Flory, who will leave her role as executive vice president of human resources and training for Famous Dave’s of America, the 150-unit barbecue chain based in Minneapolis, to take the job.
Caldeira assumes his posts at Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin’ on Oct. 29. A veteran of in the fields of communication, industry relations and association leadership, he will report directly to Jon Luther, chairman and chief executive of Dunkin’, the franchisor of more than 13,000 Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin-Robbins and Togo’s quick-service restaurants.
At Dunkin’, Caldeira will oversee worldwide communications for all internal and external audiences, including employees, franchisees and media. He also will lead the company’s government industry and community relations efforts.
Prior to leading the institute, Caldeira had been vice president of industry relations for PepsiCo. Previous positions include president and chief operating officer of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and senior vice president of communications, marketing, and public heath and safety for the National Restaurant Association.
Caldeira also has worked at Burson-Marsteller, where he was a managing director of public affairs practice, and early in his career served as political director to former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D’Amato (R-NY).
Flory, who has 20 years of experience in restaurant training, human resources and operations, had previously been elected to the Elliot Institute’s board of directors.
The institute was founded in 2003 as a leadership development source for the foodservice industry by the Elliot Group, Johnson & Wales University, Nation’s Restaurant News and PepsiCo Foodservice. The organization offers online assessment, customized corporate workshops and other tools to help industry managers develop leadership skills.
Flory has held various positions in training, human resources and operations at Buffalo Wild Wings, Advantica Restaurant Group, Family Restaurants Inc. and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Inc.
Famous Dave’s is currently interviewing candidates to replace Flory, said David Goronkin, president and chief executive
CALABASAS HILLS, Calif., Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Russell W. Bendel has been appointed president and chief operating officer of Cheesecake Factory Inc., the California company says. Beginning Sept. 3, Bendel will be responsible for leading all aspects of the day-to-day national operations of The Cheesecake Factory restaurants, Bizjournals.com reported Tuesday. He was president and chief executive officer of Mimi's Cafe the past six years and previously worked for OSI Restaurant Partners Inc.
Cheesecake Factory, with headquarters in Calabasas Hills, Calif., operates 126 dining restaurants under The Cheesecake Factory name, along with two bakery facilities, one The Cheesecake Factory Express restaurant, and nine Grand Lux Cafe restaurants.
SEATTLE — STARBUCKS COFFEE CO. promoted the head of its international business to the newly created post of chief operating officer in what the company described as an effort to facilitate expansion worldwide. MARTIN COLES, currently president of STARBUCKS COFFEE INTERNATIONAL, will report directly to president and chief executive JIM DONALD. He will oversee both domestic and international operations and development. The chain also promoted JIM ALLING, president of Starbucks Coffee U.S., to the international post that Coles is vacating. LAUNI SKINNER, currently senior vice president of store development, was named as Alling’s successor. The promotions take effect Sept. 4. Starbucks’ previously announced growth plans call for the opening of 2,400 coffeehouses this year, including 1,700 in the United States. The company currently has about 14,000 branches worldwide.
PLANO, Texas — PONDEROSA and BONANZA steakhouses, the 308-unit buffet division of METROMEDIA RESTAURANT GROUP, has hired JAY SULLIVAN for
the new position of culinary manager. STEVE WELSH, vice president of marketing for Ponderosa and Bonanza, said: “Jay is a talented and creative chef with an extensive culinary background. Bonanza and Ponderosa will greatly benefit from his talents.” Sullivan will be based at Metromedia’s corporate office here. Sullivan earned his culinary arts degree from the Art Institute of Dallas. He most recently was a senior research and development chef at Food Source LP. Sullivan also has been a sous chef with M-Crowd Restaurants in Dallas, which operates the Mi Cocina Mexican chain. He also has served as head chef at ClubCorp America. MRG also owns the Bennigan’s and Steak and Ale concepts.
ATLANTA — Multiconcept franchisor RAVING BRANDS has promoted SETH SALZMAN to senior vice president with responsibility for strategy development, marketing and operations for two of the company’s youngest brands, THE FLYING BISCUIT CAFE and BONEHEADS GRILLED FISH & PIRI PIRI CHICKEN. Salzman, a co-founder and longtime executive of MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL, also will oversee MONKEY JOE’S, the company’s string of entertainment centers. Raving is in the process of selling its flagship Moe’s to Schlotzsky’s parent FOCUS BRANDS. Also, BRENT MCGHEE, a 10-year veteran of Hooters of America, has signed on to be director of franchise operations for Flying Biscuit, which is Raving’s lone casual-dining concept.
MIAMI — BURGER KING has promoted four top-level executives in what it describes as preparation for meeting aggressive expansion targets for fiscal 2008. Moving up to a senior vice president's post within their respective departments are MIKE KAPPITT of global business intelligence and strategy, formerly vice president of consumer insights and performance analysis; JONATHAN FITZPATRICK, development and franchising, formerly vice president of information technology; JOHN RECKERT, global operations research and development, who most recently was responsible for retrofitting company restaurants with flexible batch broilers; and CHRIS ANDERSON, finance, who adds oversight of risk management, franchise finance and credit and collections to his existing duties of managing consolidation, external reporting and USA accounting groups. Currently, Burger King operates or franchises more than 11,200 restaurants in the United States and 66 foreign countries.
WICHITA, Kan. — LONE STAR STEAKHOUSE & SALOON INC. has named MARC BUEHLER as chief executive of its casual-dining division, overseeing both the flagship 183-unit Lone Star Steakhouse chain and the 28-unit TEXAS LAND & CATTLE concept. Buehler until last week was president and chief executive of ROMACORP INC., the Dallas-based parent of Tony Roma's. Earlier, he served as vice president of marketing for Tony Roma's, and previously held the same posts at EATERIES INC., parent of the GARFIELD'S chain. HOUSTON — MEXICAN RESTAURANTS INC., which owns and franchises 78 units under such names as CRAZY JOSE’S, CASA OLE and MONTEREY’S TEX MEX CAFÉ, said DENNIS VEGAS would step down July 31 as senior vice president and chief marketing officer to pursue other opportunities. No replacement has been named.
IRVING, Texas — CHEDDAR’S CASUAL CAFE, operator or franchisor of 61 namesake restaurants, has named Red Lobster veteran KELLY C. BALTES chairman and chief executive. Baltes most recently was executive vice president of 685-unit Red Lobster, an arm of Darden Restaurants Inc. His new post previously was held by the late Aubrey G. Good, who cofounded Cheddar’s in 1978 with Douglas H. Rogers, who remains vice chairman. Good died in July 2006. Cheddar’s
restaurants in 16 states last year generated systemwide sales of more than $255 million. The company owns 28 Cheddar’s and
two Fish Daddy’s restaurants. Franchisees own 33 branches.
TUSTIN, Calif. — RUSS BENDEL will step down at the end of August as president and chief executive of the 116-unit MIMI’S CAFE casual-dining chain, based here, to pursue another opportunity, though he won’t reveal his new position until next week. DANIEL DILLON, who has been Mimi’s Cafe’s chief operating officer since 1996, will be interim chief executive, according to parent company BOB EVANS FARMS INC. of Columbus, Ohio. “We thank Russ for his significant contributions to the growth of Mimi’s Cafe over the past six years, and we wish him all the best in the future,” said STEVE DAVIS, Bob Evans’ chairman and CEO. Bendel helped shepherd Mimi’s Cafe through its 2004
acquisition by Bob Evans Farms, which acquired it from SWH Corp., headed by concept founder Thomas Simms.
NEW YORK — PATINA RESTAURANT GROUP, operator of upscale concepts and cultural-institution restaurants here and on the West Coast, named TIM O’SHEA chief operating officer. He was president and chief executive of Fresh Choice Restaurants in Newark, Calif. O’Shea also is a veteran of W.R. Grace & Co., Culinary Brands Inc., and the hotel foodservice arm of Saga Corp. Patina CEO NICK VALENTI said O’Shea “has a depth of experience that will help us achieve our objectives, and his commitment to quality is consistent with our mission.” JOACHIM SPLICHAL, chef and founder of the Patina group, added that O’Shea “has an impressive record in creating and growing businesses.”
Patina operates such New York restaurants as the Sea Grill, the Brasserie and facilities at the Metropolitan Opera, while
in California it operates the flagship Patina restaurant in Los Angeles, the Pinot bistro chain, various museum dining venues
and Julia’s Kitchen at the Copia complex in Napa Valley.
PLANO, Texas — BUFFET PARTNERS HOLDING CO., parent of the 54-unit FURR’S FRESH BUFFET chain, has named GREG BUCHANAN chief executive. Most recently he was president of La Madeleine Bakery Café and Bistro chain, based in Dallas. Before that, he was senior vice president of development at Darden Restaurants and held senior management posts with Carlson Restaurants Worldwide. Furr’s has units in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
THE COLONY, Texas — PIZZA INN INC., franchisor of nearly 360 restaurants with chainwide annual sales of about $150 million, Wednesday said TIM TAFT had resigned as president, chief executive and a director immediately to pursue unspecified other interests. Taft and the company both acknowledged a revitalization of the brand under his tenure for the past two and a half years. Chief financial officer CHARLIE MORRISON, a former Steak and Ale president and Ponderosa CFO, was named interim CEO.
DALLAS — The LA MADELEINE BAKERY, CAFE AND BISTRO chain has named menu-development veteran PHILIP COSTNER chief operation officer. Costner most recently was vice president of food and beverage for CARLSON RESTAURANTS WORLDWIDE of Carrollton, Texas. Carlson and its franchisees operate 1,000 T.G.I. Friday’s and Pick Up Stix restaurants. Costner, who also has worked with Universal Studios, LSG Sky Chefs and Warwick Hotels International, replaces ROZ MALLET, who left 61-unit La Madeleine in March to become president and COO of Caribou Coffee Co. Inc. in Minneapolis. As COO of La Madeleine, Costner will oversee operations, culinary and quality assurance, purchasing and human resources.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — O’CHARLEY’S RESTAURANTS has promoted GUY STANKE to vice president of operations, filling a vacancy left by the resignation of FRANK BILLER. Stanke, a nine-year veteran of the casual-dining company, will oversee the day-to-day operations of the 240 O’Charley’s restaurants and play a critical role in the concept’s “ongoing transformation strategy” to boost financial performance and guest satisfaction levels, the company said. Biller resigned to pursue other opportunities, according to O’Charley’s. Stanke was O’Charley’s regional vice president of operations, overseeing 51 company-owned restaurants and 11 joint-venture and franchised restaurants.
DALLAS — BRINKER INTERNATIONAL INC. on Monday informed securities regulators that JEAN BIRCH had stepped down as president of its ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL division. Birch had also served as a senior vice president of Brinker. Earlier this month, Brinker said it was exploring the sale of the 240-unit Italian chain in order to focus on its flagship Chili’s Grill and Bar, Maggiano’s Little Italy and On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina brands. Brinker named JOHN REALE interim president of Romano’s Macaroni Grill. At one time he was the chain’s chief operating officer, but since June he has been senior vice president and chief operating officer of Brinker’s global business development division.
CARROLLTON, Texas — CARLSON RESTAURANTS WORLDWIDE INC., parent of the T.G.I. FRIDAY’S and PICK UP STIX chains, has promoted JOHN NEITZEL to president and chief operating officer of its international division. He succeeds STEVE KING, who left last year. Neitzel is now responsible for the company’s international operations and the financial performance of nearly 300 restaurants in 54 nations. He most recently was senior vice president of operations for T.G.I. Friday’s USA.
BALTIMORE — PHILLIPS FOODS AND SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS, a seafood supplier and operator of a namesake
casual-dining seafood chain, has appointed STEVE PHILLIPS as its new president, a post he will assume in addition
to his duties as the company’s chief executive. Phillips replaces MARK SNEED, who died last month of a heart
attack at age 50. The Baltimore-based company also promoted three other executives. DEAN FLOWERS was named executive vice president and chief financial officer; TOM HEIM was appointed senior vice president of foodservice, retail and club stores; and JOHN KNORR was named senior vice president of national accounts, restaurant and franchise operations. Phillips said he intends to grow the company through the creation of business unit teams that will develop plans to expand its foodservice, retail and club stores. The company generated $160 million in sales in 2006. Phillips Foods owns and operates seafood processing plants in China, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The company’s restaurant division operates full-service units in six cities, including Philadelphia, Baltimore and Myrtle Beach, S.C.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS INC. said it is realigning the nearly 400-unit chain’s operations following the resignation of vice president of operations JEFF JERVIK to pursue private business interests.
The troubled doughnut shop operator and franchisor said current executives JEFF WELCH and STEVE LINEBERGER are taking on expanded roles as part of the restructuring. Welch becomes senior VP of global franchise operations and development. He most recently led Krispy Kreme’s international franchise expansion into 10 countries. Welch is a former VP of franchising and business development for Yum! Brands Inc. Lineberger now is senior VP and general manager of U.S. company operations. He previously was responsible for Krispy Kreme’s growth initiatives, including new-product development and innovation. Krispy
Kreme has been struggling to recover from setbacks that began in May 2004 when it missed its per-share earnings target for the first
time and was accused of manipulating profit and sales reports, prompting franchisees’ lawsuits and regulatory probes.
GOLDEN, Colo. — RICHARD K. “RICK” ARRAS has succeeded MICHAEL ANDRES as president and CEO of
BOSTON MARKET following SUN CAPITAL PARTNERS’ newly completed purchase of the chain from MCDONALD’S CORP. Golden-based Boston Market, which operates 600 restaurants in 28 states, joins a Sun Capital portfolio that includes such brands as Chevys Fresh Mex, Fazoli’s, Bruegger’s Bagels and El Torito. Terms were not disclosed. Andres rejoined McDonald’s, Sun Capital said. Arras takes the reins at Boston Market after a 28-year career including stints as president and CEO of Shoney’s and COO of Cracker Barrel. Most recently he was CEO and coowner of O’Charley’s franchisee Wi-Tenn Restaurants.
DENVER — A trade-secrets lawsuit filed here two months ago by QUIZNOS SUB against its former senior vice president of operations and development, MICHAEL GRODI, apparently has led to his replacement as president and CEO of the rival EARL OF SANDWICH chain. Denver-based Quiznos had accused Grodi of taking its secrets and unidentified employees to his new job as head of the fledgling Earl of Sandwich, based in Orlando, Fla. The lawsuit also named Earl of Sandwich as a defendant. Although the parties could not be reached at presstime to confirm a settlement, a statement on Earl of Sandwich’s website said that CFO THOMAS AVALLONE was named “interim president and CEO” in July. Earl of Sandwich, which hired Grodi in January, has six fast-casual units in Florida, California, Indiana and Texas. The concept was begun in London by descendants of the fourth Earl of Sandwich, reputed inventor in 1762 of the namesake food item, and was brought to the United States by entrepreneur Robert Earl. Quiznos
and its franchisees operate more than 5,000 sandwich shops.- LOS ANGELES — GRILL CONCEPTS INC., poised for new development, has hired STEVEN THOMAS CARTER, a Rite Aid drugstore chain veteran, as vice president of construction and development, and promoted LOUIE FEINSTEIN to senior vice president of operations and TERRI HENRY to vice president of marketing. The publicly traded operator of the 22-unit DAILY GRILL upscale-casual chain and the five-unit GRILL ON THE ALLEY fine-dining group in July raised $14.1 million in a private offering to fund expansion of the chains.