Executive Movements February 2008
OAK BROOK, Ill. — MCDONALD’S CORP. president and chief operating officer RALPH ALVAREZ has been elected to the company’s board of directors. Alvarez fills a spot that had been held by EDWARD BRENNAN, who died last month. Of Alvarez’s election, McDonald’s chairman ANDREW MCKENNA said: “Ralph’s unique business perspectives and his in-depth knowledge of the global restaurant industry make him a highly valued addition to McDonald’s board of directors. He has an outstanding track record of results that will further enhance the effectiveness of the board.” Alvarez joined McDonald’s in 1994 and has held several leadership positions with the world’s largest restaurant chain, which has more than 30,000 outlets worldwide.
NEW YORK — TOM LARRANAGA has been named publisher of NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS, succeeding ALAN GOULD, who has resigned to work with several non-profit and educational groups. Larranaga was NRN’s associate publisher and national sales manager. The graduate of Bryant University in Rhode Island joined NRN parent LEBHAR-FRIEDMAN INC. here in May 2006 after working for more than 18 years in business-to-business publishing. In addition to its flagship weekly publication and Daily NewsFax, NRN produces the annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, MUFSO; the annual International Foodservice Technology conference, FS/TEC; the NRN.com website; 12 e-newsletters; and various symposiums and roundtable-style seminars. Gould led NRN for 14 years, and also served as a vice president of Lebhar-Friedman. In his new endeavor, he will work with groups that promote education and
provide services to young people and children with special needs.
SEATTLE — Following his return as chief executive of STARBUCKS last week, HOWARD SCHULTZ on Friday detailed other management changes, including the departure of two executives. The appointments would make up a team “responsible for executing the company’s transformation agenda,” he said. TERRY DAVENPORT, formerly vice president of global brand and strategies, was promoted to senior VP of marketing. HARRY ROBERTS is returning as senior VP and chief creative officer, a newly created role. MICHELLE GASS, previously senior VP of global products and brands, was named senior VP of global strategy. CHET KUCHINAD, formerly senior VP of the company’s compensation and benefits plan, was promoted to executive VP of partner resources, and will lead development and execution of the company’s human resources strategy. CHRIS BRUZZO, previously VP of digital strategy, was named to the newly created post of VP and chief technology officer. As acting chief information officer, Bruzzo replaces BRIAN CRYNES, who left the company. Also leaving is SANDRA TAYLOR, as senior VP for corporate social responsibility, officials said. Continuing in their roles are COO MARTIN COLES, CFO PETE BOCIAN and executive VP of law and corporate affairs PAULA BOGGS.
MINNEAPOLIS — CARIBOU COFFEE CO. on Friday named former Buca Inc. finance chief KAYE O’LEARY interim CFO after the resignation of GEORGE MILEUSNIC, who is the second high-level executive in two months to step down from the coffeehouse chain. In November, Michael Coles quit as chairman and chief executive but remained a director, and president and COO Rosalyn Mallet was named interim CEO.
CHICAGO — MORTON’S RESTAURANT GROUP INC. has named KATE SHEHAN vice president of human resources
for its 83-unit Morton’s of Chicago upscale steakhouse chain. Before joining Morton’s, Shehan was VP and director of human resources for Crown Golf Properties in Glenview, Ill. Previously, she was an HR executive for Chart House Restaurants, DavCo Restaurants and Sysco Corp. Shehan replaces JEFF CAMPBELL, who left Morton’s to become vice president of human resources at O’CHARLEY’S INC.
LOS ANGELES — Foodservice and nightclub veteranARICH BERGHAMMER has been named president of the three-unit PINK TACO casual-dining chain, it said Wednesday. Berghammer previously was chief operating officer of Los Angeles-based SBE Restaurant and Nightlife Group, which operates such concepts as Katsuya, The Abbey, Area and Hyde. Before that, he was the House of Blues chain’s national chief of staff and senior director of operations. Pink Taco is headed by HARRY MORTON, son of Hard Rock Cafe founder Peter Morton and grandson of Morton’s Steakhouse chain founder Arnie Morton. Launched seven years ago at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Pink Taco has high-grossing locations there, in Scottsdale, Ariz., and in Los Angeles.
MINNEAPOLIS — WALLACE B. DOOLIN has resigned as chief executive of casual-dining operator BUCA INC. as part of a 13-percent, $2.1 million cut in the company’s headquarters payroll, Buca said Tuesday. Doolin, who will continue as chairman, will relinquish the CEO title Feb. 1 to JOHN BETTIN, who remains president and chief operating officer. Buca also said it intends to curtail expansion to just one new Buca di Beppo restaurant this year, which would be the nonfranchised Italian chain’s 91st location. Doolin said he will focus as chairman on an exploration of the previously reported options of a sale of the company or other “strategic alternatives.” The cutbacks were disclosed minutes after Buca reported a 10.4-percent drop in revenues for the 13-week fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, to $64.1 million, compared with $71.5 million for the 14-week period a year earlier. Same-store sales fell 2.4 percent from the prior fourth quarter. For the full year, same-store sales increased 0.7 percent though total revenue, in a preliminary reckoning, declined 3.3 percent to about $245.6 million, compared with $253.8 million for 2006.
DENVER — QUIZNOS has named as its new president former Yum! Brands Inc. chief operating officer DAVID DENO, effective immediately, the company said Monday. Deno, who will report to Quiznos chief executive GREG BRENNEMAN, will oversee all operations and international development for the allfranchised sandwich chain, Quiznos said. Deno joins Quiznos from CCMP Capital, an investor in the restaurant company, where he was a managing director. While at CCMP, Deno served on Quiznos’ board of directors. Deno, who also has worked for Burger King, is one of several Yum and BK veterans who have joined the management team at 5,000-unit Quiznos since Brenneman, a turnaround specialist and former chief executive of Burger King, invested in the company and assumed the CEO post.
MINNEAPOLIS — CARLSON COS.INC., parent of the T.G.I. Friday’s and Pick Up Stix restaurant brands, said HUBERT JOLY will become president and chief executive March 1. He succeeds MARILYN CARLSON NELSON, who will remain Carlson’s chairman. Joly, 48, has been president and CEO of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, the conglomerate’s travel agency business, since July 2004. T.G.I. Friday’s and Pick Up Stix constitute the subsidiary CARLSON RESTAURANTS WORLDWIDE, based in Carrollton, Texas, and headed by CEO Richard Sneed. Carlson’s other holdings include Radisson Hotels & Resorts,
Regent Hotels & Resorts and four other lodging brands.