— By Jenn Poultney — Best practices for stopping roof leaks before they start. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that couldn’t be truer when it comes to managing facilities, especially on the roof. Keeping up with preventive maintenance and performing routine inspections can significantly reduce roof leaks and improve the health and longevity of a roof. Most roof warranties require scheduled maintenance or housekeeping to keep the warranty in good standing. Neglecting these activities or not properly documenting these activities can void a roof’s …
Katie Lee
Atlanta — Krispy Krunchy Chicken®, one of the fastest-growing hot food concepts in the convenience store business, has named Matt Testa its chief operations officer. He will focus on strengthening the sales and operations teams for the brand which licenses over 3,000 locations. Testa joins the company from Pilot Flying J. “Matt brings us a proven track record of success and growth in c-stores. He has a visionary approach for leading teams to maximize impact, efficiency and ease for operators,” says Jim Norberg, chief executive officer for Krispy Krunchy Chicken®. …
Dallas — Centennial, a retail real estate owner and operator with a national portfolio of shopping, dining, entertainment and mixed-use destinations as well as a full-service property management platform serving third-party owners (www.centennialrec.com), has appointed Paul Kurzawa to serve as president. Kurzawa is an experienced real estate and entertainment executive with more than 25 years of international multi-asset and multi-discipline expertise in the commercial real estate and entertainment industries. He has worked for some of the most distinguished global real estate and entertainment companies in the world, including The Blackstone …
Newport Beach, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill has appointed Scott Boatwright as chief executive officer and a member of the board, effective immediately. Prior to being named interim CEO in August, Boatwright served as chief operating officer, reporting directly to the company’s CEO since 2017. Responsible for more than 125,000 employees and over 3,600 restaurants, Boatwright has been a driving force for improving the company’s overall guest experience. In addition to contributing to the strategy and growth of the business, he led the integration of new technology into restaurants, built …
San Francisco — Brilliant Earth Group, Inc., an innovative, global leader in ethically sourced fine jewelry, is opening its first street-level showroom in New York City. The showroom is located at 255 Elizabeth St. in Nolita and expands the company’s retail footprint to 4 locations in the New York metropolitan area and 39 overall. The inviting floorplan includes a jewelry try-on bar, offering customers a hands-on and engaging holiday shopping experience and includes dedicated private spaces for the company’s signature one-on-one bridal and fine jewelry appointments. “We are committed to …
Saginaw, Mich. — Duro-Last, a member of Holcim Building Envelope, has appointed Chris Warner as its new vice president of operations. With more than 20 years of experience in operational leadership and a strong background in lean manufacturing and strategic process optimization, Warner will be instrumental in enhancing Duro-Last’s operational excellence and advancing its commitment to safety and superior customer service. “I am honored to join Duro-Last and contribute to the legacy of excellence that has made the company a trusted leader in commercial roofing,” says Warner. “Duro-Last’s reputation for …
Honolulu — L&L Hawaiian Barbecue has appointed Kyler Kokubun as director of franchisee communications. In this role, Kokubun will focus on enhancing the relationship between the franchisor and franchisees, supporting franchisee operations and aligning marketing strategies with the brand’s vision. Kokubun brings nearly 15 years of experience in marketing, customer service and community engagement from his previous tenure at Consolidated Theatres, Hawaii’s oldest and largest movie theatre chain, where he was promoted from service associate to marketing and events manager for all locations across Hawaii. He has been instrumental in …
Bethesda, Md. — Westfield Montgomery is welcoming six new highly sought after fashion brands. Tory Burch, Abercrombie & Fitch and Carter’s will open this November followed by UNIQLO opening in mid-2025. These additions are the latest in a series of new tenants for Westfield Montgomery in 2024. Most recently, J. Crew moved into a sleek new space. JD Sports, a leading retailer of fashionable sportswear and sneakers, opened in late September. Swiss chocolatier Läderach opened in summer 2024. “We’re excited to expand our upscale retail offerings at Westfield Montgomery for …
New York City — Checkmate, a leader in AI-powered ordering solutions for enterprise restaurants, has secured $10 million in Series B funding led by Tiger Global. The round will enable Checkmate to accelerate the adoption of its voice AI and kiosk technologies across the industry. Checkmate has already developed expertise in integrating digital orders into restaurant point-of-sale (POS) systems. This foundation serves as a critical advantage in entering these new business segments. Checkmate offers best-in-class phone ordering and drive-thru AI solutions to some of the country’s largest brands, all seamlessly …
The Placemaker
— By Katie Lee — PREIT is redefining the role of malls by transforming them into vibrant community hubs. As a premier developer and operator of retail and entertainment destinations all over the country, in some of the most sought-after, high barrier-to-entry MSAs, PREIT has long understood the importance of creating a “sense of place.” But with more than 6 decades of experience and a foresight to see beyond the traditional malls or power centers of its early years, today PREIT and its 17 premier properties offer so much more …