Author

Katie Lee

Newspeopleretailers

Conn’s, Inc. President and CEO Steps Down

by Katie Lee

The Woodlands, Texas — Conn’s, Inc.’s president and chief executive officer, Chandra Holt, has stepped down from her position and from the company’s board, effective immediately. Norman L. Miller will serve as interim president and chief executive officer. Miller was the company’s former president and CEO from September 2015 until August 2021 and executive chairman from August 2021 until April 2022; he also has been a member of the board of directors since September 2015. Miller is a retail and consumer finance industry veteran and executive with over 30 years …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsremodelsrestaurantssoftware/technology

Roy Rogers Readies for Unit Growth with Prototype Remodel and Technology Upgrades

by Katie Lee

Frederick, Md. — Roy Rogers Restaurants, a western-themed quick-service restaurant chain based in Frederick, Md., has made key investments in remodeling and technology initiatives to drive brand growth with franchise partners. Renovating a collection of restaurants that were built in different decades and survived a host of design trends was a challenging goal. The stores needed changes, both inside and out, to ultimately look and feel like they belong to the same family. The design had to respect the past, while improving convenience for guests and speed of service — …

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REI Co-op Hires VP, Physical Stores and Retail Operations

by Katie Lee

Seattle — REI Co-op has added Mary-Farrell Tarbox to its retail leadership and corporate officer teams. Tarbox joins REI on October 24 as the company’s vice president, physical stores and retail operations. “Mary-Farrell is a proven leader in omni-channel operations. Her more than 30 years of leading successful teams across multiple retail environments made her a clear choice,” says Cameron Janes, chief commercial officer of REI Co-op. “As REI’s retail presence expands across the nation, she will have a key role in helping the co-op achieve our aspiration to serve …

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Hobart Introduces Latest in Fleet Management with New HTe Software

by Katie Lee

Troy, Ohio — Hobart has introduced the newest edition of HTe Enterprise Asset Scale Management Software. HTe Enterprise is the latest in fleet management and offers several new features. Hobart’s HTe Enterprise improves efficiency, reduces downtime and increases profitability all from the convenience of a desktop PC. This web-based tool is a software package for retailers to directly manage their scale fleets and lends itself to a multi-user experience in grocery environments. In today’s grocery stores, scales are all connected devices and require firmware updates, configuration updates and updates to …

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franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Mountain Mike’s Pizza to Open First Texas Location this Year

by Katie Lee

Newport Beach, Calif. — Mountain Mike’s Pizza plans to open its first Texas location in Lewisville before the end of the year. Owned and operated by Steve and Adam Zeigler of Zeigler & Son, LLC, which also owns eight Jersey Mike’s franchises throughout the state, the Mountain Mike’s Lewisville opening will be the first of their three-store agreement and marks the first of many Texas locations to come — with several expected to open in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth region within the next 12 months. “We are beyond excited to …

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Kroger to Acquire Albertsons in $24.6 Billion Merger of Grocery Giants

by Katie Lee

Cincinnati and Boise, Idaho — Kroger Co. and Albertsons Cos. Inc. have agreed to a merger under which Kroger will acquire all outstanding shares of Albertsons’ common and preferred stock for an estimated total consideration of $34.10 per share, or a total enterprise value of approximately $24.6 billion. The deal includes the assumption of $4.7 billion of Albertsons’ net debt. Both companies’ boards of directors unanimously approved the agreement. The exact motivation for the merger was not stated in the press release, but The Wall Street Journal notes that by …

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MarineMax Appoints 2 Key Leaders as Executive Officers

by Katie Lee

Clearwater, Fla. — MarineMax, Inc., the world’s largest recreational boat and yacht retailer, has appointed two key leaders as executive officers of MarineMax. The company’s board of directors has named Shawn Berg and Kyle Langbehn as executive officers, effective October 1, 2022, as the company continues to execute its strategic growth plan. Berg has served as chief digital officer of MarineMax since April 2019, responsible for the company’s technology, marketing and digital business operations. Previously, he served as vice president of technology after joining MarineMax in 2017. Berg has over …

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Watterson Appoints New Chief Growth Officer

by Katie Lee

Schaumburg, Ill. — Watterson has appointed Lisa M. Fry to chief growth officer. As a global business leader with more than 25 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry, Fry specializes in business strategy, facilities management and enterprise client solutions. Fry brings with her the expertise from international real estate giants CBRE and Cushman & Wakefield, where she held global executive and senior management roles. “My goal will be to build upon Watterson’s great foundation and assist in shaping the strategy of the company for the future,” says …

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energy managementHVAC/RIndustry Voiceskitchen equipmentlightingsoftware/technology

Equipped for Efficiency

by Katie Lee

— By Jason Roeder — Advancing restaurant and retail sustainability: the power of equipment data.   Last March, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed new rules that will impact every publicly traded multi-unit retailer or restaurant. If the regulations are adopted, these organizations will have to disclose their greenhouse-gas emissions, climate goals and the effect of climate risks on their businesses. This development adds a new level of urgency for these sectors, which are already working to reduce their carbon footprint. It’s far from easy; a previous study cited …

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franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Tropical Smoothie Cafe Opens 35 New Locations in Third Quarter

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Tropical Smoothie Cafe signed 48 franchise agreements and opened 35 new cafes in the third quarter of 2022. As a result, the company drove its year-to-date totals (through Q3) to 186 signed franchise agreements and 119 openings, expanding its footprint in prime markets while setting the stage for additional growth in the final quarter of 2022. The number of locations opened this year represents an increase of 25% compared to the number of cafes opened during the same timeframe a year ago. Through the first three quarters of …

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