Phoenix — Steve Goyette, vice president of business development for Telgian Fire Safety, was recently named supplier co-chair of the Connex Resource Committee. Maile Keliikuli, retail facilities manager at REI, will hold the position of retail co-chair. As a global multi-site facilities management association, Connex is an essential source of information and connections for both facilities managers and suppliers. Committees, such as the Connex Resource Committee, educate and empower facilities management professionals and their suppliers, providing them with best practices, benchmarking, discussion forums and more. “It is an honor to …
— By John Manning — Owners and developers have great intentions when beginning construction projects, but sometimes life happens and those projects get delayed or even get stuck, coming to a screeching halt for unforeseeable reasons. In 2020 other outside challenges have made troubled projects more commonplace such as the economic impact of Coronavirus. If you find your construction project stalled, stuck or otherwise troubled, don’t let time go by idly. Begin what we call the triage process. A properly implemented triage process is key to a successful project …
New York City and Freemont, Calif. — The list of apparel retailers to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy grew longer over the weekend as the parent companies of Lord & Taylor and Men’s Wearhouse both filed petitions for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in an effort to restructure their debt loads. Le Tote Inc., a New York City-based e-commerce firm specializing in the clothing sector that owns Lord & Taylor, filed its petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Tailored Brands, the Fremont-based parent company of …
Playa Vista, Calif. — California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is the latest fast-casual restaurant chain to file for bankruptcy protection due to strain brought on by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on July 30, 2020 in order to “close unprofitable locations, reduce its long term debt load and quickly emerge from bankruptcy as a much stronger company,” according to the filing. The Playa Vista, Calif.-based company did not release a list detailing which …
— By Katie Lee — How Slim Chickens is not only surviving — but thriving — during COVID-19. During the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Slim Chickens was able to turn on a dime: transforming its parking lots into dining rooms, boosting digital channels, investing in marketing and operations, as well as new safety protocols, and continuing to sell franchise locations — tallying almost 50 new units so far this year. While the Fayetteville, Arkansas-based fast-casual brand had to scale back its original 2020 development plans to open 30 …
— By Justin Kissinger — Why scissor lifts rise to the top in safety. Whether young or old, short or tall, every employee has the right to be safe while performing tasks on the jobsite, and high-reach work in the construction industry is no exception. Proper ladder usage may seem like common sense, yet according to OSHA, falls remain the Number 1 cause of death in the construction industry. The good news? These falls are almost always preventable. But, it all starts with putting ladders in their place, and …
Burleson, Texas — Muscle Maker, Inc., the parent company of Muscle Maker Grill, Healthy Joe’s and MMG Burger Bar, has opened its first delivery-only ghost kitchen in the Chicago market. Located at 3517 N. Spaulding Ave. the kitchen will showcase menus from Muscle Maker Grill, Healthy Joe’s and Muscle Maker Grill’s new Meal Plan concept: Meal Plan AF. Guests can order dishes from any of the three concepts through third-party delivery platforms, which include DoorDash, GrubHub, UberEats, Postmates, ChowNow and Caviar. As the demand for delivery increases due to social …
Irvine, Calif. — Juice It Up!, one of the nation’s leading handcrafted smoothie, açaí bowl and raw juice chains, has promoted Susan Taylor to president and chief executive officer. She joined Juice It Up!’s senior leadership team last September as vice president of operations. A restaurant industry veteran of nearly 30 years, 14 of which were with Jamba, Taylor will lead Juice It Up!’s next phase of growth. Celebrating its 25-year anniversary in 2020, the Juice It Up! brand was acquired in 2018 by SJB Brands, LLC, a partnership between …
Chesterfield, Mo. — NewGround, a St. Louis-based innovative architecture, design and project management firm, has promoted Susan Fischer to director of interior design, effective July 27, with Jill Schumaier’s impending retirement later this year. Fischer has 15 years of commercial interior design experience working with clients in the financial, corporate, retail and hospitality sectors. She brings an impressive organizational skill set, excellent client relations and high-quality design experience to succeed in her new management role. NewGround is an industry thought leader in strategy, innovative design and project management. For over …
Fort Mill, S.C. — Diversey, a leading global hygiene and cleaning company, has launched its new Clean and Ready Program. The program is designed to respond to the new era of cleanliness, as facilities worldwide begin the process of reopening following the pandemic. The program will be launched globally across the full range of sectors in which Diversey operates, including: hospitality, foodservice, education, offices — specifically targeting building service contractors (BSCs) — and in retail environments. “There is now an urgent need to convey a visible commitment to the highest …