Denver — REGO Restaurant Group, a leading fast-casual restaurant platform, has named Neel Patel as chief executive officer to lead Quiznos, the quick-service sandwich chain, and Taco del Mar, a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in coastal Mexican cuisine. He joins the group from Church’s Texas Chicken. Previously, Patel served as senior vice president, strategy & growth at Church’s Texas Chicken. He brings a wealth of experience in business transformation, growth strategy and commercial excellence, positioning him to drive the brands’ continued expansion and innovation. “Both Quiznos and Taco del Mar …
people
New York City — Foot Locker, Inc. has named Franklin R. Bracken, currently its executive vice president and chief commercial officer, to the role of president, effective immediately. Bracken will continue reporting to Mary Dillon, Foot Locker, Inc.’s chief executive officer. In his new role, Bracken will work alongside Dillon to accelerate the execution of the Lace Up Plan, the company’s strategy to elevate the omni-retail experience, enhance productivity and create long term shareholder value. Bracken will also continue to oversee global retail operations, merchandising, marketing, digital, loyalty and real …
Atlanta — NCR Voyix Corporation, a leading global provider of digital commerce solutions, has appointed Nick East as its new chief product officer, effective immediately. In this key executive leadership position, East will oversee product innovation and marketing across the company’s broad technology product portfolio. “Nick’s achievements in driving innovation uniquely position him to lead our product team as we focus on delivering leading products and features to meet our customers’ needs,” says Jim Kelly, NCR Voyix’s chief executive officer. “Nick has the right experience to ensure product remains at …
St. Louis — Panera Brands Inc., which includes the iconic fast-casual concept Panera Bread, as well as Einstein Bros. Brands and Caribou Coffee, has appointed Paul Carbone as chief executive officer, effective immediately. Carbone previously served as chief financial officer for the company and was appointed to the role of interim CEO in January 2025. “Paul’s commitment and significant contributions to Panera over the past 2 years — coupled with his impressive track record of success with both public and private companies in the industry — demonstrate that he has …
Charlotte, N.C. — Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, a polished-casual American restaurant and steakhouse, has promoted Steve Sturm to chief operating officer (COO) and Andy Seiple to corporate executive chef. Both leaders have and will continue to play key roles in driving the company’s growth by enhancing operational efficiency and elevating menu offerings to deliver an exceptional guest experience. Sturm has been with Firebirds since its inception in 2000 and was the first executive chef at Firebirds’ first restaurant in Charlotte, where he played an instrumental role in the development and …
Chattanooga, Tenn. — CBL Properties has made several promotions including one promotion to senior vice president and five new vice presidents. “We are proud to recognize the significant contributions of these individuals with these well-deserved promotions,” says Stephen D. Lebovitz, chief executive officer of CBL Properties. “Their dedication, leadership and ongoing commitment to CBL have been instrumental to our success, and we look forward to seeing the impact they will continue to make in their new roles.” • Karen Walker was promoted to senior vice president – technology solutions. She …
Minneapolis — International Dairy Queen, Inc. (IDQ) has hired Art D’Elia as chief operating officer, U.S. and Canada, reporting to the president and CEO. He will lead a team of nearly 275 DQ® employees in operations, training and marketing to achieve the company’s financial objectives, grow franchisee sales and profits, and maintain and grow the strength and reputation of the DQ system. “Art’s strategic vision for the DQ business and strong leadership in brand strategy, marketing, operations and system sales growth position him well to lead our business in the …
Richardson, Texas — Fossil Group, Inc. has appointed Randy Greben as chief financial officer, effective March 17. He replaces Andrew Skobe, interim chief financial officer. Greben will oversee Fossil Group’s global financial strategy, focusing on leading the organization’s financial turnaround and business transformation. With more than two decades of financial leadership experience, Greben brings a strong track record of business transformations — ranging from deep turnarounds to high-growth strategies for a number of leading consumer brands. “For decades, Fossil Group and its iconic global brands have been part of the …
Secaucus, N.J. — The Children’s Place, Inc., the largest pure-play children’s specialty retailer in North America with an omnichannel portfolio of brands, has appointed John Szczepanski as chief financial officer, effective March 31, 2025. He will report to Muhammad Umair, president and interim chief executive officer. As CFO, Szczepanski will oversee finance, accounting, financial planning & analysis, tax, treasury, procurement, investor relations, internal audit and real estate. “Today marks an exciting new chapter for our company as we welcome John to be our chief financial officer,” says Umair. “During this …
New York City — National frozen dessert brand 16 Handles has named Fred Frey, an accomplished restaurant franchise development leader with an extensive background in finance and business growth, as its new vice president of franchise development. He joins the company from Shipley Do-Nuts. Most recently, Frey served as director of franchise development at Shipley Do-Nuts, where he played a key role in the company’s largest expansion to date, securing 117 franchise agreements in 2024 alone. Prior to that, he was franchise development manager for iced tea brand HTeaO, leading …