Thursday, November 20, 2025
Read the Magazine Subscribe

people

franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Marco’s Pizza Appoints Vice President of Franchise Growth

by Katie Lee

Toledo, Ohio — Marco’s Pizza has appointed Brad Smith as vice president of franchise growth. The appointment reflects Marco’s continued investment in world-class leadership as it pursues aggressive multi-unit growth, international expansion (particularly across LATAM and the Caribbean) and non-traditional development opportunities. “Brad brings a rare combination of strategic vision, operational expertise and global franchise insight,” says Gerardo Flores, chief development officer of Marco’s Pizza. “As we continue to scale with purpose, his leadership will be instrumental in accelerating growth, deepening our operational excellence, and expanding our reach with high-caliber …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newspeoplerestaurants

Papa Johns Names New CFO and President, North America

by Katie Lee

Louisville, Ky. — Papa John’s International, Inc. has promoted Ravi Thanawala to chief financial officer and president, North America. Most recently, he served as chief financial officer and executive vice president, international. In his new role, he will lead the company’s North American business, including restaurant operations and development strategies along with his CFO responsibilities. In connection with his appointment, the company’s international business will be led by Chris Lyn-Sue, who has been promoted from senior vice president, head of international markets to senior vice president, general manager of international. …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newspeopleretailers

Dollar General Corporation Appoints COO; Promotes 3 Additional Executives

by Katie Lee

Goodlettsville, Tenn. — Dollar General Corporation has promoted Emily Taylor to be the company’s new chief operating officer (COO), effective Nov. 16, 2025. She most recently served as Dollar General’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer. Taylor brings more than 25 years of Dollar General experience to the COO role, having first joined the company in 1998. As COO, she will have responsibility for store operations, global supply chain, merchandising, marketing and digital, real estate and store development, decision science, and process improvement organizations. “Emily’s strategic vision and tenured …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
construction and designfranchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Bagels & Co. Taps Restaurant Industry Veteran as New COO

by Katie Lee

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — Kevin Armantrout, who has held executive roles with several nationally recognized brands, has been named chief operating officer for Bagels & Co. which has several locations now open in Pennsylvania and Florida with plans to expand to additional cities across the U.S. Armantrout has built a distinguished career leading high-growth restaurant and hospitality brands through expansion, operational transformation and cultural renewal. His extensive experience in management, site selection, construction and building a strong foundation for franchising from the ground up are an asset to Bagels & …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newspeopleretailers

Walmart Names New President and Chief Executive Officer

by Katie Lee

Bentonville, Ark. — The board of directors of Walmart Inc. has elected John Furner to succeed Doug McMillon as president and chief executive officer, effective Feb. 1, 2026. Furner was also elected to the company’s board of directors, effective immediately. McMillon will retire on Jan. 31, 2026, but remain on the board of directors until the next annual shareholders’ meeting and help ensure a smooth transition. “John Furner is the right leader to guide Walmart into our next chapter of growth and transformation,” says Greg Penner, chairman of Walmart Inc. …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
construction and designfranchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Smalls Sliders® Expands Executive Leadership Team

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Smalls Sliders has made a series of leadership appointments. The company has named Ryan Crumley as its new chief development officer and promoted Michael Alberici to chief marketing officer. These two additions round out CEO Charles Watson’s executive team. Additionally, the company has promoted Adam Roof to vice president of finance. He will oversee financial planning, forecasting and scalable systems designed to support the company’s rapidly growing franchise network. Crumley most recently served as chief growth officer at Tidal Wave Auto Spa, where he helped grow the company …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
energy managementfacilities managementgreen building/LEEDmanagementNewspeopleProduct Spotlightproperty managementsoftware/technologyvendors

Planon Appoints Chief Revenue Officer for Facilities and Field Services

by Katie Lee

Nijmegen, the Netherlands — Planon, a leading global provider of smart sustainable building management software, has appointed Sylvain Lamy as chief revenue officer (CRO) for facilities and field services, joining the company’s executive management team. In this position, Lamy will lead Planon’s global commercial organization for the facilities and field services business lines, driving sales, services and partner growth worldwide. “Sylvain brings a strong track record in scaling enterprise software businesses and leading high-performing international teams,” says Peter Ankerstjerne, CEO of Planon. “His commercial acumen and customer-centric mindset will be …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

P.F. Chang’s Names New Chief Executive Officer

by Katie Lee

Scottsdale, Ariz. — P.F. Chang’s has hired Jim Mazany as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately. Mazany succeeds Brad Hill and will lead the company into its next phase of growth, innovation and global expansion. Mazany is a proven leader in scaling restaurant brands, driving operational excellence and delivering engaging guest experiences across some of the most recognized names in the restaurant industry. Most recently, he served as chairman and CEO of Rosa Mexicano, Yardbird and Shell Shack, where he spearheaded brand expansion and elevated operational performance as operating …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newspeoplerestaurants

BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. Names New CFO

by Katie Lee

Huntington Beach, Calif. — BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. has appointed Todd Wilson as chief financial officer, effective Dec. 15, 2025. Most recently and since November 2022, he was the CFO of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. where he played an integral role in improving restaurant-level margins and achieving improved financial results, while driving effective communication with the investment community. Prior to Red Robin, from 2018 to 2022, Wilson was CFO of Hopdoddy Burger Bar, where he engineered significant operating margin expansion, doubled unit count through organic growth & acquisition, and completed …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newspeoplerestaurants

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. CFO to Depart; New COO is Named

by Katie Lee

Englewood, Colo. — Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., a full-service restaurant chain serving high-quality gourmet burgers in a family-friendly atmosphere, has announced that Todd Wilson, chief financial officer, will depart the company on Dec. 12, 2025. Red Robin has begun a formal search to identify qualified candidates to fill the CFO position. “On behalf of everyone at Red Robin and our board of directors, I would like to thank Todd for his many contributions during his tenure as CFO,” says Dave Pace, president and chief executive officer. “The future of …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts