Hollywood, Fla. — Hard Rock International has appointed long-time restaurant and hospitality leader Eric Martino as president of the Hard Rock Cafe Division, overseeing operations of the company’s nearly 200 eateries around the world. Additionally, Martino will oversee Hard Rock’s retail division on a global scale. He reports to Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming. “We’re excited to welcome Eric, whose extensive background in culinary arts, marketing and operations will further elevate the already outstanding Hard Rock dining and retail experience,” says Allen. Martino …
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New York City — Authentic Brands Group, a global brand development, entertainment and marketing platform, has appointed Jeff Daggett as senior vice president – head of Japan. With more than three decades of industry experience, Daggett will play an integral role in strengthening Authentic’s foothold presence and driving brand growth within the Japanese market. “Jeff’s extensive industry experience and proven track record make him an ideal leader to drive Authentic’s expansion across Japan,” says Wesley Chu, regional president APAC, Authentic. “We are excited to welcome his strategic vision and comprehensive …
San Francisco — Chargebee, a leading subscription and revenue growth management platform, has named Brian Clark as president of go-to-market and Andrew Sherwood as senior vice president of global sales. Clark and Sherwood will accelerate Chargebee’s go-to-market focus on helping companies capture the opportunity in the evolving market with Chargebee’s uniquely flexible and robust revenue growth management platform. Clark brings 20+ years of experience in executive leadership roles at industry-defining companies. Most recently, he served as chief revenue officer (CRO) at Vista-backed Work Management Software company Wrike. Sherwood will lead …
Duluth, Ga. — National Vision Holdings, Inc. has appointed Mark Banner as the company’s new chief stores officer, effective July 8, 2024. He joins the company after a 7-year tenure at Sleep Number. Most recently, he served as senior vice president of retail and real estate. His extensive experience encompasses leading teams in sales, sales operations, digital, promotion and real estate. Before Sleep Number, Banner dedicated 18 years to Signet Jewelers, the world’s largest specialty retailer jeweler. He began his career at Signet as a store manager and rose through …
Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. has hired Jordan Chirico as executive vice president and head of debt capital markets. He joins FAT Brands with nearly 20 years of Wall Street experience and will be focused on the company’s balance sheet including its $1.2 billion Whole Business Securitization portfolio, additional acquisition financings, preferred stock and other debt-related strategies. Chirico spent the first half of his career in structured finance at Bank of America, Robert W. Baird and Credit Suisse before pivoting to the asset management side of …
Lakewood, Colo. — Todd Dissinger, chief financial officer of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc., has informed the company of his intention to retire on December 31, 2024. He will continue to serve as chief financial officer until his successor is appointed to ensure a smooth transition. “Since his appointment as chief financial officer in December 2017, Dissinger has been an invaluable member of our executive team, helping Natural Grocers to execute on its founding principles while achieving record financial performance and enhancing shareholder value,” says Kemper Isely, chairman and …
Houston — Shipley Do-Nuts has further built out its development team to include experienced construction project managers to help franchisees through every aspect of design, permitting and construction, including overseeing timelines and conducting site visits to ensure quicker shop openings without costly delays. Ryan Pullin, Shipley’s new director of design, has nearly 15 years’ experience in commercial and retail construction project management, with a focus on cost control. He joined the company after serving as president of Elite 3 Construction. Korelle Dickson, who joined the company as construction project manager, …
Layne’s Chicken Fingers Welcomes New Senior Director of Operations and Director of Marketing
College Station, Texas — With 16 restaurants open and another 212 awarded, including 91 in the first quarter alone, chicken finger franchise Layne’s Chicken Fingers is building a team to support its rapidly growing system. The team recently welcomed Alex Camp as senior director of operations and Ashley Reynolds as director of marketing. The brand also recently moved into a new office, which accommodates more team members and provides them with the space they need as the brand scales. Layne’s has welcomed several new experts to the family to bolster …
Minneapolis — Target Corporation has named Christina Hennington, currently chief growth officer, as chief strategy and growth officer, and Rick Gomez, currently chief food, essentials and beauty officer, as chief commercial officer, overseeing Target’s merchandising business, both effective July 7. Lisa Roath, Target’s chief marketing officer, will take on the role of chief merchandising officer of food, essentials and beauty in early 2025. The company is initiating an external search for its next chief marketing officer and, until a successor is named, Roath will remain in full capacity as chief …
Boca Raton, Fla. — I Heart Mac & Cheese has hired Angelo Freites as vice president of franchise operations and Rafael Romero as director of marketing. Freites has 40 years of experience in the franchise industry, previously as a franchisee of Wendy’s and Checkers. Romero joins the company from YUM! International (KFC) and Wendy’s International as brand strategist and marketing director across Latin America and the Caribbean. “I am so pleased to have such top industry veterans as Angelo Freites and Rafael Romero join the I Heart team,” says Steve …